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Share Your Story

Share Your Story is about Your White Grass Story(s) whether you are a former dude or wrangler, volunteer, rehabilitation specialist, special friend to the ranch, preservation workshop instructor, trainee, historian, student or interested person.

Share Your Story documents how the dude ranch experience changed the lives of many individuals and families and it seeks to document White Grass evolving into a National Park Service Training Center teaching historical preservation skills to professionals and students from across the country.

But don’t take our word, read an invitation to Share Your Story from Cynthia Galey Peck who grew up on the ranch with her parents, Frank and Inga Galey, starting in the 1940’s.

“I invite all to share your White Grass stories whether it involves life changes, working, a dude experience, fund raising campaign or rehabilitation and training stories. (It is) a way to share and contribute to the history of White Grass Ranch (and) fulfills a desire of former Dudes and Wranglers who wanted their ranch stories and history collected, preserved and available for the future.

Your story(s) will be added to the many White Grass stories collected between 2010-2014 by the National Trust for Historic Preservation who granted permission for 75+ stories to be posted below. (Your) pictures are welcome on the site also.

I am delighted that White Grass’s story and history is ongoing, humans are using this special spot, animals still roam the area and natural processes continue. May all who come to White Grass enjoy this special place.” -Cynthia Galey Peck

Please click on the names below to read their stories, or use the search bar above to look for an individual or topic of interest, e.g., person’s name, pack trips, cabin girls.

The stories are made available here for educational and research purposes only. Commercial use is prohibited. Requests for reproduction of these materials must be submitted at: [email protected]

William Leech 3.2014

Bio: Dude 1981-82. Descriptor: My horse, Big Red. William’s Story: My wife Clare fell in love with Wyoming in general and White Grass in particular when she first visited there at 16. Her description of life at the ranch, the majestic Tetons the beauty of the Snake River with moose knee deep munching grass, and the fabled town […]

Clare Webb Leach 3.2014

Bio: Dude, 1966-67, 1979, 1981-82. Descriptor: 80 teens from Tennessee stay at ranch, horse drive to Dubois-Whoa Nelly, Frank and women, “God Bless Wyoming and Keep It Wild.”   Clare’s Story: A Greyhound bus brought 80 teens from Tennessee to the White Grass and R Lazy S ranches in 1966 and 1967 on a trip with Rev. Dan […]

Jayne Ottman 1.2014

Bio: Winter Resident, 1974-75. Descriptor: “The Women at White Grass” surviving winters with one wood stove, frozen pipes, Frank and Nona’s parties and hospitality with caviar and pate, Cookie and Ted Hargrave. Jayne’s Story: I first came to the White Grass Ranch Sept. 1974. There were four of us to be exact, all women, who had just finished […]

Chris Kriendler 11.29.2013

Bio: Staff Member Intermittent in 1960’s, 70’s and 80’s. Descriptor: Reflections on David Kinker, Frank and Nona, and the many years at the Ranch.  Chris’ Story: I was at the White Grass in 1960, and several years in the 70’s and in the 80’s. Saw many changes and always loved the place and Frank and Nona. The […]

Ann Messler Cuddy 11.14.2013

Bio: Dude, Chore Girl and Wrangler, 1946-1950’s. Descriptor: Playing tricks on new dudes, the dude ranches’ rodeo and the fall horse drive to Dubois in a snow storm. Ann’s Story: My parents, sister and I first went to White Grass the summer of 1946 and went back many more summers. My memories of those early years are of […]

Fran Fox 11.13.2013

Bio: Frank Galey’s Nephew; Staff at the Ranch, 1950’s and 1960’s. Descriptor: Reflections about the ranch and caretaking in the winter. Fran’s Story: Without going back and doing some research, I will give you my best shot from memory. Frank Galey was my mother’s brother so it seems. I was always at the White Grass, even when he […]

Judith L Richards 11.10.2014

Bio: Cabin Girl and Winter Caretaker, 1967-68. Descriptor: Working at the ranch, my wedding there and having to leave because of Nona. Judith’s Story: After graduating from high school in 1966, I worked locally for a while to afford train fair from the Chicago suburbs where I lived to a job I had secured in Arizona. Later that […]

Fran Fox 11.8.2014

Bio: Frank Galey’s Nephew; Staff at the Ranch, 1950’s and 1960’s. Descriptor: Caretaking the ranch and encountering a black bear in the kitchen. Fran’s Story: White Grass Memories…. Some funny… some sad…. but some remain as if they had happened yesterday. Of all the years I spent on the White Grass several of those memories clearly stand out […]

Ann Messler Cuddy 11.6.2013

Bio: Dude, Chore Girl and Wrangler, 1946-1950’s. Descriptor: Learning ranching from Ollie and Twila Van Winkle, and George Clover while earning their respect. Ann’s Story: One of my first memories of White Grass Ranch was in 1946, my first of many summers at the ranch. My family often stayed from June to September so this place became home to […]

Karin Gottlieb 11.6.2013

Bio: Kitchen Help, mid 1960’s; winter resident, 1968. Descriptor: Staying the winter at White Grass and inventing things to do amidst total isolation. Karin’s Story: I’m one of the few who’ve had the opportunity to experience White Grass in the winter. The road wasn’t plowed between the ranch and the Moose-Wilson Road and the isolation was total. In […]