F.S. King Brothers Ranch Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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King, F.S., Brothers Ranch Historic District
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| Nearest city | Laramie, Wyoming |
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| Area | 160 acres (65 ha) |
| Built | 1890 |
| NRHP reference No. | 06000874 |
| Added to NRHP | September 21, 2006 |
The F.S. King Brothers Ranch Historical District is a special old ranch located in the beautiful hills northeast of Laramie, Wyoming. It's a place where you can imagine what life was like for early settlers in Wyoming and learn about the history of sheep ranching. This historic district helps us understand how people lived and worked in the American West long ago.
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Discover the King Brothers Ranch
The King Brothers Ranch is surrounded by amazing nature. Hills rise up to 8,500 feet, covered with sagebrush and rocky areas. The ranch house and other buildings are the only man-made structures you can see in this quiet, isolated landscape.
The Ranch's Natural Beauty
The valleys around the ranch have many trees like cottonwood, aspen, and willows. The hills are home to evergreen trees, though some show signs of damage from tiny bark beetles. East of the main house, there's a big group of aspen trees. To the west, an earthen dam creates a pond about one acre in size.
The Historic Ranch House
The main ranch house started as a log homestead. Frank King claimed this land in 1888. A photograph from 1891 shows the three King Brothers—Frank, Bert, and Joe—in front of what looks like the original log house. This suggests it was built very early on.
How the House Was Built
The first part of the house was made from huge, rough logs, about one foot thick. These logs were cut at the ends to fit together at the corners. Later additions to the house used smaller logs and wooden siding. The roof is shaped like a triangle, called a gable roof.
Life Inside the House
The inside of the house still looks much like it did when the King family lived there. This helps us see how people used the house and what their daily lives might have been like during the ranch's most important years. It was the main living area and the center for running the sheep ranch.
The Bunkhouse Story
Another important building in the historic district is called the bunkhouse. The King Ranch was a very successful sheep ranch until about 1950. The bunkhouse, located a short distance west of the main house, provided a place for some of the ranch workers to live.
When Was the Bunkhouse Built?
We don't know the exact year the bunkhouse was built. However, it appears in a brochure from 1928. The way it was built and the materials used suggest it was likely constructed during the 1920s.
A Special Place in History
The F.S. King Brothers Ranch Historic District was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 21, 2006. This is a special list kept by the U.S. Park Service.
Why Is It Important?
The Wyoming State Historic Preservation Office supported adding the ranch to this national list. They recognized how important the ranch was to the economy and culture of early Wyoming settlers. The King Brothers Ranch also played a big role in the history of the American sheep industry during the 1800s and 1900s.
