Escapees May June 2015 Demo

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76 .ESCAPEES |May/June 2015 |
SKP Stops
Sharing News from the Road
SKP Stops Information
• Deadline : Material for each issue will be selected based on location
and the migration of seasonal travel.
• Words: Short stories of 300 to 500 words are ideal. Submissions that are
illegible, inappropriate or considered advertisements may be excluded.
Due to limited space, submissions will be edited.
• Photos: Photos are accepted and included on a space-available basis.
Include the name of anyone who may appear in a photo and also the
name of the photographer.
• Acknowledgement: The editorial department may not acknowledge
receipt of submissions. Submissions may not qualify for payment.
Harriman State Park and Railroad Ranch
3489 Green Canyon Rd, Island Park, ID 83429
208-558-7368 • parksandrecreation.idaho.gov
A sunny day enhances a visit to Idaho’s Harriman State
Park, close to Island Park on U.S. Highway 20. The Rail-
road Ranch, which makes up the 15,000-acre park, was
once a summer retreat for shareholders and their families
and friends associated with the Oregon Short Line Rail-
road. This railroad was the first to carry passengers from
Ashton, Idaho, to West Yellowstone, Montana. In fact,
West Yellowstone became a destination about 1907 when
the train began depositing visitors at the west gate to
Yellowstone National Park. Many of the old houses, cabins
and ranch buildings are standing and open for tours during
the summer months. Yet, the ambiance of the historic ranch
in any month creates the peace and serenity that summer
visitors must have enjoyed back in the 1920s.
The Railroad Ranch began in 1902 with the formation
of the Island Park Land and Cattle Company, and the ranch
spanned 75 years of operations until its official transfer to
public ownership. An impressive piece of land, its natural
history dates back over 600,000 years. The ranch lies on
the floor of Idaho’s ancient Island Park caldera that formed
when a massive volcano collapsed, leaving a wide crater-like
surface. Over the years, the Henry’s Fork of the Snake
River carved its course across the caldera floor, creating a
rich riparian habitat for a variety of fish and wildlife. Today,
horses grazing in deep grass can be viewed from the lawns
and sidewalks of historic cabins and buildings.
For hundreds of years, Native Americans used the area
as seasonal hunting, fishing and gathering grounds. In
the early 1800s, white explorers and trappers entered the
region and exploited beaver and other fur-bearing animals.
Homesteading started in the late 1800s, but few could with-
stand the harsh winters. Swiss homesteaders collectively
sold their lands and ranch buildings to wealthy eastern
investors. These properties eventually became Railroad
Ranch, a decades-old landmark in Island Park. Edward
Harriman, chairman of the Union Pacific Railroad, was not
an original investor. In 1908, he purchased one of the five
shares and one cabin in an arrangement with a business
owner. Mr. Harriman died the following year, never setting
foot on the ranch. Two years later, his wife, Mary, traveled
with their three youngest children, Carol, Averell and Ro-
land, for a visit that turned into an annual summer holiday.
The Harriman family and their friends spent weeks on
the land each summer. As adults, Roland Harriman and
his wife, Gladys, continued the tradition and spent at least
six weeks of every summer at the peaceful ranch. Friends
who traveled with them, called “dudes,” were housed in
rustic houses overlooking the Henry’s Fork. Their horses
and carriages were kept in the “dude barn,” separate from
the barns used for ranch operations. The name carries over
to lodgings today available to the public. The Harrimans
eventually bought all shares to the property.
Aworking ranch in the days of Eastern visitors, summers
were busy with fence mending, building repairs, tending
of livestock and hay and irrigation work. The fall cattle
roundup and drive was an annual social event for the area,
with volunteer riders traveling a distance to participate. After
summer guests departed, the number of ranch hands dimin-
ished. Their primary winter jobs were snow removal from
the roofs, feeding the remaining stock and cutting blocks
Guidelines and Helpful Hints
• Keep your submissions positive, upbeat and short.
• Include fun or interesting photos with a brief description.
• Share your favorite RV travel destinations, restaurants, museums,
off-the-beaten-path locations or unique places to visit.
• Keep in mind that the next magazine issue will mail two months from
the time of your writing. Identify time-sensitive material.
Send submissions to Escapees Magazine, 100 Rainbow Drive, Livingston,
TX 77351, or to ticle submission guidelines are
available for downloading online at:
escapees-magazine/tips-submissions.
The Harriman Wildlife Refuge.
Photo by Arline Chandler.
SKP Stops