History of LU Ranch
1878:
.Angus Mcdonald and Peter W. Dickinson trailed cattle from Oregon. The beginnings of The Dickie-LU Ranch.
1879 to 1886:
James and David (Dave) Dickie leave their home and large family off the coast of Scotland to find new life in New Zealand. Later they decided to try out Wyoming.
1881:
This was the only ranch between Embar and Meeteetse. Mcdonald bought 6 territorial water rights on Gooseberry and Enos Creek.
1881 to 1887:
West Point graduate, ex-cavalry man and soon to be Territorial Governor Georage Baxter bought Territorial water rights on Grass Creek. Once he was appointed Territorial Governor he moved to the Cheyenne area and sold to Harry Von Gunther.
1896:
The Healy family loaned money to the Dickie brothers so they could move from Rock Springs to Canada due to the growing population. They made it to Thermopolis and once their flock was ferried across the Big Horn River they headed north. Once they crossed the mouth of the Gooseberry they were confronted by a slew of cowboys who told them to turn back. They listened to the cowboys and followed the Gooseberry all the way up to Enos Creek.
1898:
Dave Dickie bought the Dickinson-McDonald ranch on Gooseberry and James Dickie procured a lease on the Wind River Reservation
1899:
The LU Sheep Company officially became a ranch. The main stockholders were Dave Dickie, Col. Jay Torrey and Jacob Price (Rocky Mountain Cattle Company).
1901:
To increase their deeded land, the Dickie brothers started to bring over family and friends from Scotland to homestead. They focused around creeks to gain water rights. They would give them a flock of 2,000 ewes and after 5 years the progeny belonged to the family while the ewes stayed under the brothers name.
1903:
Dave Dickie brought the first Angus bull into Wyoming. At this time David continued to grow up his cattle herd while still maintaining his flock of sheep.
1925:
“Is now regarded as one of the largest operators of that branch of the industry in the Rocky Mountain region” stated the Midwest Review.
1935:
David Dickie passed away to cancer and his brother James passed away a year later. David is laid to rest in the mausoleum that is on top of a ridge that overlooks the ranches headquarters. The marble came from Scotland and the stained glass is from BLANK. A team of horses was used to make the road up to the top and to bring material up to the building site.