item thumbnail for View of the Jess Taylor Ranch from the north side of Big Creek
item thumbnail for View of Taylor Wilderness Research Station from the north side of Big Creek
Title:
View of the Jess Taylor Ranch from the north side of Big Creek
Creator:
Creator Unknown
Date:
1955
Source:
Payette National Forest Heritage Program, Payette National Forest
Original Filename:
2300.0174_Jess Taylor Ranch_1955.jpg
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Title:
View of Taylor Wilderness Research Station from the north side of Big Creek
Creator:
Micaela Petrini
Date:
2019-05-30
Original Filename:
DSC_0257.JPG
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View of Taylor Wilderness Research Station from the north side of Big Creek - 1955 and 2019

In 1964, wildlife biologist Maurice Hornocker entered the Big Creek drainage of the Idaho Primitive Area to conduct a landmark study of cougars. Big Creek, speckled with outfitters, homesteaders, miners and ranchers, wasn’t entirely a lonely place. Maurice Hornocker grew acquainted with folks along the drainage, especially Jess Taylor who owned the Taylor Ranch, where Hornocker would be based during much of his cougar research.

In 1966, Hornocker wrote to Taylor expressing having found a potential, “agreeable”, purchaser for the 65-acre Taylor Ranch, continuing a topic of conversation the two had discussed prior. In 1970, the University of Idaho purchased the full property from Jess and Dorothy Taylor. This acquisition, justified by Aldo Leopold’s value for “land laboratories”, filled a growing desire within the University of Idaho to focus on interdisciplinary research in wilderness environments.

Location: Taylor Wilderness Research Station Big Creek Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness, ID

Latitude & Longitude: 45.1044, -114.8531

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