Empire Ranch back in the day...
Empire Ranch today:
Empire Ranch today:
The original ranch was established in the 1860s with 160 acres. Over the next 20 years, the ranch expanded to include nearly one million acres! That's a big ranch. The property our house is built on was once part of that ranch. We still have some very old fence posts running diagonally across our property and lots of jumbled up barbed wire down in the gulleys.
The Empire Ranch Foundation works to protect, restore and sustain the Empire Ranch historical buildings and landscape as a western heritage and education center. Check out their website for more history and some very cool old pics of life in the 1800s and early 1900s on this cattle ranch.
The weather was perfect on Saturday for strolling around the ranch.
A local miniature horse farm was there with some of their little cuties (the little cutie boy was with us): 
This one reminded me of my little Piper (who actually isn't so little anymore):
This was a great timeline display detailing the history of the ranch. If you click on the pic to enlarge it, you can actually read some of it. I also took this pic because I liked their simple display - wood frame with corrugated metal (always looking for display ideas for my booth!)
A great pic of some working cowboys.
Don't you just love old weathered barns? If only this one could talk!
And look at the cute cowboy I found wandering around... 
Lee and Matthew at the feed trough. Hay, it's what's for dinner.
There were a lot of demonstrations going on. This cowboy was demonstrating rawhide reata making. Wow, a lot of work goes into them. It's quite a skill.
The B Troop of the 4th U.S. Cavalry (Memorial) was also there with a display. This is an original McClellan saddle dating back to the 1850s. 
A sign of progress (?) at the Empire Ranch.
I think I'll stick to horses, thanks!
A local miniature horse farm was there with some of their little cuties (the little cutie boy was with us): This one reminded me of my little Piper (who actually isn't so little anymore):This was a great timeline display detailing the history of the ranch. If you click on the pic to enlarge it, you can actually read some of it. I also took this pic because I liked their simple display - wood frame with corrugated metal (always looking for display ideas for my booth!)A great pic of some working cowboys.Don't you just love old weathered barns? If only this one could talk!And look at the cute cowboy I found wandering around... Lee and Matthew at the feed trough. Hay, it's what's for dinner.There were a lot of demonstrations going on. This cowboy was demonstrating rawhide reata making. Wow, a lot of work goes into them. It's quite a skill.The B Troop of the 4th U.S. Cavalry (Memorial) was also there with a display. This is an original McClellan saddle dating back to the 1850s. A sign of progress (?) at the Empire Ranch.
I think I'll stick to horses, thanks!Do check out the Empire Ranch Foundation's website for more great historical information if you get a chance. Happy Trails...
9 comments:
Wow, great post love the pictures! I checked out the web site for the ranch but my there is a lot to see!!! I will have to go back later and read more.
Oh, love your new banner, what beautiful bunnies you have, so sweet!!!
hugs....
Jane
A million acres..wow! What a fun place to see. loved the old saddle too. Some nice pic's here..thanks for sharing! Come say hi :D
That is the kind of place I can spend hours at. Poking around, absorbing the "feel" of the place. I love to walk the steps of those that came long before me. They leave behind so much more than tangible artifacts.
Very cool. Can we put that on the list for next time? Hey Lee, I like the hat;)
Wow really neat place!
Fun!!! It's great to see the Foundation doing what their doing. Our history will never come back. Preservation is the only way for future generations to feel what you got to feel that day.
That is awesome....I love all the old history. It is so great that they try to preserve as much histroy as possible. That is how the future generation will learn.
Thanks for sharing!
What a great post and a great ranch! Super cool to get a peek at it. I have to say, that old Army saddle looks painful to both horse and rider :)
Very cool post!
Post a Comment