History and Happenings of Pinehaven in Cuchara, Colorado
History Books by Gene and Rhonda Roncone and Other Contributors
– Now Available –
Pinehaven – A History Beneath The Pines
For more than a century, the Pinehaven area in Cuchara has been home to Indigenous peoples, homesteaders, rugged pioneers, dreamers, and families who created lasting memories in Colorado’s beautiful Cuchara Valley. For the first time, their stories are brought together in a richly illustrated, full-color history of the community that generations have come to love.
Richly illustrated with rare, breathtaking full-color photographs, Pinehaven: A History Beneath the Pines combines historical discoveries, personal stories, and the lives of the remarkable people who transformed a mountain wilderness into the community we know today.
Whether you own a cabin, once owned a cabin, vacationed in Pinehaven, or simply love the history of the Cuchara Valley, this book will reconnect you with the people, places, and moments that made Pinehaven special.
Available now in paperback and hardcover on Amazon.
“Some places are visited. Others become part of who we are.”
– Now Available –
The Rossevelt Effect E-book
High above the Cuchara Valley in Colorado, Teddys Peak has always been more than just a mountain. It shapes the skyline, catches the first light of morning, and stands as a quiet constant over the communities below. But for all its familiarity, one question has lingered for generations: Who was “Teddy”?
In The Roosevelt Effect, local historian Gene Roncone takes readers on a short journey into one of the valley’s most enduring mysteries. Blending archival research, historic maps, and the stories that have circulated among residents for decades, this book explores the possible origins of the name “Teddys Peak” and the deeper history of the land it overlooks.
Was it named after President Theodore Roosevelt, whose conservation policies helped shape the very forest surrounding it? Or does the answer lie closer to home—in local memory, forgotten stories, or long-standing tradition?
Written for those who know the valley and those who are just discovering it, this book brings the region’s history to life in a way that is both engaging and accessible. More than a study of a name, it is a story about how places are remembered, how history is passed down, and how a landscape becomes part of the identity of the people who live beneath it.
If you’ve ever looked up at Teddys Peak and wondered about its story, this book invites you to see it in a whole new way.
Available now in e-book on Amazon.
The 2005 Pinehaven Time Capsule
Cabins, Families, and Memories Preserved
Between 2001 and 2005, Pinehaven residents Jim Stebbins and Alice Flanagan compiled a remarkable three-ring binder documenting the cabins then standing in Pinehaven, their ownership histories, and brief personal notes from owners about their properties. The collection also includes newspaper articles, historical documents, and photographs that offer additional glimpses into the community’s past.
Tom and Maxine Barber carefully preserved a nearly perfect copy of the binder and generously partnered with Gene Roncone to digitize the entire collection. Now available in searchable PDF format, the book allows readers to search by name, keyword, or topic and download the complete file. Its addition to the Cabin in the Pines website ensures that this valuable record will remain accessible as part of Pinehaven’s growing digital archive.