Real Frontier History

“The TA Ranch near Buffalo was established by Dr. William Harris of Laramie, who purchased a herd of cattle and moved it to land near the North Fork of Crazy Woman Creek in Johnson County in 1882. Johnson County, located between the Bighorn Mountains and the Powder River in the northeast quadrant of Wyoming, was known for its excellent grazing land. Harris filed for water rights and built a barn, ranch house, ice house, and chicken coop on his ranch. He was not actively involved in the operation, however. Like other “cattle barons” of the period, he left the ranch in the hands of his ranch manager while continuing to practice medicine in Laramie.

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The cookhouse, built of hand-hewn logs in 1894, with an addition in 1906, now has a more recent addition and serves as the family-style dining room and common area for the guest ranch and ranch hands. The log bunkhouse/blacksmith shop (1892) has been converted into five guest rooms with kitchen and living room. The granary (1911) has been converted into a meeting space and additional guest rooms.

The TA Ranch buildings are the last remaining intact structures from the Johnson County War. The barn still has bullet holes and the portholes carved in its walls for rifle sights by the invaders holed up inside. Rifle pits and other breastworks constructed by the locals are also still visible on the ranch.”

Author: Samantha Ford and Mary M. Humstone
Coordinator:  Mary M. Humstone
From the SAH Archipedia