Journeying to the Bar BC

A family stands on the porch of their cabin, with their automobile parked outside (courtesy of Jackson Hole Historical Society and Museum, 1992.4413.001).

Early visitors arrived at the Bar BC after a several-day journey by train and wagon. Because the trip took so long and was so expensive, visitors tended to stay at dude ranches for weeks, if not the entire summer. Often, the same families would return year after year. However, with the growing popularity of the automobile in the 1930s and 40s and the advent of the "tin can dude" or automobile tourist, more people wanted to stay for just a few days and visit more locations-similar to the way people vacation today. A growing middle class also meant that more people had the means to travel, though generally not the freedom to take the entire summer off. These shifts changed the unique culture and camaraderie that once existed among the longtime guests and their hosts at dude ranches, and many ranches ceased operating altogether.