71 Ranch History

The 71 Ranch and surrounding area has a colorful past, and in many ways represents the full history of the American West. The Pony Express, the Emigrant Trail, soldier forts, the railroad, cattle barons, gold mines, boom towns to ghost towns – the 71 has seen it all.

The 71 Ranch has had only four principal owners since Joseph Scott and Caleb came as pioneers to the Halleck Valley and started the 71 Ranch in 1879. Scott imported the first purebred Herefords from England to Nevada. He also imported blooded Shire horses, and this original stock became the foundation for many future horse and cattle herds in the West.

Quickly gaining prominence and a solid reputation in the cattle industry, during the early 1900’s the 71 Ranch became a part of the vast Union Land and Cattle Company which had livestock holdings from the Pacific coast to the Rocky Mountains. The Marble family bought the 71 Ranch in 1925, and the Ellison Ranching Company, which has been in the Nevada cattle business since 1920, purchased the ranch in 1995.