Alter Homestead 1914 of Goshen County

The Alter Homestead was claimed by Boynton, a man who traveled extensively before settling down on a 320-acre property south of Lusk, Wyoming. Boynton, also known as Bunt, married Anna Hanson, a Norwegian woman who came to the US and worked as a waitress before homesteading a property of her own. The couple built a house and outbuildings and started raising cattle and dry farming. They faced several challenges, such as droughts, hail, and grasshoppers, but they persevered and expanded their ranch. They raised turkeys in addition to sheep in the 1930s and 1940s, and neighbors would gather for a turkey plucking and a meal. The Alter family and the Tyrrel family, who lived nearby, became close friends and frequently visited each other and worked together. Despite the harsh winters and economic difficulties, the Tyrrels and the Alters remained in the area, and fourth-generation Tyrrel descendants are still leasing and nurturing the Alter pastures today.

Bunt and Anna and their turkey flock in 1940.

Bunt and Anna’s daughter, Ione, spent her entire life ranching on and around her parents’ homestead. The homestead was known for its hospitality and good cooking. Bunt enjoyed playing the fiddle and reciting poetry, while Anna was an avid reader and enjoyed embroidery and crocheting. The blizzard of 1949 almost took their lives, but they survived and continued running the ranch until they semi-retired in 1960. They sold the sheep and moved to their daughter’s house in a mobile home. They eventually moved to a nursing home, where they died in 1981, Anna at 94 and Bunt at 101.

Bunt, Anna, their daughter Ione and their car, early 1920s.