Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch is a memoir of a ranch and a rock. When my husband and I purchased a beautiful ranch south of Laramie, Wyoming, we didn't realize we were to become experts in barn restoration. Neither did I realize I was about to delve into Wyoming History trying to discover who exactly had scratched their names into a delicate sandstone arch located on the backside of the ranch. Over the years, as I researched the signatories, I read hundreds of history texts, none of which gave either a clear or interesting story about the history of Wyoming. I felt that profiling these eighteen rock signatories, and people with whom they were closely associated, could result in a historical text that informs the reader of gripping, if obscure, facts. Taken as a whole, the tales embrace early Wyoming culture.

Starting with the rehabilitation of the Old Oxford Ranch headquarters south of Laramie, Wyoming, I have tried to blend practical knowledge of architectural restoration, ranching methods, and livestock husbandry with the history surrounding a sandstone arch bearing the names and initials of early trappers, pioneers, ranchers, and railroad people. I would like to think of my narrative as a detective story, describing how I ferreted out the histories of these early visitors to the area.

The advantage of my approach is that the rock signatories were real and their stories are true. The most amazing part about the book is how eighteen different people all visited the same little rock over a period of 80 years, all scratched their names into it, and all led lives that decorate the amazing history of Wyoming.

My goal was to deal with facts in a tasteful and witty way while remaining ideologically neutral. I do engage with some environmental and political issues but I feel that is what makes this otherwise straightforward narrative worth reading. I feel that these stories will interest people with inquiring minds.

Kristine McGuire

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