Tom Sun Ranch, also known as Sun Ranch, is a historic site along the old

Oregon Oregon ( , ) is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is a part of the Western U.S., with the Columbia River delineating much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while t ...

and

Mormon Mormons are a religious and cultural group related to Mormonism, the principal branch of the Latter Day Saint movement started by Joseph Smith in upstate New York during the 1820s. After Smith's death in 1844, the movement split into several ...

trails, about 6 mi (9.7 km) west of Independence Rock, Wyoming on Wyoming Highway 220.

History

The ranch's builder, Thomas Du Beau Soleil (Tom Sun), was a French-Canadian

frontiersman A frontier is a political and geographical term referring to areas near or beyond a boundary. Australia The term "frontier" was frequently used in colonial Australia in the meaning of country that borders the unknown or uncivilised, the ...

who later became a pioneer cattleman. During the 1870s and 1880s, the ranch was typical of many medium-sized ranching operations in cattle country. In 1882, ''The Cheyenne Daily Leader'', remarked that "the eastern person of inquiring turn of mind who writes to his friends out west to ask what a ranch is like would find his answer in a description of Tom Sun's." The ranch site was declared a

National Historic Landmark A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a National Register of Historic Places property types, building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the Federal government of the United States, United States government f ...

on December 19, 1960. and At the time of its nomination as a landmark it was one of the best preserved ranches from the cattle ranging period and was in size.

Recent development and renovations

The ranch remained in the Sun family for four generations until 1996 when it was sold to

the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Restorationism, restorationist Christianity, Christian Christian denomination, denomination and the ...

. Since that time some of the ranch buildings have been transformed into a visitors' center for nearby

Martin's Cove Martin's Cove is a historic site in Wyoming. The 933 acre (3.8 km2) cove is located 55 miles (89 km) southwest of Casper, Wyoming, in Natrona County. It is located on the Mormon Trail and is also part of the North Platte- Sweetwater se ...

, an important

historic site. Structures on the site have been stabilized and repaired, but the setting has been impacted by the development of

parking lot A parking lot or car park (British English), also known as a car lot, is a cleared area intended for parking vehicles. The term usually refers to an area dedicated only for parking, with a durable or semi-durable surface. In most jurisdi ...

s and landscape designs not consistent with the original historic setting. However, large portions of the landmark area, particularly sections in public ownership, continue to retain their historic integrity.

References

External links

Tom Sun Ranch National Historic Landmark
at the Wyoming State Historic Preservation Office {{DEFAULTSORT:Sun, Tom, Ranch 1872 establishments in Wyoming Territory Buildings and structures completed in 1872 Buildings and structures in Natrona County, Wyoming Mormon Trail National Historic Landmarks in Wyoming National Register of Historic Places in Natrona County, Wyoming Oregon Trail Ranches on the National Register of Historic Places in Wyoming

History

Recent development and renovations

See also

References

External links