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

If you're looking to take a trip back in time, to the dawnCity to the place known for its fishing and beautiful
of the cowboy and the rise of working cattle ranches,scenery.
visit one of the nation's oldest cattle ranches.In 1898, former president Teddy Roosevelt and the
With 8,000 acres of its own and bordered by 22,000Rough Riders recuperated at one of the houses in
acres of public leased land, Horse Prairie Ranch is oneMontauk, but as the era closed and the 1900s began,
of the oldest cattle ranches in Montana. The ranch'sranchers began giving up their livelihood in favor of
goal is to preserve the tradition of working ranch life.sport fishing and farming.
As a guest, you can choose from a variety ofPolo ponies arrived in Montauk in 1926 with a New
activities including evening sunset rides, cattle drives,York City-based real estate developer who had
branding, chuck wagon breakfast rides or a historydreams of developing a luxury resort town. He
tour, among others.purchased most of the area but then rented part of it
Similarly, one of the old ranches in Utah, Red Rockto teenage Phineas Dickinson in 1936.
Ranch, is a real working cattle ranch complete withAt the onset of World War II, as the Dickinson boys
cattle drives for guests. Homesteaded in the 1850s, thewent off to service, most ranching at Deep Hollow
ranch is nestled among the South Fork canyon's redcame to a halt. On their return in 1947, Phineas brought
rock cliffs. The ranch house is a two-story home buildwhite face cattle from Texas and raised them for
in the 1850s with dove-tailed logs.slaughter in the 1960s.
The nation's oldest working cattle ranch, Deep HollowThe early 1970s brought the Leavers as Rusty Leaver,
Ranch is located in, of all places, Montauk, NY.a former summer ranch hand for Phineas, decided to
Montauk, known as an inspiration for Peter Benchley'sleave New York City for Montauk. When he heard
Jaws and just over 100 miles from New York City,that the ranch was for sale, he purchased it. Within a
would not seem the place for a cattle ranch, but Deepfew years, he married a Dickinson daughter, Diane.
Hollow Ranch has been operating there since theBut if you want to visit Deep Hollow Ranch, you had
1800s.better do it soon. The family has reluctantly put the
The history of Deep Hollow began in the 1600s, asranch on the real estate market in the summer of
ranch life was popular in Montauk. Ranchers there2006 as the Hamptons area location has made it
would lease land from the Montauk Native Americansexceedingly more difficult for the family to continue to
to graze their cattle. There was no need for fencingraise cattle and horses. The ranch could soon, like the
as the Atlantic Ocean was a natural barrier on thecowboys of yesteryear, be riding on into the sunset.
south side, and the Block Island Sound a barrier on theMichael Albert is a coauthor for site Horse chit chat.
north. Around this time, nearly 6,000 livestock grazedHe has been working in the same field and writes
the land.informative articles for Horse related subject. To find
In 1885, the Long Island Railroad reached Montauk, andhorse trailers, horses for sale, horse forum and equine
life began to change as tourists came from New Yorkforum.