The trip to Yellowstone Park by the Kurtz family the trip must have been quite an adventure. Grandpa Shaffner wrote about in 1962 and I think the story may have been transcribed by Estella Shaffner. My copy is in typewriter script, which Stella always used. Della Kurtz kept a diary on the trip. Although I do not know where the original diary is, I believe Donnee Shaffner Stibal transcribed it. In 1980 several members of the family who had been on the trip were asked for their recollections. Thus for the next few days I will compile the stores and recollections for the blog.
Recollection from John F. Shaffner, written in 1962: During the summer of 1913, the Oliver Kurtz family, ranchers of Beaverhead County, Montana, promoted the idea of a camp trip to start from the Oliver Kurtz ranch, with the trip to be made by saddle horses and camp wagons to West Yellowstone through the picturesque Centennial Valley, Alaska Basin along the Henry's Lake road and entering the Park at the West entrance. It was planned to make the entire trip and return to the starting point with a thirty (30) day period.
Camp and trail equipment for this trip was mostly furnished by Oliver Kurtz and W. D. Sandy, a cow foreman for the P & O Ranch. It consisted of one chuck wagon with Jack Clay driving two draft horses, Tom and Jess, which would run away at the drop of a hat or piece of paper. One team of small mules pulled a surrey. We could always count on the mules doing the unexpected. Five saddle horses were taken; Little Baldy, H8, Pacer and two others which were called various names, mostly not too good. We also had one canvas top spring wagon.
At this period, no automobile traffic was allowed in the park. The traveled was restricted to horses. The tourists were all handled by buses drawn by two and six horse teams. The hotel and permanent camp patrons were called dudes and the private camping parties, such as ours, were sage brushers.
Written by John F. Shaffner: I think we all enjoyed the trip driving and riding up the Blacktail through the Centennial Valley, Alaska Basin to West Yellowstone as it was all new country to us Eastern Dudes and about as interesting as camping in the Park except we didn't have the bears for company. They were peaceful bears then. They left us alone and we left them alone. I am sure Bertha Kurtz was the top cook for feeding that bunch that was always hungry and she well knew how to fill us up. Mother Kurtz and girls did their share. I had to look after Della, especially in the park where the girls were all out to get soldier beaus when we camped near the Army Headquarters. Bertha and Oliver deserve a lot of praise for providing the livestock and most of the necessary supplies for such a camping trip.
At the Oliver Kurtz ranch, probably before the trip:
Grandmother Kurtz, Bertha, Della, Jack Clay, Lester, Norman, Ollie
Horse: Big Baldy
Oliver used this rig to get around the ranch
(picture was labeled by Donnee Shaffner Stibel and John F. Shaffner)
Recollections from Ollie Kurtz, son of Oliver and Bertha Kurtz, who was 10 years old at the time who like his father, had excellent recall skills: The trip took 30 days and cost each adult $16.00. We had one team of mules on a two seated buggy, and every time we passed someone, the mules would bray. Dad would brag and say "They must know you". Some of the ladies would give Dad some real dirty looks.
Information from recollections of Norman, Lester and Jim Kurtz in 1980: Bertha, their mother, baked 60 loaves of bread to take on the trip. She made cookies; sugar, chocolate and gingersnaps, which were packed in a 25 gallon keg.
