Bill Cody Ranch changes hands

Posted 6/4/19

A historic guest ranch just west of Wapiti has new owners.

The Bill Cody Ranch was recently purchased by Jelks Ranch Holdings LLC, made up of family members Renee, Mark and John Jelks. The Jelks …

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Bill Cody Ranch changes hands

Posted

A historic guest ranch just west of Wapiti has new owners.

The Bill Cody Ranch was recently purchased by Jelks Ranch Holdings LLC, made up of family members Renee, Mark and John Jelks. The Jelks — who are originally from Arkansas — bought the property from Ronald and Tonia Stuard.

Park County commissioners voted unanimously on Tuesday to transfer the guest ranch’s retail liquor license to the new owners. The license allows alcohol to be distributed across the property, such as for chuckwagon dinners.

Originally created in 1925 as the Lazy Bar H Ranch, it took on Bill Cody’s name in 1971, when the property was purchased by one of Buffalo Bill’s grandsons.

The ranch lies about 26.5 miles west of Cody, along U.S. Highway 14/16/20 and only about 1 1/2 miles inside the Shoshone National Forest’s eastern boundary. The land itself is owned by the U.S. Forest Service and leased to the Jelks through a permit.

— By CJ Baker

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