Sawtell's Ranch

Gilman Sawtell came to Henrys Lake to raise beef for the Montana gold camps, and the flies on its marshy shore beat the cattle. He sold what the country already held instead: elk, antelope and bighorn for Virginia City, lake fish by the thousand, and in 1871 cygnets run down from a rowboat and raised for New York's Central Park. That same year he led businessmen from Virginia City and Deer Lodge through the geyser basins, a year before Yellowstone became a park, and he is counted its first commercial guide. Sawtell Peak carries his name.

What the plaque says

Sawtell's Ranch In 1868, Gilman Sawtell started a dude ranch and Henry's Lake fishery that did much to develop this natural resort area. Sawtell did everything from supplying swans for New York's Central Park zoo to building a network of roads for tourist access to Yellowstone National Park. His commercial fishery served Montana mining markets. His pioneer Henry's Lake ranch was a major attraction here for a decade before rail service brought more settlers to this area. 389 Text prepared by the Idaho Historical Society Marker made & installed by Idaho Transportation Department

Where it stands

Worth the stop nearby

• Harriman State Park — 24 mi
  The Harrimans would give Idaho their ranch only when Idaho had a parks department fit to run it. The state built one.

More markers nearby

• Pierre J. DeSmet — 5.5 mi
• Harriman Wildlife Refuge — 22 mi