Chris’ grandfather, Struthers Burt, founded the first dude ranch in Wyoming – the Bar B C. We toured what remains of this historic ranch.
An attempt is being made at restoring the site, but so far, the birthplace of Chris’ dad (seen above) remains as it was – untouched for decades.
One of the reasons the ranch is considered ‘historic’ is the guests it once hosted which included Ernest Hemeingway and Walt Disney among others.
It breaks my heart to see this beautiful, old buildings in such disrepair. I hope they get to restore Chris’s dad’s cabin soon.
I would like to run an Elderhostel “service program” to help restore these buildings. It potentially could run for numerous years, much like a University of Montana Elderhostel program restoring the “OTO” ranch, the oldest dude ranch in Montana. Is the park service now in charge of these buildings? Who would I contact? This could be a great way to preserve the history of Jackson Hole within federal lands. I sense that Grand Teton National Park does not have a huge budget for this. Elderhostel can provide hundreds of hours of man-power.
I am doing research on Struther’s Burt, his family and the Bar BC Ranch for inclusion in a book. The book is on an estate in Evergreen, Colorado in which the family has connections. Is there someway I can contact Chris about his Grandfather?