The Calder Manor Records from Highmoor Ridge

The Calder family arrived at Highmoor Ridge in 1908 after Robert Calder inherited the mountain estate from his father, who had established a sheep operation there. Three generations lived in the manor: Robert and his wife Margaret, their three children, and Robert’s widowed sister, who managed household affairs. Family income came from sheep grazing, timber leases, and a small granite quarry below the ridge.

County records show regular wages, tax payments, and building repairs during the 1910s. The remote property remained occupied throughout the decade, despite difficult winters and the high cost of transporting supplies.

The first warning appeared in 1922 when Calder Quarry fell behind on wages after granite prices declined. Two poor grazing seasons followed, reducing livestock income and forcing Robert to borrow against the property. He dismissed household workers, closed the northern bedrooms, and postponed repairs to the copper cupolas and damaged windows. After Robert died in 1926, his sons disputed control of the quarry and timber leases. By 1928, unpaid bank loans and property taxes had accumulated beyond the family’s means. Margaret moved with her daughters to relatives in the valley, while the sons left separately to find work.

Calder Manor was abandoned in 1929 after foreclosure followed quarry losses, poor livestock seasons, unpaid loans, and the inheritance dispute. Remaining livestock, equipment, and furniture were auctioned, but no buyer accepted responsibility for the isolated mountain estate. No restoration occurred, and no Calder family member returned to maintain the property. County records document failed attempts to lease the land and repeated warnings concerning unsafe roofs and masonry. By the 1940s, several rooms were sealed because of structural damage. The manor remains vacant on Highmoor Ridge, deteriorating without restoration or a confirmed future owner.