66 Story Idea? Email Paul.Nolan@Farms.com Better Farming | January 2024 The Bar U Ranch stood the test of time from the late 19th century to the mid20th century, surviving devastating winters and economic recessions. It now remains as a historic site, commonly viewed as a representation of the “Golden Age” of ranching and the culture of the West. The Alberta ranch was founded in 1882 by Fred Stimson as part of the North West Cattle Company. At this time there was a strong push by Sir John A. Macdonald and the Canadian government to make Prairie grasslands available to cattle ranchers to encourage development in Western Canada. The reasonable rent rates set by the government led Stimson to lease land and gather 3,000 head of cattle for open range grazing. Stimson also began using the Bar U brand, creating the nickname for the ranch. As the operation progressed, Stimson added more infrastructure such as buildings, corrals and fences. George Lane was a foreman with the ranch prior to forming a partnership to purchase the ranch in 1902, at which time he officially renamed it Bar U Ranch. In 1908, Lane bought out his partners to become the sole owner of the ranch. Under Lane’s leadership, the ranch shifted its focus to breeding Shorthorn cattle. He ran a herd of more than 3,000 cows and had other farms available to feed the calves after weaning. His management oversaw the introduction of irrigation and cultivation of alfalfa for stored feed. These additions to the ranch operations were able to support the farm through several harsh winters, when many other ranches lost great proportions of their livestock. Lane also aimed to diversify the ranch by adding a breeding program for Percheron horses in 1909. These would supply the families that were creating homesteads in the West with draft horses to work fields, but they also consistently won awards for their breeding at show horse competitions. Lane became known as a prominent lobbyist for the cattle industry and was later a founder of the Calgary Stampede. After Lane’s death in 1925, Bar U Ranch was purchased by Pat Burns in 1927. Burns was already 71 years old but had experience and a good team developed through ownership of several other ranches. When Burns purchased the ranch, it was a total of 95,000 acres between leased and deeded land, as well as 6,500 head of cattle. Changes under Burns’s management focused on efficiency and cost reduction. He reduced the focus on crops and horses and replaced Lane’s Shorthorn herd with Hereford cattle. As the Great Depression came about shortly after Burns took over the ranch, his focus on low-cost management helped the ranch survive economic difficulties that crippled many other ranches in the area. Burns died in 1937, but his management team led by his nephew continued the ranch until 1950. The ranch was then put up for sale, with much of it selling to a local rancher J. Allen Baker, while the remainder was sold to neighbours. Bar U Ranch was maintained from 1950 until it was sold to Parks Canada as a National Historic Site in 1991. The site is still home to 35 historic buildings, some dating back to 1890. Bar U Ranch remains a reminder of the history of Canada’s ranches. BF RURAL ROOTS Cattle in a pen at Bar U Ranch. Bar U Ranch from Glenbow Library and Archives Collection THE 'GOLDEN AGE' OF RANCHING The Bar U Ranch remains a national historic site. By Emily Croft
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