ROCK ART, MCCONKIE RANCH, Vernal Utah, August 2004

Jean McConkie McKenzie is a woman of about our age, who has lived all her life on the McConkie Ranch in Dry Fork Canyon near Vernal Utah.  The Ranch, besides being the family home and livelihood, also just happens to contain hundreds of panels of Fremont Culture rock art.   It is listed on the Utah Historical Register.  The drawings are on a sandstone “Navajo Formation” cliff.  There are petroglyphs (chiseled) and pictographs (painted) figures.  Some are a combination.

Jean and her mother, Sadie McConkie, have always done everything they could to honor and preserve the drawings, while still making them available to the public.  They ask only that visitors respect their property and do no damage to the panels. There is no admission charge and only a small old-fashioned refrigerator with pop and water available on the honor system.  The family has made trails up to the panels and placed a few explanatory and directional signs.

The trails take you up very close to the drawings and some of the figures are very large.  One drawing, called the three kings, is nine feet tall, but we could not get a very good picture of that one.  We loved this one, which must be a family portrait. 

The paths are not especially difficult to navigate, except that the day we were there it was a very warm summer day. It was nice to cool down by sitting in this overhang (where, we decided, the people who carved these drawings certainly rested centuries ago).

The Fremont Culture flourished in this area from 1 to 1200 AD.  They were farmers, but apparently not so domesticated that they lost their fighting abilities, because some of the panels show them carrying weapons.

When we returned from our hike, we were fortunate to run into Mrs. McKenzie, who was replenishing the refrigerator after a trip to town.  She told us that her family has not tried to translate the art but that they've had fun speculating. She said ten people can arrive at ten different explanations and definitions as to the true meanings. 

We told her that we hoped our pictures would turn out and thanked her for allowing us to roam about her property.  She said that she had made a little book of photos and drawings and had a few copies.  We purchased the small paperback for four bucks.   It’s a lovely little pamphlet and we were happy to  have it.

I did a google search today because I wanted to check that the ranch was still open to the public and to see how the family was doing.  The first thing that came up was a rare-book website which has Jean’s booklet for sale at $45.00.

We always pick up reams of tourist literature and pass it on or toss it when we move on from an area.  I’m glad this one didn’t get put into the toss-out stack.

From what we could learn, apparently the ranch is still open the same as it was, but we were unable to find out anything more about the family.

If anyone has heard anything new about the drawings or the McConkie-McKenzie family, please leave a comment or e-mail us.

The number by this successful hunter was put on by one of the Universities about 50 years ago.  Of course, now they know better.  An archeology class from the University of Utah was coming to the ranch later that day.  Jean is happy for all the work that students have done over the years to learn more about this legacy.

Comments

[DeLoy Vernon]

I'm glad to hear Jean is still doing well. We were in the same grade school class at Maeser School for eight years in the 40's and were at Uintah High School in Vernal together. I just read that her brother Virtis Glen who was about three years older than us passed away last month. I've visited the art at the ranch a few times. No doubt, it is quite an attraction in the Vernal area; a lot better known now than a few years ago.

[Pixie]

I met Jean at a local get-together recently, and she is doing well. I didn't get a chance to talk about the Ranch, but I'm a frequent visitor to the petroglyphs and they are all still in great shape.

If you would like me to get a message to Jean from you please e-mail me.

There are some recent pictures of the petroglyphs at my smugmug site.

[Shari Thayne]

I just got back from a visit to the ranch -- things are still the same as of today -- ammo boxes for depositing your donation, refrigerator with water and soda on the honor system, very rustic trails to the panels. A note to visitors: wear appropriate footwear - the trails are steep and rocky. each trail (Upper/lower and 3 kings) is approximaately 1/2 mile one-way. plan on at least 2 hours.

[JOBS_frend]

You write well will be waiting for your new publications.

[Joe Beke, aka waterdog]

We visited in 2000, directed there by the local museum. We spent the afternoon and were immensely impressed. I hope this cultural evidence remains for all to see, and respected so it remains open to the public.

[Sallie (FullTime-Life)]

We hope so too! We haven't been able to go back after our visit which was a few years ago. And it is hard to find information on the ranch. If you learn anything new, please let us know.

[L.THEDELL]

I HOPE SADIE'S DESIRE TO PRESERVE THESE WORKS OF ART AND HISTORY IS BEING CONTINUED, GIVEN THE RESPECT THAT SADIE GAVE THEM.
SINCERLY, L.THEDELL

[Paul Carroll]

The numbers painted by most of the rock art in Dry Fork Canyon was done by Dr. Albert B. Reagan in 1930. The resulting research and photographs resulted in a paper published in the Transactions of Kansas Academy of Science in 1931. The photos can be found in Santa Fe, at the Indian Museum there. The Uintah County library has copies of many of the photos. Likewise, some of the photos have shown up in books, such as by Polly Schaafsma.