Richardson's Overland Trail Ranch facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Richardson's Overland Trail Ranch
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 Location in Wyoming
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| Location | 111 Hart Rd., Laramie, Wyoming |
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| Area | 4 acres (1.6 ha) |
| Architectural style | Log |
| NRHP reference No. | 92000122 |
| Added to NRHP | March 5, 1992 |
Richardson's Overland Trail Ranch is a complex of seven ranch buildings at the crossing of the Big Laramie River by the Overland Trail. The ranch's main residence was built as a stage station for the trail in 1862. A corduroy road was built at the same time. By 1864 ranching became established around the stage station, primarily by Tom Alsop, Edward Creighton and Charlie Hutton. With Creighton's death in 1874 the land was divided between Alsop on the west side of the river and Hutton on the east side. The ranch on the west side became known as the Heart or Hart Ranch. The ranches at the river crossing became part of the larger Riverside Livestock Company.
Description
The main house is a one-story log structure in three sections with interior log partitions. It retains its original character. Other structures include the 1910 polo barn, built about 1930 in board-and-batten construction, a log cabin that was moved to the site in the 1930s from Fox Park, the log "Little Cabin," and the "Long Shed," also moved to the site from Fox Park. An intact section of the Overland Trail corduroy road is about 300 feet (91 m) north of the ranch complex.
Richardson's Overland Trail Ranch was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 5, 1992.
