Moose Head Memories from 1970

[Soapweed]

The Mettler family from Florida. They owned and operated the Moose Head Ranch, a guest ranch in the heart of Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Pictured from right to left are John Mettler and his wife, Eleo, their daughter Louise (who had just completed her sophomore year in college), and daughter Ellen (age 12).

Steve Moreland on Pancho. I had just graduated with the Class of 1970 from Gordon, Nebraska and was enjoying the summer working as a wrangler at Moose Head.

Gary Clark from Oak Park, Illinois who was also a wrangler

My conveyance was a 1964 Chevrolet Impala convertible, maroon with a black canvas top.

Kit Davenport from New York is on the right. He later married Louise Mettler, and they currently run the Moose Head Ranch.

Dogie Weaver is on the right. He was head wrangler, and had served our country at Fort Robinson during World War II. He was an artist, and did fine western oil paintings.

Looking down on the Moose Head corrals. A new hitching rail was being built in our spare time.

The other side of the corral

Cherokee is the horse tied to the loading chute. Gary Clark and Steve Taylor were both wranglers and both were from Illinois.

Blanco and Bally

Steve Moreland at the Moose Head corral

Roy Chapin from Michigan took this photo of his family, with me giving a kid a "horsie-back ride." Mr. Chapin was president of American Motors at that time, and was driving a brand new Jeep Wagoneer.

Casey, a nice buckskin gelding

Snowball in July

We rigged up a horse drawn hay ride for the Sunday evening cook-outs. Steve Moreland is the driver of the team. Gary Clark is "riding shotgun" and is looking back. Eleo Mettler is on the far right.

Hayride going out the gate

Outlaws and hooligans have held up the hay wagon.

A hold-up is occurring.

Joy Dittmer from Illinois with the guitar, Kit Davenport, and Steve Moreland

Joy Dittmer on Bally, the paint horse is Napoleon.

Faith Pukszta from Illinois

Sue Marshall from Florida, and Ellen Mettler. Sue's dad, Stan Marshall, was president of Florida State University at that time.

Elaine Moreland (Steve's mother), Steve, and Nancy Jean McCallister from Wood Lake, California. She was Bob Moreland's first cousin, and Bob took the photograph.

My little sister Nancy Jean, who was four years old at the time. She is now Nancy Vineyard, married to Shawn Vineyard. They live and ranch at Oshkosh, Nebraska.

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

I bet looking through those old photos brought back some memories.
Thanks for posting them.

 

[Traveler]

Just driving out there in that '64 ragtop Impala would have left a permanent smile on my face. Must have been quite the time. Any more pictures of the car, or recollections?

 

[harleycassan]

It is nice to see early photos of Ellen Mettler, I met Ellen in Brookline, Massachusetts during the winter of 1980. The license plates on her vehicle were Wyoming plates and she spoke often of Moosehead Ranch. A few summers later I bicycled through Wyoming, Ellen was disappointed that I never visited Moosehead Ranch. But I was headed for Boulder and made no detours or extended stops. Last year I read Ellen's obituary from 2007. I was saddened to read of her death. We had lost touch and had not spoken since the late 80's. She was a great friend. Although she died in California - her heart will always be in Wyoming

 

[Faster horses]

Such an adventure back then! How did you get hired to do that?
Love the 'good old days' (and they were) photographs.
You must have made notes under the original photos or you have one heck of a memory!
Thanks for sharing!!

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

I see I commented before but enjoyed them again,

You have always had an eye for the Buckskins.