A Trip Back in Time: Nation's Oldest Working Cattle Ranches

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If you're looking to take a trip back in time, to the dawnIn 1885, the Long Island Railroad reached Montauk, and
of the cowboy and the rise of working cattle ranches,life began to change as tourists came from New York
visit one of the nation's oldest cattle ranches.City to the place known for its fishing and beautiful
With 8,000 acres of its own and bordered by 22,000scenery.
acres of public leased land, Horse Prairie Ranch is oneIn 1898, former president Teddy Roosevelt and the
of the oldest cattle ranches in Montana. The ranch'sRough Riders recuperated at one of the houses in
goal is to preserve the tradition of working ranch life.Montauk, but as the era closed and the 1900s began,
As a guest, you can choose from a variety ofranchers began giving up their livelihood in favor of
activities including evening sunset rides, cattle drives,sport fishing and farming.
branding, chuck wagon breakfast rides or a historyPolo ponies arrived in Montauk in 1926 with a New
tour, among others.York City-based real estate developer who had
Similarly, one of the old ranches in Utah, Red Rockdreams of developing a luxury resort town. He
Ranch, is a real working cattle ranch complete withpurchased most of the area but then rented part of it
cattle drives for guests. Homesteaded in the 1850s, theto teenage Phineas Dickinson in 1936.
ranch is nestled among the South Fork canyon's redAt the onset of World War II, as the Dickinson boys
rock cliffs. The ranch house is a two-story home buildwent off to service, most ranching at Deep Hollow
in the 1850s with dove-tailed logs.came to a halt. On their return in 1947, Phineas brought
The nation's oldest working cattle ranch, Deep Hollowwhite face cattle from Texas and raised them for
Ranch is located in, of all places, Montauk, NY.slaughter in the 1960s.
Montauk, known as an inspiration for Peter Benchley'sThe early 1970s brought the Leavers as Rusty Leaver,
Jaws and just over 100 miles from New York City,a former summer ranch hand for Phineas, decided to
would not seem the place for a cattle ranch, but Deepleave New York City for Montauk. When he heard
Hollow Ranch has been operating there since thethat the ranch was for sale, he purchased it. Within a
1800s.few years, he married a Dickinson daughter, Diane.
The history of Deep Hollow began in the 1600s, asBut if you want to visit Deep Hollow Ranch, you had
ranch life was popular in Montauk. Ranchers therebetter do it soon. The family has reluctantly put the
would lease land from the Montauk Native Americansranch on the real estate market in the summer of
to graze their cattle. There was no need for fencing2006 as the Hamptons area location has made it
as the Atlantic Ocean was a natural barrier on theexceedingly more difficult for the family to continue to
south side, and the Block Island Sound a barrier on theraise cattle and horses. The ranch could soon, like the
north. Around this time, nearly 6,000 livestock grazedcowboys of yesteryear, be riding on into the sunset.