, 1922-02-01
DUDE RANCHES
mean MUCH TO CODY.
North and South Forks Now One
Big Playground For Guests
From All Sections.
Written for Industrial Number of the
Casper Tribune by Caroline
lockhart


Lockhart
There was a time up here where
the north and south forks of the
Sinking Water meet and go on their
odiferous way that when the wind
blew the snow through the cracks
we used to sit clasping the tea kettle
on the hearth with our stocking feet
and speculate as to the spring calf
crop, the probable price of the next
wool clip and when the high line ditch
would go through.
The years have changed all that.
The calf crop no longer interests us,
nor the price of wool, and we have
long since grown resigned to the
thought that probably only the babies
kicking in their cradles will live to
see the high line ditch go through.
Now, when the zephyr coming down
the canyon rocks the house until we
are seasick and there is skating in
the horse-trough. we sit on the radi-
ator and conjecture as to the next
dude season, making our prophesies
based on certain signs. For, be it
known, dudes in this locality have
crowded sheep and cattle from the
range. Where woolies browsed and
the white-face grazed the dude with
his camera is now rampant.
The ranch-house swarms with folk
in weird costumes and strange ways
while the erstwhile proud and indie
/ pandanf ro-.11- b,c t.-t-J 1z-1
the look that sooner or later
from wrangling dudes and is due
chiefly to answering questions, chang
ing stirrups and teaching novices to
ride.
For a long time it was a moot
question as to whether 'duding'' was
an occupation or a profession, but
this fine point was settled last sum-
mer when Mr.. Mondell sent an ex-
soldier out from Washington to learn
the gentle art of wrangling dudes In
der the tuition of one "Bill" Boron,
q mighty hunter in these parts and
gifted above his fellows when it comes
to handling dudes. Since then Prof.
Boron has graduated two pupils and
contemplates opening a correspond
ence school at his headquarters on
Whit Creek.
In addition to a large mount of
classy" n and as large a supply
J of fresh air as may be found any
where in Wyoming, this locality has
the advantage Of its nearness t o the
Yellowstone Park and the Jackson
Hole country. That Cody is identified
with Buffalo Bill is an asset. as is also
the fact that the town and the sur
rounding country still retains some
thing of the western atmosphere
which tourists expect, and this in spite
of the, efforts of middle-west scis-
sorbills and pilgrims to change it in
to a duplicate Of their "Home Town
back east in Iowa or Nebraska"
. The number of ranches receiving
guests increases yearly and it looks
as If the North and South forks of the
river which has now been renamed
the Shoshone would become one great
playground for eastern tourists.
The various dude ranches entertain
or two guests up TO several hundred,
Wnlcn means many thousands OF out
side dollars left in this locality each
summer.
The season tacitly opens with the
Cody Stampede, July 4. 5. 6, and ends
when the air gets frosty and the park
closes, though, to be sure, nan stay
on for a big game hunt and well into
the winter.
Among the best known ranches are
Aldrich Lodge, Majo, the Valley. the
"Bub" Cox ranch. Pap" and Simon
Snyder's on the South Fork, while on
the North Fork may be mentioned the
Crouch ranch, Blackwater Camp, the
Richards Ranch. Pat Kelly's. the
Morris ranch, the Nordquist Brothers
Ranch, etc, etc.
While their ways startle us. and
sometimes i~rritate us. we have come
to like our dudes. and wen to love
them; and as soon as The ~sagebrush
turns green and the meadow larks be.
gin to sing on the fence posts we com
mence to wonder IL So and So is com
ing out again. and when?