| The earliest recorded
history about the ranch dates back to 1897 when George Pickering
pre-empted Lot 6671 (the ranch property) which had a large natural
hay meadow. George Pickering must have been a colourful fellow as
one history book tells of George serving a jail sentence for threatening
to shoot Bill Douglas whom later acquired the title to the ranch.
Bill Douglas sold the ranch in 1948 to Bert and June Gauer. The
Gauer’s spent 29 years on the ranch then in 1977 sold it the
Eitzenberger family from Germany. The Eitzenberger’s turned
the ranch into a guest ranch. The Koch family purchased the ranch
in 1999.
This picture courtesy of the Fort Steele Heritage Park Archives
shows the first home on the George Pickering farm, now the Bull
River Guest Ranch c. 1909.
Present day guests can be assured the present day accommodations
are not quite so rustic!
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