Where is Jack?

We were in the Green River area of northern Utah and had been driving most of the day in the dry hilly country. We had gone north and into the state of Wyoming through natural gas fields watched over by golden eagles before reentering Utah on primitive roads and the valley of the Green river in this area of the America where Utah, Wyoming, and Colorado meet. This particular area is called Brown's Park.We had driven across a suspension bridge on the Green River. The movement of the bridge was not noticeable in the car but if you walked across the bridge the swinging movement was quite noticeable. The weight limitations of the bridge were posted in number of sheep. A rough gravel road skirted the river and we eventually reached the historic Jarvie property on the Green River which provides a glimpse of life in the turn-of-the–century west. This is Bureau of Land Management land. John Jarvie, a native of Scotland, had settled the property in the 1881 after selling his business interests in Wyoming. He had become a naturalized citizen in 1875 and picked this spot on the Green River which had been a crossing for wild animals and Native Americans for centuries to build his home, trading post and other business enterprises which would include a ferry service, general store, post office, liquor distillery and other services.

There are a number of structures here, a reproduction of a general store, an original stone house, a blacksmith shop and an underground house. We parked in the nearby parking lot and began to look around the site. We first entered the one room stone house, measuring 18 X 20 feet, which was full of relics of pioneer times and told of the history of the property. The stone house was built by outlaw John, “Judge”, Bennett utilizing skills learned in prison at the request of John Jarvie. Interestingly, inside the house is a post left from the scaffold used to hang Judge Bennett. Bennett's claim to fame is that he was the only person hung in Brown's Park. A few feet away we visited the replica general store and found that the original owner, John Jarvie, had been murdered in 1906 during a robbery of the original store. John sold the whiskey he made in the store. In the early 1900's he was charged with selling whiskey without a license.  During the court proceedings the jury was given a sample of the beverage in question.  They reported that the beverage wasn't good enough to be considered whiskey and Jarvie was found not guilty. The general store also was the dwelling for John Jarvie his wife, Nellie, and their four sons.

It is beautiful here by the river with big cottonwood trees providing shade. You can close your eyes and can almost hear the thunder of horses’ hooves and smell the cooking fires of a pioneer settlement A little over one hundred years ago this settlement was on the infamous “Outlaw Trail” which reached from Mexico to Canada. Yes, such notables as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid frequented these parts. Butch and the Kid had an interesting technique for robbery getaways. They would have fresh horses waiting for them at twenty mile intervals along their escape route. In those days regular folk did not consider robbing the railroad barons much of a crime and often offered sanctuary to these robbers.

While visiting we met the resident ranger, Frank Tankersley, who led us around the property and told us all about it. At the blacksmith shop and corral John showed us how the rustlers could change brands on livestock after rustling them. By adding an addition to the existing brand the brand could be changed allowing the rustlers to claim stolen cattle as their own.  The corral and blacksmith shop had been built from railroad ties that had floated down the river from Wyoming.


Frank led us into the two room underground house in which the newlyweds, John and Nellie Jarvie, set up housekeeping. Nellie had been born in the British Isles. She and John were known to have beautiful singing voices. John was a true renaissance man who was also a talented organ and concertina player as well as a well known local poet. He was quite an athlete as well and frequently challenged younger men to foot races. This dugout was built by the big red-headed Englishman, Bill Lawrence. It is built facing south west toward the river. Over the sturdy door is a rack of deer antlers. As I entered, following Claudette and Frank, I ducked my head due to the low ceiling. The one hundred year old cedar rafters still hold up the earth roof. The walls are of heavy wood of hand-hewn or rip sawn timber.  As we looked around, John pointed out the features and furniture of the compact living quarters such as the cord bed and various cabinets for storage. The wood-burning cook stove looked a lot like the one my grandmother used. Based on the size of the custom-built home, I don’t believe that John and Nellie were tall people. I had to walk stooped over and I’m only six feet tall. Frank told us that after the Jarvies had moved into their house passing outlaws frequently used the dugout when hiding out from the local lawmen. Maybe Butch and Sundance had stood hiding exactly where we were and listened for pursuing lawmen to pass them by. During Frank’s description of the living quarters he mentioned another resident.

“I haven’t seen Jack today,” said Frank.

“And who is Jack?” I asked.

“He’s a snake about four feet long,” answered Frank as he gestured the length with outstretched hands.

We decided that our house tour was over.



The Jarvie Property in northern Utah is one of the best pioneer homesteads we visited.

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* A photograph of John Jarvie

          *A photograph of the Sundance Kid and his girlfriend, Etta Place
         
          *A photograph of Butch and Sundance and the Wild Bunch

          *The movie trailer from "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid".

          *Jarvie Property in Utah