M L Ranch facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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M L Ranch
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M L Ranch bunkhouse
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 Location in Wyoming
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | Lovell, Wyoming |
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| Area | 5.7 acres (2.3 ha) |
| Built | 1883 |
| Built by | Henry Clay Lovell |
| NRHP reference No. | 92000836 |
| Added to NRHP | July 15, 1992 |
The M L Ranch was a large cattle ranch in Wyoming. It was started by Henry Clay Lovell and his business partner Anthony Mason. This historic ranch played an important role in the early days of ranching in the American West. Today, it is part of a special park area.
Contents
What is the M L Ranch?
The M L Ranch was a huge cattle ranch located in Wyoming's Bighorn Basin. It was founded in the late 1870s. The ranch helped supply meat to growing towns and cities. It became a very important part of the local economy.
How the Ranch Started
Henry Clay Lovell and Anthony Mason first set up the ranch in the late 1870s. Their first location was south of where the town of Lovell, Wyoming is now. In 1883, they moved the ranch headquarters further north. This new spot was closer to markets in Billings, Montana. It was first used as a "line camp" for cattle. By 1884, it became the main headquarters for the ranch. The ranch grew to cover about 25,000 acres. That's a huge amount of land!
Life and Challenges at the Ranch
Ranching in the old West was not easy. The winter of 1886–87 was very harsh. It was known as the "Great Die-Up." This winter killed many cattle across the West. The M L Ranch lost more than 10,000 cattle. This was about half of their animals. Even with these big losses, the M L Ranch did better than many other ranches.
Anthony Mason passed away in 1892. Henry Clay Lovell died in Oregon in 1903. The town of Lovell, Wyoming was named to remember him. Lovell's family kept running the ranch until 1909.
The Ranch Today
In the early 1960s, the Bureau of Reclamation bought the ranch. This was part of a project to create the Bighorn Lake reservoir. Later, in 1966, the ranch headquarters became part of the National Park Service. It is now a special place within the Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area.
The M L Ranch was recognized for its history on July 15, 1992. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is a protected site because of its importance to American history.
