This is a transcription of a c.1965 document cataloged in the R4 History Collection as R4-1680-2009-0277. Handwritten notes are indicated by script font.

1650 HISTORICAL DATA

Afton Ranger District

The National Forest, with its Supervising office at Afton, Wyoming, was created from the old Yellowstone Reserve by presidential proclamation on July 1, 1908. Shortly afterward, the Afton Ranger District was established at Afton, Wyoming. On May 14, 1923, executive order #3842 consolidated the old Wyoming National Forest and the Bridger National Forest; the name was changed to “Bridger National Forest”, after a noted trapper and scout of the area, Jim Bridger; and the supervisor’s office was moved to Kemmerer, Wyoming, where it has remained. The area now known as the Bridger West Side was part of the Teton Division of the Yellowstone Reserve.

Following is a brief history of the Afton Ranger District:

1. Early Administration

District Rangers serving on the district are listed in order of their appointments. The dates each District Ranger served are not available prior to 1925.

Gliddeon Barstow – Mrs. Barstow was Ted Moffat’s first grade teacher. Fred John Graham John Ingram George W. Yeaman James T. Moffat to 1923 Henry Redford 1923 J.ack J. Albano 1923 to 1927 – Ted Moffat, Bum Lambs, E. Hunsaker Ona A. Harrison 1927 to 1937 Lowell G. Woods 1937 to 1944 Arch Gardner 1944 to 1946 Vaughn E. Tippetts 1946 to 1957 James E. Bossi 1957 to 1961 C. D. Wadsworth 1961 to Present 12/30/66

Mr. James T. Moffat was discharged from duty in 1925 and Henry Redford, an employee, was appointed as Acting District Ranger for a few months until a replacement, J. J. Albano was appointed to succeed Mr. Moffat. In 1944, Arch Gardner was appointed Acting District Ranger to serve until a District Ranger was appointed to replace Mr. Woods, who had been transferred to the Targhee National Forest. Mr. Gardner served through the war years, then Mr. Tippetts took over the District in 1946.

There were no full-time Assistant Rangers on the Afton District until 1960, when John R. Glenn was assigned as Assistant. He served in that capacity until November, 1961, was then transferred to the Cache National Forest, and replaced by Henry A. Walters, who still fills the position.

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In 1959, Miss Patricia Waring, of Smoot, Wyoming, was assigned to serve as Ranger Clerk with official station at Afton. She was a full-time employee and worked on three districts, Afton, Bedford, (no Thayne) and Cokeville. When she resigned in 1960 to become a housewife, she was replaced by Keith Wray, a long time resident of Afton, who maintained a schedule of service on the three districts until July 1, 1961, when he was assigned to the Afton District only. He served here until April 1964, when his appointment was changed to Forestry Aid. Mrs. Reita L. Call was appointed District Clerk at this time and still serves in this position.

Following are some incidents concerning some of the “old time” employers of the district. An old sheep-herder for the old Afton Livestock Company tells the following story:

“During the time that Ranger Barstow was serving on the district in about 1910, he was riding in the head of Grey’s River checking sheep herds as they left the Forest in September. While giving instructions to a man in charge of a herd of sheep as to which route he wanted the sheep to trail off, a disagreement arose, tempers flared, and the discussion progressed to man-to- man combat. During the struggle, Mr. Barstow’s shirt and trousers were ripped completely off. He mounted his horse and rode down Smith’s Fork in his underclothes until he came onto a herd of sheep belonging to the Afton Livestock Company. Here he was given some old clothes to wear on his return to Afton.”

John Ingram, the 3rd Ranger to serve on the district, bought a farm in Osmond, about 3 miles south of Afton, of which he still owns 80 acres. This land is rented and operated by Lincoln County Commissioner, Clarence Erickson. Mr. Ingram is now deceased.

Mr. Rulon J. Crook, a native of Smoot, Wyoming, relates the following:

“About 1916, when I was a young man in my late teens and just beginning to start life on my own farm in Smoot, there was no canvas to be had here for making irrigation dams. I was irrigating in my field one afternoon, just west of the present Smoot store, when I saw a large fire burning in the street in front of Ranger James T. Moffat’s residence. Not knowing what was burning, I ran to see if I could be of some assistance. As I reached the fire I saw quite a large pile of tents, pack saddles, saddle blankets, tarps, etc. being burned by the Ranger and Supervisor, Charles Beam. Being badly in need of canvas, I started to recover a piece from the fire, but was immediately stopped by the two forest officers and told that I couldn’t have the unburned canvas. I tried to buy it, but was refused. They told me that they could neither sell nor give away any Government property. Thus, the equipment was burned.”

Mr. Crook was deeply hurt over this incident and has carried a “thorn in his side” and a grudge against the Forest Service that has lasted nearly fifty years.

2. General Administration and Operation

In the early years, grazing of domestic livestock had, by far, the biggest impact on administration of the Afton Ranger District. The timber resource required very little of the Ranger’s time, since there were just a few small timber operators. Fire prevention and suppression during the fire season was of major importance. Most of the travel had to be done by horse because there was no road system; and the Forest Service was dependent upon forest users for fire prevention and suppression. Recreation use of the National Forest was confined

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primarily to the lower slopes of the front, making risk of man-caused fires much less and confined to a much smaller area than if roads and transportation were available.

During the Roosevelt Administration, Civilian Conservation Corp Camps were established. Two were located on the Afton District, one on the summit in Grover Park and one in at the south end of the valley. This program opened the door to planning and accomplishing some worthwhile and badly needed projects. On February 6, 1934, a parcel of land was purchased by the Forest Service from the City of Afton for $1.00. On this site was constructed the present Afton Administration Site consisting of a Ranger dwelling, District office, two-car garage and store room, and a horse barn and corral. In 1937, another piece of land, 5 X 6 rods was purchased from Mr. Sam Roberts for $250.00, where a warehouse and oil house was constructed. Much CCC labor was used on the two projects. In 1962, a land exchange was made between the Forest Service, the City of Afton, and Doyle Allred, for the Forest Service horse corral, which protruded into the City Park, for a piece of land on Highway U.S. 89 at Osmond. The Forest Service barn was moved from Afton to the newly acquired piece of land at Osmond with Accelerated Public Works funds in 1963.

The Old Corral Creek Station (north and east about ¼ mile from present site) was built in 1912, a one-room log cabin with a dirt floor and roof. It was sold to J. D. Gardner in 1933 for $5.00, and the present Corral Creek Guard Station was constructed at a cost of $1,173.85. CCC labor was used. The present Smith’s Fork station was also constructed in 1933 under the same program. In 1934, the present water system was installed at the Smith’s Fork station.

The Upper Grey’s River Road and the Smith’s Fork Road was constructed in 1933 and 1934, making it possible to travel by car from a point at Alpine, Wyoming, up Grey’s River to its head, over Commissary Ridge and down Smith’s Fork to U.S. Highway 89. This is the same road on our present transportation system.

The Smith’s Fork-Grey’s River telephone line was constructed in 1922 and 1923. This work was done with team and wagon and hand labor. The Lookout Station on the summit of Wyoming Peak was constructed and a telephone hook-up was made from this station to the Smith’s Fork-Grey’s River telephone line in 1927. We are told that the first piece of news carried by this hook-up was that Charles A. Lindberg had just successfully landed in Paris, France after his famous flight over the Atlantic Ocean.

Henry Redford, foreman, Rulon J. Crook and Thomas Parsons, made the telephone line and hook-up to the Wyoming Peak fire lookout station, which was manned during fire season from 1927 to 1954, when it was abandoned.

The LaBarge-Meadows Guard station, although located on the Cokeville Ranger District, was administered by the Afton District. It was equipped with a telephone switchboard and radio and was manned by a fire guard and dispatcher from about 1947 to 1955. Mr. & Mrs. O. J. Holdaway (who was principal of the Star Valley High School) manned the station most of these summers.

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3. Watershed and Multiple Use Management

In 1941, the City Council of the Town of Afton requested that the Forest Supervisor make an inspection of the Swift Creek watershed. This watershed furnishes the water for the people in and just outside the city. The citizens were alarmed at the mud and silt being washed into the city water system. The inspection was made, with the Mayor, Councilmen, and other civic leaders. It was found to be overgrazed, some areas being completely denuded of vegetation. Spring run-off and summer storms were washing mud and silt into the city water system. (The intake to the city system was located just below the upper power house at that time.) The people requested that the Forest Service remove all domestic livestock from the watershed and discontinue grazing in that area. Many inspections were made with many different forest officers in the following few years. City administrations changed. Adjustments were made in the management of grazing the watershed, but there seemed to be little, if any, improvement. Finally, under the leadership of G. W. Yeaman, Mayor of Afton, (the same G. W. Yeaman who was district Ranger) grazing of livestock was stopped on the Swift Creek watershed in 1950.

In 1958, funds were made available to rehabilitate some of the higher elevation area in the North Fork of Swift Creek. Under this contract, 220 acres were contour terraced and seeded and 1-1/2 miles of road were treated for erosion control at a total cost of $11,963.00. It is estimated that an additional 290 acres need this mechanical treatment to complete this section of the watershed. Removal of livestock and this S&W project in the North Fork have greatly improved the condition of the water and watershed.

A project in Smith’s Fork was started in 1961 and completed in 1962. This project included contour terracing 353 acres, 2-1/4 miles of gully plugs and seeding 235 acres. One and one-fourth miles of fence was constructed on three sides of this project to protect it from trailing sheep on the Smith’s Fork stock driveway. Cost of this project was $19,144.00. Another project, contour trenching 150 acres and seeding 75 acres, was completed in 1963 at a cost of $8,685.00.

Much rehabilitation work remains to be done on the District. Some mechanical treatment in the Cottonwood-Dry Creek drainages will be accomplished if a project, PL-566, is approved, which is now in the planning stage.

4. Range Management

The major use of the National Forest lands during the early stages was grazing of domestic livestock. Grazing demands were heavy and permitted numbers of sheep and cattle ran into many thousands of head more than is permitted today on the district. In some instances, grazing business was solicited because of the revenue to the U. S. Treasury. Few areas were closed to grazing. Before the Forest Service received the responsibility of administering the lands, the permittees had no descriptive allotments on which to graze their permitted stock. They went pretty much where they pleased, but as a general rule, they followed a pattern of returning to the same area year after year until they had a “feeling” of ownership of the lands they chose to graze. They gained access to their respective summer ranges by trailing the routes they desired, since no stock trails were established and no policy governing routes or time element was set up.

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The permittees would leave the “high country”, grazing their herds at the lower elevations and trailing short distances at a time, and finally reaching their home ranches late in the Fall, when the sheep were put on the desert for the winter.

The 1930 Annual Grazing Report shows 44,230 sheep grazed, compared with 17,205 sheep grazed in 1964 during 39,931 animal months on 15 sheep allotments. This indicates immense progress during this period toward adjusting use to grazing capacities. There are still many problem areas that need correction. When the range analysis program is completed, the district management plans will be written consistent with proper use and multiple use objectives.

5. Timber Management

Timber activity and harvest has been relatively small on the district until the establishment of the Star Valley Lumber Co. stud mill. The Annual Timber Report for the Afton District shows:

Timber Cut in 1928:

1,267,500 Deadwood 658,471 Green Sawtimber 608 Cords of Green Aspen

The five sawmills located on the district at that time had a potential cut of 750,000 Bd. Ft. per year, primarily from Grover Park, Swift Creek, Dry Creek and Cottonwood. In 1914, a sawmill was built on the north shore of Cottonwood Lake, and the timber was cut and skidded by horse into the lake and floated to the sawmill. The finished lumber was trucked into Star Valley from there. Logging in Dry Creek was done primarily by horse-skidding and hauled by team and wagon to a mill operated in the town site of Osmond. An interesting fact found in the files, written in 1915, is as follows:

“Timber cut in Swift Creek will be horse-skidded to the stream channel and floated down to the sawmill at the mouth of the canyon. Due to the steep, rugged terrain of Swift Creek Canyon, no roads will be permitted for construction and no log hauling allowed.”

Undoubtedly, most of the deadwood cut in 1928 was used for fuel by the people in the Upper Star Valley. At this time, there were five creameries manufacturing cheese and butter, located in Smoot, Fairview, Afton, Auburn, and Grover. All of these plants used deadwood for fuel for the generation of steam. This wood was cut in four-foot lengths and piled at the creamery sites. It was standard practice for each plant to have 4 to 5 acres covered with ricks of wood. Contracts were awarded to the local people for supplying this fuel.

According to the 1914 and 1915 district timber report, logging costs were $7.00 per M feet, sawing costs at the mill, $1.25 per M, hauling costs to Afton from Dry Creek, a distance of about 8 miles by team and wagon, $2.50 per M. Logs were delivered to the mill and sold for $16.00 per M. Lumber sold at the mill for $23.00 per M. The average stumpage rate was $2.00 per M.

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Timber activity on the district has multiplied many times, mostly in the last two years, since the 1914 report. The district now has an allowable annual cut of 8,000,000. The Five-Year Timber Action Plan indicates that 49,000,000 feet will be sold on nine timber sales on the district. The Star Valley Lumber Co. Kinney Creek sale produced 3,600,000 feet last year and 1,500,000 more will be cut this year, completing the sale. Howard J. Skinner will complete the Shale Creek sale this year by cutting the last 1,000,000 board feet.

6. Wildlife Management

Big game count and harvest records indicate an increase of big game animals on the Afton District since 1947, which is the earliest record available at this time. Deer harvest on the Afton unit for 1947 was 480. This has increased to 1779 deer harvested in 1963. Moose harvest has increased from 8 taken in 1951, to 21 in 1963. Elk harvests have changed very little, with 481 animals harvested in 1947 and 519 harvested in 1963. The above figures are not confined to the Afton Ranger District, but to the Afton Management Unit defined by the Wyoming Game & Fish Department. There are no big game problem areas on the district except a few places along the Star Valley front where over-browsing of the winter game range, mostly by deer, is occurring.

Trout streams on the district have been damaged as the result of previous heavy and unregulated grazing use of the watersheds. More recent management policy is resulting in improvement of most of the important fish streams.

7. Recreation

Recreation use is growing rapidly on the district and will continue to do so as the transportation system improves and more recreation facilities are provided. The 1947 district recreation report, the earliest available to us at this time, indicates there were 8,700 recreation visits to the district. The 1964 report shows 53,825 recreation visits to the district for 59,425 man days. The three improved campgrounds on the district, Allred Flat, Cottonwood Lake, and Swift Creek are all included in the new Land & Water Conservation Act of 1965. Many unimproved camp and picnic areas receive moderate to heavy use during the fishing and hunting seasons.

From 1918 to 1925, there was a recreation resort at Cottonwood Lake, with a store and commissary, about 10 cabins on a daily rental basis, a boat dock and ramp and an open air dance floor constructed over the water on large log piles driven into the lake bed. Also available were boats on an hourly or daily rental basis. Many gala affairs were held at this popular resort and it was visited by many thousands of people each year. It was operated by the late H. W. Schwab, of Afton.

8. Fire Control

Before the time of economical use of aircraft and construction of roads on the district, fire prevention and suppression was heavily dependent upon forest users, especially stockmen and timber operators. One fire look-out was constructed on Wyoming Peak, the highest point on the district, in 1927, and was manned until 1954, when it was determined uneconomical to continue

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manning it. The LaBarge-Meadows Guard Station (as previously mentioned) was also manned by a fire guard and dispatcher through the fire seasons.

In more recent years, the district I & E Plan provides for personnel of the district to take fire prevention messages and lectures to the schools, churches and civic groups. Most of the fire detection is done by flying. The Forest Service, using contract planes, fly Forest Service aerial observers over National Forest lands during high-hazard periods and after lightning storms. This method of detection has proven to be more practical and economical than previous methods used. The district maintains a fire cache that will equip about 50 men on very short notice for suppression work. The district also maintains a fire weather station, which was established prior to 1944.

Earliest records to the present time indicate no fire ever reaching as much as 100 acres.

9. Personnel

From 1908 to 1958, only one permanent employee was assigned to the district, in all cases a Ranger or Acting Ranger. The Ranger hired extra help during the field season, the number of men and duration of work being determined by funds available. Under normal conditions, with no large approved projects of a special nature, there was an average of four seasonal employees.

Positions on the district at present are:

District Forest Ranger Assistant District Ranger Forester Forestry Aid (General) Forestry Technician (Scaler, Timber) District Clerk

In addition to the above, 6 to 8 seasonal employees hired each summer. At least one of these temporary seasonal employees has returned to work on the district each year for 17 years.

10. Historical Points

The district is crossed by the Old Lander Trail, a route used during the 1800’s by people migrating from the east to the west in , , California, Oregon, and Washington. Many thousands of head of cattle were driven from Oregon to the grass plains in eastern Wyoming and Nebraska. Along this trail, evidence still remains of the presence of these people, such as marked trees, grave plots and grave markers, and wagon wheel ruts, which are still visible. This trail entered the district in LaBarge Creek, crossed over the Commissary Ridge and down Smith’s Fork. It crossed into Salt River and entered Star Valley south of Smoot, going down the west side of the valley to Stump Creek, west of Auburn, then up Stump Creek until it entered the Caribou National Forest.

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11. Points of Special Interest

The Periodic spring, located about 7 miles east of Afton in Swift Creek Canyon, is sometimes referred to as “the spring that breathes.” During the high water season in spring and early summer, this natural phenomenon can be observed only by watching the rise and fall of the flow, measuring it against the water marks on the rocks. As July and August blend into fall, the sporadic action of the spring is visibly apparent. Then it flows for 18 to 20 minutes and then ceases for a like period. As the water vanishes into the crevices and beneath the stones of the spring’s gaping orifice, which yawns from the face of a sheer, perpendicular cliff, it is attended by a loud sucking sound of rushing air. What makes the spring stop and start? No one knows for sure. The most logical reason seems to be in the siphon theory. Probably the surface water comes from a subterranean cistern fed by underground springs. This is the only known spring of this type on the North American Continent.

The spring, besides possessing interesting scientific features, has economic aspects as well. It affects the daily lives of practically every resident in the area, because its water generates electricity for Afton and provides culinary and irrigation water for many Star Valley farms. The drinking water in this office is supplied from this spring and has never been exposed to light until it comes from the fountain.

12. Stock Driveways

The district is crossed by two designated stock driveways. One of these trails enters the district on the south end and is known as the West Side-Smoot Stock Driveway. Over this route, about 20,000 head of sheep trail on and off their allotments. Of these, about 3,600 head graze on the Caribou National Forest, about 6,000 head graze on the Thayne district of the Bridger National Forest and the balance, on the Afton District.

The other trail enters the district in the Dry Fork of Smith’s Fork, over Sheep Pass on the Commissary Ridge, and north to the head of Corral Creek, then down Corral Creek to Grey’s River, down Grey’s River to Ridge Creek, where it leaves the Afton district and enters the Thayne district. Over this route travel about 40,000 head of sheep. About 9,000 head of these sheep trail to the Teton National Forest; the balance graze on the Bridger National Forest.

These sheep driveways are the biggest problem area on the district. The responsibility of administering use of the driveways, gaining cooperation of the users, keeping the herds on the driveway and properly spaced sometimes develops other problems; however, the major problem is the condition of the lands over which the sheep travel. The following quote is taken from a memorandum, dated August 6, 1956, to Floyd Iverson, ARF, Range Management, from C. J. Olson, Regional Forester designated D, (G) Management:

“On August 2, 3 and 4 I spent some time in the Grey’s River-LaBarge area on the Bridger National Forest. I am disturbed with the conditions which persist on Smith’s Fork and Grey’s River with particular reference to the sheep driveway problem. It seems to me that we must, without delay, reconstruct the road up Grey’s river and down Smith’s Fork, and in the meantime put the pressure on the stockmen to haul their livestock

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The above proposed program has not yet begun.

13. Engineering

The district has few roads, the majority of which were constructed prior to 1935. All are sub-standard and need reconstructing. U. S. Highway 89 crosses about 10 miles of the district. This is the only improved road on the district.

The district has some 200 miles of trails. Most of these trails were built by the early rangers and are deteriorating because of lack of maintenance.

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