blackfoot-valley

The Cowboys Life To most Americans today, far removed from living directly off the land, the thought of a cattle ranch conjures up romantic images of hard-bitten, hard- livin’, horse-riding cowpunchers herding, driving, branding - and when not doing that or otherwise caring for their animals, whooping it up at the nearest saloon (which might be a day’s ride away). This image is one of chasing the town girls, getting into fights or even shoot-outs with cowboys from rival ranches or local “bad guys” - all this contrasting with tranquil nights under the stars during a cattle drive while serenading one another around the campfire with guitar and harmonica. Images such as these have been nurtured and indelibly stamped in the minds of Americans by thousands of “westerns”, through more than a cen- tury in print novels and stories, nearly a century in films, and over a half century now in television dramas. Many of the images have been accurate in their way for a particular time and place or incident in the history of the American West, though often with the romantic and more spectacular aspects exaggerated for effect. “John W. Blair and sheep Crew” 1900 131