The history of the Johnson Ranch, pt 8

A changing world

A recent incident made us realize how the world has changed since the ranch was settled. Recently, the telephone rang and Margaret answered. It was her son, David. Knowing he'd been scheduled to fly to California on his job, she said, "Hi! Where are you? In California?" "No", he replied, "I'm in a plane over Elk Mountain and I can see Laramie Peak and Jelm and Sheep Mountain. Looks like you have good weather down there?"

The little boy Wes, waiting for the stage to bring the mail and watching the horse-drawn wagons on the rutted, dusty road could not have dreamed that his grandson would someday be calling his parents on a telephone from an airplane, 30,000 feet over Elk Mountain and only four hours from Boston!

The memories of two generations have included tremendous changes in transportation, communication, medicine and homemaking. That little boy could not have imagined television although he did enjoy it in his later years and even lived to see the transmission of a picture of a man walking on the moon!

Computers, which have revolutionized so many accounting, calculating and record-keeping procedures as well as controlling space flight and performing other intricate tasks had not even been dreamed of then.

Wes's mother, slaving over the hot wood stove, early on a summer morning could not have imagined cooking without heat in a microwave oven and using other electric appliances in a cool kitchen. She could not have envisioned refrigerators, freezers, electric water systems, bright lights, washing and drying clothes in automatic machines with no ironing required -- nor could she have imagined an electric, steam iron. Those of us who remember the old metal "sad iron" which was placed on the wood stove to get hot recall black streaks on clothes if it picked up some soot from the stove -- or scorching clothing because it was too hot or having to build up the fire if it was too cool. She could not have imagined special heaters which would heat water without the wood stove or the cozy warmth of an electric blanket or water bed. (Some of us remember ice cold bedrooms and taking a hot brick or rock wrapped in a towel to bed for warmth.)

Mechanization and the coming of electricity through the Rural Electrification Administration changed lives on the ranch more than any other advances in technology. In addition, our surfaced roads, fast machines and air technology as well as improved communication have caused our country and the world to shrink. Now, from Denver, we can fly to Boston in less time than it took to drive a team and loaded wagon from Laramie to the ranch. We can talk on the telephone to places all over the world.

Medical advances, too have changed our lives. Awareness of the importance of good sanitation, the coming of antibiotics and other disease-combating drugs, and immunization against what used to be horrendous illnesses including smallpox, measles, diptheria and polio have made our lives so much better from a medical standpoint. Understanding of mental illnesses also has been an important step in improving our quality of life. Many of us would either not be alive or would be crippled, going blind or suffering other ailments without these dramatic medical advances.

In addition, the advent of the computer has dramatically changed what once were long, complex operations into simple procedures (and has made writing and recording so easy!). Computerization has opened up new arteas of opportunity in many fields, and some expertise in the field has become a necessity in many jobs.

We are also fortunate to have enjoyed all of these improvements in our lives while under a democtatic form of government that continues to function well. Although we we don´t always agree with laws and actions taken at levels from local to federal and international, we still have the privilege of freely assembling, of voting and disagreeing with actions, some of which may have a negative impact on our welfare. Through Farm Bureau and other organizations, we can make our concerns known and often make changes that are necessary.

People who are willing to work towards a goal are free to achieve their dreams if they are persistent and willing to work hard and long enough to vercome obstacles (provided of couse that they are not hurting other people). The opprtunities are endless.

The fact that the Johnson ranch has remained in the family for all these years has been because of the family´s love of the land, the independence and the closeness to nature. Many long, hard hours of work, much dogged persistence and some luck have enabled each generation to carry on.

It is truly a "family ranch" with reunions and visits from relatives from near and far. More than once it could have been sold for a tidy sum, but it simply is not for sale at any price.

So Everett and Margaret carry on keeping the ranch up in good shape, i.e. controlling weeds, cleaning up fallen trees and keeping it "neat and tidy" and do not allow it to be overgrazed or abused in any way. The continue to keep it a special place for the family and enjoy visits and gatherings of friends and neighbors. For whoever comes, the "welcome mat" is always out.

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