The Morgan Horses of Yellowstone

This photo is titled, "Beau and young Morgan 

stallion at Lamar Ranger Station, February 9, 

1941."  Based on the date, the horse is either

Wakefield Duke of Black Baron.

YELL 185380.3177

Author’s Note: I first became aware of the connection between the National Park Service and Morgan Horses when I worked at Beauduste Morgan Horse Ranch in northwest Montana in 1988-1990.  The owners of the ranch, Herb and Inez Wagner, raised Morgans for many years, first on their large cattle ranch near Ashland, Montana, and then later in life when they retired to Trout Creek, Montana.

Although one old proverb asserts that, “a good horse comes in any color,” riders often favor one particular breed.  The same is true – to a certain degree – in the National Park Service, which has a long tradition of mounting their rangers on Morgan horses.  Morgans were one of the first breeds developed in the United States, and are known for their versatility, endurance, and intelligence.  One example of this connection is the Morgan Horse Farm at Point Reyes National Seashore in northern California.  Established in 1968, the farm’s original goals included breeding and training Morgans, which were kept for patrol duty at Point Reyes as well as being sent off for use at other national parks (Sadin, 267).  The farm is still being used today, and is a popular living history programs in that park.

Here in Yellowstone National Park, the use of Morgans is much older although little is known about their early years.  In fact, over the past 18 months several researchers have contacted the staff at the Heritage and Research Center (HRC) asking for information about the Morgan horses used and raised in Yellowstone.  One investigator is a family member of Jack Richard, whose photography collection at the Buffalo Bill Historical Center includes many images of rangers riding Morgans, such as this example from 1960 of Ranger Bob Richard on Big Red.

Ranger Bob Richard and Big Red, 1960.
According to the original caption, "Big Red
[is] the last U.S. Park Service's Morgan
stallion.  the horse patrolman service was
ended when Bob Richard retired from the
[National] Park Service in 1960.
Buffalo Bill Historical Center,
PN.89.116.21.459.

A year and a half ago we were unable to provide much information about Yellowstone’s Morgans, but some recent discoveries in the park’s archives have now allowed us to piece together some of the story.  The first breakthrough was the discovery of a report from 1948 titled “Analysis of Horse Breeding Program at Lamar Unit.”  This document states that the breeding program at Yellowstone began in the spring of 1941, and gives us the names of the three Morgan stallions in the park: Wakefield Duke, Black Baron, and Gipsey Chief.  A little more detective work revealed that all three of these stud horses had the same sire – Gipsey King.  

And like all famous horses, Gipsey King has an impressive pedigree, but perhaps not one you’d expect.  He was donated to the National Park Service in May 1937 by none other than John D. Rockefeller, Jr. (Bruggeman, 73; and Smith, 15).   Gipsey King was stabled and bred at George Washington Birthplace National Monument, and the park’s superintendent is said to have jumped at the opportunity with an eye toward breeding the Morgan stallion to produce mounts for other parks within the National Park Service (Bruggeman, 171).*  It would seem that his plan met with some success since three of Gipsey King’s colts were in Yellowstone only a few years later.  

Yet another discovery was made in December 2013 when a photograph of one of the Morgan stallions was found in the Augustin Photograph Collection (held at the HRC).  Based on the date, this 1941 photo must be of Wakefield Duke or Black Baron.   

Despite these famous connections, we don’t know what happened to Duke, Baron, Chief, or the other Morgan horses of Yellowstone: much of their story is yet to be told.  There’s an old cowboy saying that states, “A dog may be man’s best friend, but the history of the West was written by the horse.”  If that’s true, then perhaps the contributions of Morgan horses to Yellowstone and other national parks will not be forgotten.   

*It’s worth noting that a second attempt at creating a Morgan horse program at George Washington Birthplace NM was attempted between 1968 and 1972.  National Park Service Director George Hartzog envisioned this program as complementing the breeding program at Point Reyes National Seashore, thus providing Morgans to eastern national parks (Bruggeman, 171-173)

Notes:

Wakefield Duke

Gipsey King x Nunda

Foaled: July 18, 1939

Color: Black

Height: 16 hands

“Bred by National Park Service. Black, star and snip, left front and left hind fetlocks white.

Foaled July 18, 1939, George Washington Birthplace National Monument, Virginia. Stationed at

Yellowstone National Park all his life. Died in the 1960s.”

“Procured [by YNP] August 4, 1940”

“Duke was bred in 1941, 1942, and 1943 at which time his service was no longer deemed

suitable to the program. He was at that time castrated and trained as a saddle horse.”

Black Baron

Gipsey King x Minerva

Foaled: April 19, 1940

Color: Black

Height: ?

“Bred by George Washington Birthplace National Monument. Black, small white spot on rear

left hind foot. Foaled April 1940, George Washington Birthplace National Monument, Virginia.

Served at Yellowstone National Park 1941-1952. Purchased February 1952 by M/M Paul

Shields, Wyoming.”

“Procured [by YNP] September 21, 1940”

“Baron was bred from 1942 to 1948” [this was the year the report was written, so it is possible

that he was bred later]

Gipsey Chief

Gipsey King x Minerva

Foaled April 25, 1941

Color: Black

Height:?

“Bred by George Washington Birthplace National Monument. Black, star. Foaled April 25,

1941, Washington’s Birthplace, Virginia. Owned by Yellowstone National Park, 1942-1952.

Purchased February 1952 by K.C. Barlow Ranch.”

“Procured [by YNP] May 19, 1942”

“Chief was bred from 1943 to 1948” [this was the year the report was written, so it is possible

that he was bred later]

Sources:

Bruggeman, Seth C.  George Washington Birthplace National Monument: Administrative History, 1930-2000.  2006.

Ernest R. Augustin, Jr., Photograph Collection (MSC 17), Yellowstone Park Archives.

“Morgans of Yellowstone National Park,” Morgan Horse, September 2005, pages 104-106.

Sadin, Paul.  Managing a Land in Motion: An Administrative History of Point Reyes National Seashore.  October 2007.

Smith, Larry.  “Harold D. Smith: ASPA Founder and Trusted Advisor to FDR.”  ASPA Times.  The American Society for Public Administration, vol. 26, no. 8, August 2003.

Genealogical Resources at Yellowstone's Heritage & Research Center

We hear a lot about resource management in Yellowstone National Park, usually natural resource management but sometimes cultural resource management as well.  Now I’m going to mention another one - genealogical resource management.

Many of the researchers who either visit or contact Yellowstone's Heritage and Research Center (HRC) are interested in locating information about a family member who worked, lived, or visited the park.  Over the past few months I've compiled notes on the types of records we have at the HRC, based on a list first created by the research librarians.

Here are my notes regarding genealogical resources at the HRC, plus some other pertinent information:

EMPLOYEES

Concessionaires

• Registers of passengers carried by licensed transportation (includes names of stagecoach drivers), bulk dates 1898-1920 (Items 208-212)
• Mammoth Payroll and Employee Registers, 1931-1935 (MSC 019 YPC)
• Personnel Lists (Department Heads), 1936-1960 (MSC 019 YPC)
• Personnel Lists, 1953-1973 (MSC 019 YPC)
• Personnel Lists (Canyon Village Directory), 1954-1967 (MSC 019 YPC)
• Personnel Lists (Fishing Bridge Directory), 1958 and 1964 (MSC 019 YPC)
• Personnel Lists (Lake Lodge Directory), 1946-1956, 1965 (MSC 019 YPC)
• Personnel Lists (Mammoth Directory), 1960-1966 (MSC 019 YPC)
• Personnel Lists (Old Faithful Savage Directory), 1955-1970 (MSC 019 YPC)
• List of Winterkeepers, 1959 (was Box C-24)
• Hamilton Stores employee list, 1960 (was Box C-56)
• Hamilton Stores organizational chart, 1963 (was YPC Box-37)
• Hamilton Stores employee directory for Fishing Bridge, 1971 (Box W-98)
• Telephone Directory, circa 1975 (MSC 019 YPC)
• Xanterra Telephone Directories, 1981-2005 (MSC 073 Xanterra Parks and Resorts Collection)
• Seniority lists for the Gardiner Service Center for TW Recreational Services, 1982-1997 (was Box C-61)
• TW Recreational Services telephone directory, 1987 (was Box C-24)
• TW Recreational Services telephone directory, 1996 (was Box C-61)
• Yellowstone Mammoth Memories yearbook, 1998-1999 (was YPC Box 167)
• Reservation Staff yearbook, 2000 (MSC 073 Xanterra Parks and Resorts Collection)
• Reservation Staff yearbook, 2001 (MSC 073 Xanterra Parks and Resorts Collection)

NPS

Note: Official Personnel Folders (OPFs) of former Federal civilian employees (1850-1951) are maintained at the National Personnel Records Center.  OPFs for former Federal civilian employees separated after 1951 remain in the legal custody of the Office of Personnel Management and access to these records is restricted under the Privacy Act of 1974.

• Personnel Rosters, 1918-1960, 1962-2008 (RG 10 FPS)
• List of rangers including assignments, 1927 (Box K-10)
• Fire Cache Personnel, 1953-1965 (Box Y-273)
• Fire Control Aids, 1956-1958 (Box Y-273)
• List of BRC [Blister Rust Control?] personnel, 1958-1965 (Box Y-288)
• Personnel Rosters, 1960-1973 (was Box P-88)
• Roster of Participating Personnel, Northern Elk Herd Helicopter Census, 1962 (MSC 036 Kittams Papers)
• Fire Control Aids, 1965-1967 (Box Y-273)
• List of Fire Control Aids, Summer 1968 (Box Y-273)
• List of North District Interpretive Staff, 1970(?) (Box W-106)
• List of West District and South District rangers, 1970 (Box W-106)
• Lists of Resource Management and Visitor Protection staff, 1970-1974 (Box W-106)
• List of seasonals and fire control aids, 1971-1972 (Box Y-257)
• List of personnel, 1974 (was Box P-88)
• List of fire control aids, 1974 (Box Y-257)
• List of seasonal naturalist staff, 1975 (Box K-118)
• “A Directory of Yellowstone Park Families,” 1977 (was Box P-89)
• Personnel and Families Directory, 1977 (RG 10-FPS)
• Lists of personnel stationed at various places which includes rangers, naturalists, groomers, and winterkeepers, Winter 1977-1978 (was Box P-92)
• List of Fire Control Aids, 1977-1978 (Box Y-257)
• Yellowstone telephone directory, Winter 1977 (Box A-102)
• South District phone directory, 1979 (Box A-410)
• List of employees for the Division of Interpretation and Visitor Services, 1982 (Box K-96)
• Museum Directory(?), 1983 (Box H-18)
• Seasonal Interpretation staff yearbook, 1986 (Box K-90)
• Seasonal Interpretation staff yearbook, 1987 (Box K-56)
• List of seasonal and permanent Resource Management and Visitor Protection staff, Summer 1988 (Box W-240)
• Yellowstone telephone directory, Winter 1988-1989 (Box A-410)
• List of summer staff for Old Faithful Interpretation, 1994 (Box K-118)
• NPS phone directory, 1994 (was Box P-10)
• List of staff for the Division of Interpretation, 1995 (Box K-118 and Box K-148)
• List of summer staff for the Division of Interpretation, 1997 (Box K-96)

Civilian Conservation Corps

• Roster for Company 544, 1938 (MSC 069 Swier-Bolhuis’ Research)
• Roster for Company 535 and yearbook, 1941 (MSC 069 Swier-Bolhuis’ Research)
• Roster for Company 544 and yearbook, 1941 (MSC 069 Swier-Bolhuis’ Research)

Yellowstone Association

• List of Employees, 1995(?)

VISITORS

• Registers of passengers carried by licensed transportation (includes names of stagecoach drivers), bulk dates 1898-1920 (Items 208-212)
• Registers of camping parties, bulk dates 1898-1923 (Items 161, 191-207)
• Yellowstone Park Camp Company/Yellowstone Park Lodge and Camps Company registers which include payroll registers with lists of employees and often their occupations, 1924-1935 (MSC 019 YPC)
• Yellowstone Park Hotel Company registers which include payroll registers with lists of employees and often their occupations, 1923-1935 (MSC 019 YPC)
• Yellowstone Park Transportation Company registers which include payroll registers with lists of employees and often their occupations, 1923-1935 (MSC 019 YPC)
• Yellowstone Park Company registers 1936-1961 which include payroll registers with lists of employees and often their occupations.  N. B. Social Security Numbers were first issued in November 1936 and these records may be restricted.  (MSC 019 YPC)
• Yellowstone Park Hotel Company check register which may contain employees’ names, 1930-1937 (MSC 019 YPC)
• Lists of Rail Visitors which include lists of visitors and their home addresses, 1929 and 1930 (MSC 019 YPC)
• Entrance Registers of Park Visitors which include lists of visitors and their home addresses, 1942, 1946, 1947, 1951 (MSC 019 YPC)

BMD (Births, Marriages, & Deaths)

Births

As far as I can tell, there is no list of the births within the park although if I was looking I’d check Yellowstone News, 1947-2002, and/or the Monthly Reports.

Marriages

According to the park’s website, “A permit is required to hold a wedding in the park unless it is at the Mammoth Chapel.”  So one would assume copies of these permits are kept somewhere?

Also, “Either a Wyoming or a Montana marriage license is applicable for a wedding in Yellowstone National Park. A Montana license is more practical if you are planning be married in the north part of the park near Mammoth Hot Springs and a Wyoming license is preferable if you are being married in the interior of the park near Old Faithful, Canyon, Lake or Grant Villages. If the couple has a Montana license, it will be necessary to sign the papers and perform the State requirements at or north of the 45th parallel (the state line near Mammoth Hot Springs) before or immediately following the ceremony in the park.”

• Register of Marriages, Yellowstone National Park Chapel, 1914-1963.  Found in Aubrey L. Haines, A History of the Yellowstone National Park Chapel, 1913-1963, p. 27.  
• [1963-1967?]
• Chapel Reservation Forms including weddings, 1967-1972 (Box A-316)

Deaths

For information about deaths in the park see Lee Whittlesey, Death in Yellowstone: Accidents and Foolhardiness in the First National Park, Boulder, Colorado: The Court Wayne Press, 1995.  Note: this isn’t a comprehensive list of deaths.  For example, Lee has told me he doesn't usually include death from automobile accidents (too many).

Cemeteries

• List of burials, Tinker’s Hill Cemetery, Gardiner, Park County, MT.  1880s-Present (MSC 074 FOE).  Note: This is the only private in-holding within Yellowstone National Park.
• Kite Hill Cemetery, Mammoth Hot Springs, Park County, WY.  1883-1897(?).  14 gravesites
• Fort Yellowstone Cemetery, Mammoth Hot Springs, Park County, WY.  1888-1957. First burial: Private Thomas Horton, 22nd Infantry Regiment, died 1888.  Last burial: Jeanett Clark, died 1957.  57-58 graves before 20 of them moved to Custer National Cemetery.  (Item 154, Cemetery Fort Yellowstone; and, Item 155, Official record of interments in the Post Cemetery)

Other nearby cemeteries

• Jardine Cemetery, Jardine, Park County, MT.  1902-Present  
• Cooke City Cemetery, Park County, MT.  1895(?)-Present(?)
• Fir Ridge Cemetery, West Yellowstone, Gallatin County, MT.  1964(?)-Present.  This is the only cemetery in the West Yellowstone area, located on the east side of Highway 191, north of West Yellowstone on a hill overlooking Hebgen Lake
• Emigrant Cemetery, Emigrant, Park County, MT.  Circa 1882-Present
• Chico Cemetery, Chico Hot Springs, Park County, MT. 1864-Present

Other Burials

According to Lee, “at least eight single graves are known at various locations around Yellowstone Park.”  Whittlesey, Death in Yellowstone, 216.