Mulehead Ranch
Feb 16, 2009
Magazine reader Dennis Sieler sent us a collection of photos from the Mulehead Ranch by Bonesteel. Sieler also typed up a history of the ranch from an interview with ranch hand Grant Smith.
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The ranch, situated 13 miles north of Bonesteel in Gregory County, was started in 1912 by three brothers from Iowa. Their father was the governor of Iowa and advised them in their business venture. -
During the Mulehead's biggest years, 60 hands were employed to do everything from riding herd to fixing fence. -
The ranch soon became one of the largest in the state. -
The Jacksons began with 4,000 acres but bought more land each year. In 1917 they owned 160,000 acres and 11,000 cattle. -
Cattle from the ranch would be shipped on a train from Bonesteel to either Sioux City or Omaha. -
The Jackson brothers soon tired of the cattle business and sold the land to a Chicagoan in 1925. He eventually sold off the ranch in pieces, often to men who had previously worked for the Jacksons.
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Comments
My grandmother, Stella McMullen, was an attendant in Orr and Vinnie Unglub's wedding at the Mulehead as Orr was the Jackson Bros. cattle boss. Grandma Stella related that they danced for three days. Appaerently it rained the day of the wedding and the gumbo was so bad no one could leave.....that, according to Grandma Stella.
I also visited with Curly Haisch, who owned the the Mulehead for many years. I quizzed about the Mulehead having electricity before the towns in the area. He related that there was a large artesian well up in the river hills that run a water wheel that powered a generator. He said they had found the waterwheel up in one of his pastures. The Mulehead, while run by Curly was a destination goose hunting camp from the forty's until the early 70's.