James was a famous celebrity portrait photographer turned photojournalist. His fame was eclipsed briefly by that of his three children when their travel book “Around the World in Eleven Years” became a best seller. The children, who had all the money at that time, insisted on settling in Douglas County because they had so much enjoyed staying at Perry Park Ranch as guests while they wrote the book. The home was built by local craftsmen over the winter of the 1937-38, and progress was reported in the Denver newspapers. The housewarming in March was attended by many, a keg of beer was sent by Adolph Coors, and Lee Casey of the Rocky Mountain News said, “By way of observation – Colorado is better to live in since the Abbes came.”

Photos by Richard A. Farmer