Judith Sandoval brings an eye for striking detail and a feeling for the effects of time and habitation to her photographic tour of 450 ranches in sixteen counties in Wyoming. She discovered a dazzling variety of architectural styles in old ranchhouses, bunkhouses, barns, and even chicken coops. Taking in the whole ranching scene, she photographed corrals, machinery, irrigation works, and structures of stone built by German and Scottish immigrants and of logs by Scandinavians. She interviewed hundreds of people who have made their mark on the land, including many descendants of the builders. Some families have operated the same spread for five generations. Historic Ranches of Wyoming takes in such famous working ranches as the Wyoming Hereford Ranch, Careyhurst, the Palette Ranch, the Pitchfork Ranch, and John Kendrick's LX Bar. Among the dude ranches featured are the Seven-D, Eaton's in the Bar BC, and Valley Dude Ranch.
In 1986 the Nicolaysen Art Museum in Casper, Wyoming, is mounting a major touring exhibit of Sandoval's photographs. Historic Ranches of Wyoming contains most of the photographs in the exhibition. The book includes an essay by T. A. Larson on the history of ranching in Wyoming and one by Robert Roripaugh about growing up on a ranch near Lander, Wyoming.
