The Clover Patch Story
Hi! We are Roger and LaDonna Ames, proprietors of The Clover Patch Guesthouse in beautiful Collbran, Colorado. We are both Colorado natives and lifelong residents. Roger was born in Creede and I in Collbran.
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After a few of life's adventures, we met in Grand Junction, Colorado, raised 4 kids and now enjoy passing our love for this beautiful area on to our children and grandchildren.
​In 2019, after begging me for 25 years, Roger finally got what he'd wanted for so long. The two of us made the move from the "big city" of Grand Junction back up to the mountains we loved and from there, we began the search for our forever home right here in the Plateau Valley.
We have lifelong ties to the area that run deep. Roger has a lifetime of camping and fishing memories here and wanted more. My family goes back six generations in Collbran. In fact, one of my great grandfathers was among the first settler babies born in the east end of the valley, way back in 1892. The area was called the town of Vega then and sat where Vega State Park is now. Another of my great grandfathers was one of the first park rangers for what was at the time known as the Battlement Mesa National Forest. Too many of my aunts, uncles and cousins to even name, still live in the Plateau Valley. It's little wonder this valley has always kept such a tight hold on us. <3
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Finally, in October of 2020, Roger and I made the move to this beautiful and historic property. We named it The Clover Patch in recognition of it's amazing history. That history is also at the root of the responsibilities we feel to bring the property back to life and to honor
it's place in this valley's remarkable story. ​​
About Us
The vision we had for the Clover Patch might feel overwhelming to most. Some days it feels that way to us too. But since renovations began in February of 2021, the transformation has been amazing, if we do say so ourselves. We were baffled by the previous layout and determined changes needed to be made. As renovations began, walls were torn down while others were moved until the layout made sense to us. That vision was an open, welcoming living area with 3 bedrooms instead of 2. We've replaced flooring, installed newer fixtures and appliances, painted and furnished every room with simplicity and guest comfort in mind. What we have not determined is whether the 1970's time capsule bathroom will stay or go.
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​While there is always going to be more to do, we have found much joy and pride in all we've
accomplished in a short time. We have also loved seeing how much our community and guests
enjoyed following The Clover Patch's "renovation journey." It's almost as if coming back
year after year, knowing there will be new upgrades and
another year's worth of stories, has become as much a part of why they return as the view.
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And that makes perfect sense to us.​​​
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Learn more about The Clover School House and the History of The Clover Patch...
circa 1957
Original Clover School
The Clover School House​
​The Clover School was built and opened in 1920. At the time, land was typically set aside for schools in 1-acre plots. The Clover School is one of only a few in the Plateau Valley with more than that. It sets on a little more than 2-acres. There were many schools scattered throughout the valley back then and this additional acreage was used as housing for all of these teachers. The premise being that these unmarried women would live communally and keep each other "proper."
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Every school morning, ranchers would come from each of the area "school districts," pick up the teacher responsible for their area and take her to the school. Each evening, a different rancher would take her back to her home here at Clover School. The Carriage House where the teachers lived has since been taken down. Fortunately, much of the wood was salvaged and used for the walls in one of the additions to the main house.
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Another sweet remnant of The Clover School is an apple tree still thriving on the east side of the property. A tradition here in the valley back then was for the students to plant at least one apple tree on the property whenever a new school was built. There's something really special about walking past that tree and knowing the stories it could tell. ​​​
Finally in the 1940's The Clover School closed and students in the area all started attending Collbran schools. For a while after, the building was used as a sort of community gathering place. Dances, celebrations, weddings and just general meetings were held there for many years. Then in the 1970's, the school district sold the property to a private family and it became their summer home. This family installed the windmill and added a kitchen to the main house. They also built the guesthouse as a retreat when their adult children came to visit. The property changed hands again in 2009. This family expanded the main house by adding a sunroom off the kitchen. This is where that salvaged wood from the the teacher's Carriage House was put to use and it's definitely one of our favorite rooms!
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In 2020, Roger and I bought the property. It would be hard to explain how we knew this place was meant for us. It didn't meet most of our criteria. It was too far from this and in the wrong direction of that. And it wasn't just the structures that needed rehabilitation. The land had been neglected and misused too. It was too big a job for two empty-nesters with full-time jobs and weekends to enjoy. That much was clear.​
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Thankfully we paid no attention to any of that and were in full agreement from the onset that The Clover Patch was meant to be our forever home. The projects are many and life moves fast and we've learned to view it all as a labor of love. It's possible we may never get to all the ideas and dreams we have for this place. But we've embraced both the responsibility and the honor of being the restorers and keepers of this place for a time. Sharing it with others who appreciate its place in the valley's history just makes it all a little sweeter.​
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Thank you for your interest in The Clover Patch and its special history.
Honoring both today's ranching families and those who came before, means a lot to everyone who loves this land. It is the hope of both Roger and I that The Clover Patch offers a small glimpse of that history to every guest, and that it inspires you to explore and enjoy this exceptional valley with wonderment & awe.​​​​​