Great Plains Studies, Center for
Date of this Version
1994
Document Type
Article
Abstract
This book is a history of the E. P. (Edward Prince) Ranch intertwined with a selective biography of H. R. H. Edward Windsor (Prince of Wales, King Edward VIII, Duke of Windsor) during the forty.-three years he owned the property. Edward arranged for the purchase of the ranch after a visit to the Pekisko Creek district in the beautiful foothills of the Rocky Mountains' front ranges of southern Alberta in 1919. The author discusses Edward's motives for acquiring and retaining the 1440 acres and additional leased land and identifies the evolving management strategies and personnel connected with the ranch. In the 1920s the enterprise became a breeding ranch of international importance for pedigree livestock imported from Edward's prize..winning animals on his Duchy of Cornwall estates. In the depressed 1930s the ranch was down scaled to save money. During World War II exploration (unsuccessful) for oil was undertaken. In 1950-1954 the acreage became a small-scale cow-calf commercial ranch. From 1956 to 1961 a group of friendly investors created the E. P. Ranch Company, Ltd. and the enterprise again became a breeding farm for pedigree stock, prior to its sale in 1962. Edward left most decisions to his advisors but kept in close touch with the ranch which operated at a small loss ($ 2000 to $5000) each year.
Comments
Published in Great Plains Quarterly 14:3 (Summer 1994). Copyright © 1994 Center for Great Plains Studies, University of Nebraska–Lincoln.