“My journey to Utah’s Redd Ranch takes place the day before Thanksgiving. The drive northward through Monument Valley and along the edge of Canyonlands National Park takes my breath away. These kinds of spectacular views don’t encourage a photographer to be in a hurry. In fact, the landforms are so amazing that I have to pull over time after time, and begin to wonder how late it’ll be when I finally arrive at the ranch headquarters.” – Jim Read More …
“Alan Chew discovered the half-eaten carcass of a yearling cow near the bales of stacked hay that had been stored for the tough winters here in the Rocky Mountains. Something big and mean must be stalking the area. On the ground, soft dirt had captured impressions of the vicious four-legged intruder. Alan dropped to one knee and studied the tracks. Each print had four teardrop-shaped toe pads, no claw marks.Mountain lion.” – Jim Keen, Great Ranches of the Read More …
“The Chew Ranch headquarters, straddling Utah’s Green River near the Dinosaur National Monument, found its humble beginnings in a Mormon caravan. In 1865, thirteen-year-old Jack Chew and his family joined 29 other families in a journey from Iowa to Salt Lake City. These Mormon travelers all pulled handcarts containing provisions and belongings. The carts had solid wheels and were two to three times the size of a large wheelbarrow.” – Jim Keen, Great Ranches of the West Author Read More …
“John Hardison Redd freed his slaves in 1850 and moved from his Tennessee plantation to the Salt Lake Valley in Utah. His son, Lemuel, married two wives and eventually had twenty children. He left both families in the town of New Harmoney and joined a Mormon mission group traveling to establish a community called Bluff. This party of 70 families, 400 horses and oxen, and 1,000 head of cattle incredibly trekked a virtually impossible route 150 miles across Read More …
“The story goes that Jack fell in love with a young lady whose brother had promised her to a polygamist. However, Jack secretly married her, angering the brothers so much that they plotted to kidnap the new bride. They decided to frame Jack for stealing a cow – which he didn’t do. He was arrested and thrown in jail. His sentence was eighteen months in prison or a fine of $25. Jack told the judge he’d need to Read More …