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Worland Ranch

 
 

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The Worland Ranch Historic District consists of a farmstead, a historic townsite, and a historic monument marker. The working ranch and farm include prime agricultural lands used for the growing of sugar beets, malt barley, corn, and pinto beans, as well as pasture and wetlands. The buildings include the large main house, managers house, two tenant houses, a large lambing shed, and large barn and other outbuildings. The Worland Ranch is significant for its association with Charles Henry ''Dad'' Worland, founder of the first settlement of Worland, Wyoming. The Ranch contains the original townsite of Worland.

Dad Worland first built a dugout at this site in 1900. In 1903 C.F. Robertson and his engineering survey team camped near Worland's establishment. They were investigating the feasibility of developing a large irrigation project, the Hanover Canal. The project was found to be feasible and the construction boom began; Worland's site was the center of activity. A Post Office ''Worland'' was established with Dad as the first postmaster. Businesses sprang up. Dad built in 1903-04 a two room log house just north of his dugout and operated a boarding house. Also at this time Dad was putting together a large ranch along the Fifteen Mile Creek through filing for desert land entries, purchasing property, and trading. He eventually acquired over 800 acres of land and called it the Worland Ranch. Dad continued to reside on his property, and he and his son Charlie had the existing ranch buildings built in 1917-1918. The Ranch was sold to the Wyoming Sugar Company in 1920. The property has remained a working farm/ranch under several different owners. The buildings still reflect the excellent workmanship and materials used in their original construction and are being restored by the current owners of the Worland Ranch.

 
Worland-Ranch

 

Date Added to Register:
Thursday, March 05, 1992
 
Location:
Worland
 
County:
Washakie County
 
Smithsonian Number: 
48WA157