Tour historic Pitchfork Ranch Saturday

The Meeteetse Museums invites the public to the annual tour of the Pitchfork Ranch Saturday, July 27. The tour will be led by owner, Dr. Lenox Baker, and begins at the ranch at 10 a.m. Participants should meet at the Meeteetse Museums at 9 a.m. with a picnic lunch and water. Guests will drive their own vehicles, but must travel with the organized group to the Pitchfork. Carpooling is encouraged.

The Pitchfork Ranch has a long history. The German Count Otto Franc von Lichtenstein started the ranch in 1880, raised Hereford cattle, and ran the ranch until 1901. In that year he died of an accidental gunshot wound. Louis G. Phelps purchased the Pitchfork Ranch in 1903. Phelps had earlier purchased the Z - T Ranch from Englishman Richard Ashworth. Later, the new owner of the Pitchfork added other properties to the original ranch, which eventually grew to 250,000 acres.

A number of managers ran the Pitchfork for L. G. Phelps, the first being George Merrill. It was during this time, that Phelps joined with Henry Sayles, Sr., to add sheep to the Pitchfork operations.

Upon Louis Phelps’ death in 1922, his son, Eugene, and Charles Belden took over management of the ranch.

Around the middle 1930s, the ranch suffered hard times. Allen Smith, a bank-imposed manager, took over in 1936 and returned the ranch to profitability.

The ranch was divided in the 1940s due to financial difficulties and family disagreements. During the early 1970s and under the management of Jack Turnell, the ranch implemented technological improvements that increased efficiency.

The Pitchfork gained new international notoriety in 1981 when a colony of black-footed ferrets (believed to be extinct) was found on the property.

The Meeteetse Museums is located at 1947 State Street. For more information, call 307-868-2423 or email info@meeteetsemuseums.org.