Courtesy image

The next Local Lore program Thursday, Sept. 25 from noon-1 p.m. at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West features historian Brian Beauvais, who will explore the fascinating evolution of ranching on Cody’s South Fork. In the late 19th century, the South Fork became grazing country for open range cattle ranches, where cowboys managed herds across vast, unfenced public lands. Over time, homesteaders settled the valley, digging canals, building bridges, and carving trails into the mountains under the promise of the Homestead Act.

By the early 20th century, pioneers like Nova Brown, Jim McLaughlin and Sam Aldrich helped transform the South Fork into a hub for dude ranching, introducing vacationers to Wyoming’s rugged landscapes, hunting expeditions, and the wonders of Yellowstone National Park. Beauvais will trace how cattle ranchers, homesteaders, and dude ranchers often competed — and sometimes cooperated — over land and resources, together shaping a dynamic history that continues to define the region today.

Beauvais is the curator of the Park County Archives in Cody. He serves on the Park County Historic Preservation Commission, the Wyoming Historical Foundation, and the Wyoming Cultural Trust Fund. Holding dual master’s degrees in history and library science, Beauvais has written extensively and given public presentations on a wide range of topics in Wyoming history, including wildlife conservation, mining, prospecting, ranching, homesteading, historic preservation, vernacular architecture, and local art.