Lamar Buffalo Ranch facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Lamar Buffalo Ranch
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 Location in Wyoming
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | Mammoth Hot Springs, Wyoming, United States |
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| Built | 1907 |
| Architect | National Park Service |
| MPS | Yellowstone National Park MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 82001835 |
| Added to NRHP | December 7, 1982 |
The Lamar Buffalo Ranch is a special historic ranch located in the Lamar River valley. You can find it inside Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, USA. This ranch was started a long time ago to help save one of the last wild herds of American bison, also known as buffalo. In 1907, 28 bison were brought here from Fort Yellowstone to begin the ranch's important work.
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Saving the Bison
The main goal of the Lamar Buffalo Ranch was to protect American bison. At one point, these amazing animals were almost gone from the wild. The ranch helped increase their numbers.
How the Ranch Helped
The bison at the ranch were cared for, almost like farm animals. This helped them grow into a larger, healthier herd. When there were enough bison, they were released into the wild parts of Yellowstone. These ranch-raised bison then mixed with the wild herds. This helped make the park's natural bison population stronger.
Winter Feeding Program
For many years, the ranch also grew hay. This hay was used to feed the wild bison during the cold winter months. This feeding program continued until the 1950s. However, park managers later decided to stop feeding the bison. They wanted the animals to live as naturally as possible. This meant letting the bison find their own food and spread out across the park.
The Ranch Today
Today, the Lamar Buffalo Ranch is a historic area. It has five old buildings that were built in the early 1900s. These buildings show what the ranch looked like long ago.
Historic Buildings
The ranch complex includes several important structures. There is a ranger station built in 1915. A bunkhouse, where workers used to sleep, was built in 1929. There's also a house that was moved to the ranch in 1938. A large barn was built in 1927, and there's a corral for animals.
Current Use
The bunkhouse has been updated inside. Now, it's used by a group called Yellowstone Forever. This group helps people learn about Yellowstone National Park. They hold classes and workshops in the bunkhouse. It's a great place for students and visitors to learn about nature and conservation.
- Lamar Buffalo Ranch buildings
