History Behind the Name..."Fort Supply"

Fort Supply was a classical frontier stockade, with 15-foot log walls and corner guard houses, from 1853 to 1857. Founded by early Mormon pioneers to support the migration from Iowa to Utah, its remnants are located at 7400 feet elevation on the northern foothills of the Uinta Mountains (western Rockies) in what is now southwest Wyoming.

At its peak, Fort Supply encompassed ten acres with 150 residents in 100 log cabins, a grist mill and blacksmith shop. In the fall of 1857, the fort was abandoned and burned to prevent the occupation by one-third of the then standing US Army which was advancing on Salt Lake City, in what has been called “The Utah War.”

Fort Supply Ranch has the distinction of being the first irrigated land in Wyoming and the location of the first permanently established cattle herd in Wyoming. This site has since passed through various private owners until 1977 when it was purchased by its current owner, Malcolm (Robert) Harvey. The ranch, now run with Malcolm’s sons Malcolm, Ian, and Nephi, includes a 160 acre hay meadow highlighted with willows, aspen and chokecherries and an additional 720 acres of flood-irrigated summer range pasture. The ranch with the rocking FS brand currently supports a year-round cow/calf operation running 130 Aberdeen (Black) Angus cows, their calves, necessary bulls and quarter horses.