The History of The Oxford Ranch

The McGuire family acquired the Oxford Ranch in 1992. The McGuires have owned the ranch for the longest spell since its inception in 1887. Management of the ranch passed to the youngest daughter, Kelly in 2016.

Now a showcase of comfort, top quality Wagyu beef production, and historic preservation, the ranch offers long views, comfortable surroundings, and a rich history detailed in a book written by Kris McGuire, Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch.

Kelly’s goal is to continue breeding stock that thrives in this rugged environment while producing a phenomenal eating experience on your dinner plate.

Timeline of Historic Events at The Oxford Ranch

  • 1865

    Peter Johnson claims 160 acres of land along Harney Creek as a homestead, calling it the Red Buttes Ranch. He builds two irrigation ditches and a reservoir called Hundred Springs.

  • The Historic Oxford Ranch Wyoming

    1870

    Johnson’s homestead proves up and he purchases the neighboring homestead for $100, quickly selling both to Dr. Arthur Stokes. The ranch changes names to the Stokes Ranch and two log barns, a ranch house, and a brick mansion are constructed on the property.

  • Arthur Whitehouse, Former Owner of the Historic Oxford Ranch

    1886

    Arthur Whitehouse visits the Laramie Plains for a summer vacation and ends up staying on, becoming a co-owner of the renamed Stokes & Whitehouse Ranch.

  • Cowboys on the Historic Oxford Ranch

    1887 - 1905

    Whitehouse buys out Stokes and renames the ranch the Oxford Horse Ranch.

    1892 – Whitehouse leaves Wyoming to marry and attend Veterinary School.

    1894 – Whitehouse earns his DVM and returns to Wyoming to ply his trade.

    1905 – Whitehouse sells the ranch to Axel Palmer, his longtime manager.

  • 1910 - 1914

    Whitehouse moves to Ft Collins to teach at Colorado A & M. Axel Palmer gives up ownership.

    1913 – The ranch is sold to Daniel Bunton, a shady irrigation ditch developer from Chicago.

    1914 – The second barn and mansion house burn and Buntin commits suicide.

  • The Historic Barn at the Oxford Ranch before it was restored

    1917 - 1980

    John Leazenby buys the ranch to run Hampshire sheep.

    1948 – Leazenby divides the ranch into quarters and sells the headquarters to Dr. Otto Lembke, a retired botanist.

    1980 - Lembke sells the ranch to Keith Burman. Burman removes much of the interior walls of the remaining barn, destabilizing the structure.

  • The historic barn at the Oxford Ranch is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places

    1991 - 1992

    The barn is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

    1992 – Burman sells to a Colorado developer and the McGuire family buys 1,600 acres plus the 100 acre ranch headquarters. The barn is a liability as it is about to collapse.

  • Sandstone arch with historic signatures on it on The Oxford Ranch

    1994

    The McGuires purchase an additional 1,600 acres to the east that was part of the original ranch. This parcel includes the red sandstone arch bearing the names, dates, and initials of historic Wyoming figures.

  • The historic barn at The Oxford Ranch is restored

    1996

    The historic barn is restored, its foundation replaced, the leaning walls straightened, and the shingled roof replaced with metal. It is awarded the National Historic Barns Association’s “Barn Again” Prize.

  • Kelly McGuire takes over the historic Oxford Ranch as manager

    2016

    Kelly McGuire takes over as ranch manager. The Palmer House bed and breakfast is established.

Meanwhile, Back At The Ranch

When I bought a ranch with my husband in 1992, I had no idea I would discover a window into Wyoming’s rich and complicated past - cattlemen and railroads, pioneer women and gunslingers and so much more.
This is their story.

By Kris McGuire
Owner, The Oxford Ranch

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