Where it all Began

The first Dude Ranch recorded was started by Howard Eaton and his three brothers in 1882 near Medora, North Dakota. The Eaton brothers were well established business men from Pittsburg that had moved out west to establish a ranch. Overwhelmed by their eastern friends interested in visiting the ranch, the brothers began building some cabins for their guests to stay and asked them to pay to cover their expenses. The guests came in such large crowds that the Eaton brothers decided to make a business out of entertaining them.