Image: Ivan Dmitri/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
In the early 20th century, facing a drop in cattle prices after World War I, many ranchers in the western United States began offering tourists the chance to stay at their ranches to experience a slice of rustic living
The guests, known as “dudes,” could try horseback riding, hiking and fishing, and even get their hands dirty with the daily work of running a ranch
By 1940, 25,000 people visited dude ranches annually in the U.S. These rare color photos from 1935 follow guests at Larry Larom’s Valley Ranch in Wyoming as they get their first taste of frontier living. Read more…
