Ewing-Snell Ranch facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Ewing-Snell Ranch
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Ewing-Snell ranch house
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 Location in Montana
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | Dryhead, Montana |
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| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1896 |
| NRHP reference No. | 77000114 |
| Added to NRHP | May 12, 1977 |
The Ewing-Snell Ranch is a historic place in Carbon County, Montana. It was started by Erastus Ewing around 1896 to 1898. The ranch is located near Bighorn Canyon and the Pryor Mountains. It's in a special area known as Dryhead Country. Erastus Ewing decided to become a rancher after he wasn't successful as a gold miner.
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About the Ewing-Snell Ranch
The Ewing-Snell Ranch is an important part of Montana's history. It shows how people lived and worked in the late 1800s. The ranch is now part of the Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area. This means it is protected and managed by the government.
Who Was Erastus Ewing?
Erastus Ewing was born in Tennessee around 1846. He came to Montana in the 1880s. His main goal was to find gold. He claimed many areas, hoping to strike it rich. One of his claims gave him rights to the water from Layout Creek.
After not finding much gold, Erastus changed his plans. He used his water rights to start a ranch. He dug a ditch to bring water from the creek to his land. This helped him grow crops and raise animals.
Life at the Ranch
The Ewing ranch became a busy place. In 1898, it even became a post office. It was known as Ewing, Montana, and helped people send and receive mail. The post office operated there until 1906. Later, it moved to the Caroline Lockhart Ranch.
Erastus Ewing passed away in 1904. His son, Lee Ewing, sold the ranch in 1911 to Clint Hough. Then, in 1918, Philip Snell bought the ranch. The Snell family owned it for many years.
The ranch also played a role in local education. From 1945 to 1957, the shop building on the ranch was used as the Dryhead School. This shows how important the ranch was to the community.
Becoming a Historic Place
In 1964, Philip Snell's family sold the ranch to Newell K. Sorenson. A few years later, in 1968, Sorenson sold a large part of the ranch (about 640 acres) to the Bureau of Reclamation. This land was needed for building the Yellowtail Dam.
Because of its history, the Ewing-Snell Ranch was recognized as a special place. On May 12, 1977, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This list includes important buildings and sites across the United States. It helps protect them for future generations.
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