The ranch was started in the early 1900's by Oscar and Emma Swett, they had 7 or 9 children, two of which were boys. They were able to get the ranch through the homestead act and lived there till they died. They raised chicken, beef, pigs, sheep, vegetables (canned over 1,000 cans a year), ran a sawmill on the property, and a black smith.
They used this sled to bring timber down the mountains in the winter, load it up, and ride it to the bottom. what a ride i bet.
they only used man power or horse power to work the land for over 60 years. his oldest son came back from the army and gave his dad a 1930's Durant car. Oscar said it wasn't big enough for the whole family so he cut it up to use it where he needed it. the axle, wheels, tires on the wagon in the background are from it.
here he hooked the motor and transmission to a base and built a wood pulley to run a big belt over to the saw. the transmission still shifts and rotates.
the saw still rotates also, has cloth as bearings. (park ranger was giving us a tour)
they used this building to hang game, and brine.
also had a root cellar, it was in the 80's outside and probably 50 inside
Oscar would build toys, sleds, and wagons for his kids. the cabin they are hanging from was the first cabin installed on the property.
sears roebuck catalog on the wall from 1909, insulation and entertainment.
this is the second cabin when the kids started coming along
alot better insulated
no thank you lol
the third house was built in the 1940's this was the first phone in the area, maybe even the state. when they were building the Flaming Gorge Dam the president would call this phone and tell them the crews could start work that day or not. Oscar would have to ride down to the work site and pass on the word from the president (presidents during the build of the dam were Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Johnson.)
