Diamond Ranch (Chugwater, Wyoming) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Diamond Ranch
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 Location in Wyoming
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | Chugwater, Wyoming |
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| Area | 3.8 acres (1.5 ha) |
| Built | 1878 |
| NRHP reference No. | 84003696 |
| Added to NRHP | September 28, 1984 |
The Diamond Ranch is a historic ranch located near Chugwater, Wyoming. It was started in 1878 by George Rainsford, who came from New York to raise horses. Rainsford was an architect, so he designed many of the ranch buildings himself. The ranch became famous for its horses, especially Morgans and Clydesdales. The ranch's name comes from Rainsford's "Diamond" brand, which is one of the oldest registered brands in Wyoming. This special brand has stayed with the property, even when owners changed. The ranch has large barns for horses and a smaller ranch house. It even had beautiful gardens once!
Contents
History of Diamond Ranch
Early Days and Horse Breeding
George Rainsford started the Diamond Ranch in 1878. However, the first temporary buildings were not put up until 1880-1882. The permanent buildings were finished in 1885. Rainsford didn't officially own his land until 1891. He only had a patent (official document) for 160 acres.
Most of the land, about 27,000 acres, was public land. Rainsford put fences around it. But this was against a law from 1885 that said you couldn't fence public lands. So, from 1905 to 1907, he was fined and had to take down his fences.
In 1900, the ranch had 3,000 horses. By 1920, this number dropped to 200. Rainsford then sold his remaining horses to the U.S. Army and retired.
New Owners and Changes
In 1922, Rainsford's manager, Paul Raborg, bought the ranch. He started raising polo ponies and dairy cattle. Raborg tried a new idea to feed the cattle using sunflower seeds. Large silos were built to store the seeds. However, this plan didn't work out. Raborg left the ranch later on.
His former wife's parents took over the ranch. Maud Raborg's mother, Dora Mae Oberman, became the only owner in 1937 after her husband passed away. Dora Mae Oberman made the ranch much bigger. By the time she died in 1956, it covered 64,000 acres.
From Ranch to Youth Camp and Dude Ranch
In 1956, the Diamond Ranch was sold to Hugh and Rissa McDonald. They were neighboring landowners. Their total land grew to 75,000 acres by 1962. The McDonalds rented out the Diamond Ranch buildings. From the mid-1950s until 1965, it was used as a Methodist youth camp.
After the McDonalds passed away in 1966, the ranch went to their daughter, Ruth, and her husband, John Braunschweig. In 1968, the ranch changed again. It became a dude ranch and camping center. It was connected with Kampgrounds of America. The old barns were changed to host guests. People could sleep in the former horse stalls. The main barn even became a dance floor!
What Does Diamond Ranch Look Like?
Unique Buildings and Design
George Rainsford, the ranch founder, didn't build typical frontier buildings. Instead, he used styles and materials more common in the eastern U.S. The ranch buildings are strong structures made of stone.
The main barn, which later became the dance and dining hall, is a unique stone building. It has different heights, from one-and-a-half to two-and-a-half stories. It also has a mix of sloped and pointed roofs. The buildings form a sheltered courtyard. The main part of the barn is built into a hillside. The roofs are very steep, which makes the buildings look lower. This is a special style of Rainsford's architecture.
The ranch house is also an unusual two-story building with many different design parts. There is also a stone bunkhouse and a stone bath building. The bath building used to be a storage building.
The Diamond Ranch was added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 28, 1984. It is still used as a guest ranch today.
