Evon Zartman Vogt Ranch House
Encyclopedia
The Evon Zartman Vogt Ranch House is a historic house in the U.S. state
of New Mexico
. It was constructed in 1915, in the foothills of the Zuni Mountains
one mile (1.6 km) southeast of Ramah, New Mexico
. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
on February 4, 1993.
in 1880. He entered the University of Chicago
in 1902, where he became a member of Delta Upsilon
fraternity
. In his junior year, he was diagnosed with tuberculosis, which necessitated a change of climate. Hence, he moved to the Territory of New Mexico and worked on a ranch on the slopes of Mount Taylor
, near the railroad town of Grants
. After a long vacation in Europe
in 1914 he returned to Chicago
and married Shirley Bergman, and brought her to their new residence in Ramah, New Mexico. They built their house of sandstone
and adobe
, raised four children, and as the largest sheep ranchers in New Mexico experienced both fortune and as well as economic privation through the 1920s and 1930s.
Evon, known by all as "Skeeter", and by the Navajo
as Pesoteaje ("Little Fat Pig"), was the first Custodian of El Morro National Monument
, also known as Inscription Rock, 10 miles (16 km) southeast of their ranch. He also founded the first newspaper
in that part of New Mexico, the Gallup Gazette (which became the Gallup Independent), was the Master of Ceremonies for many years of the Gallup Ceremonial, and served as Agent for the Ramah Navajo Reservation. Evon died in 1943; his widow, Shirley, maintained the ranch as a guest/dude ranch during the 1950s and lived there until her death in 1986.
The Vogt Ranch House is still owned and occupied by Evon Vogt's direct descendants. His eldest daughter, Barbara Vogt Mallery, wrote an acclaimed book about her parents' lives entitled "Bailing Wire and Gamuza" in 2003. The book was awarded one of the "Southwest Books of the Year 2004" by the Arizona Star newspaper. Barbara's elder brother, Evon Zartman Vogt, Jr.
(1918–2004), a noted anthropologist and former Co-Master of Kirkland House
at Harvard University
, acquired his interest in cultural anthropology thanks to the many local cultures with which the family interacted on a daily basis.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
. It was constructed in 1915, in the foothills of the Zuni Mountains
Zuni Mountains
The Zuni Mountains are a mountain range in Cibola County of northwestern New Mexico. The range is located largely in the Cibola National Forest, lying south of Interstate 40 from southeast of Gallup to southwest of Grants. The range is about sixty miles long and forty miles wide...
one mile (1.6 km) southeast of Ramah, New Mexico
Ramah, New Mexico
Ramah is a census-designated place in McKinley County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 407 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Ramah is located at...
. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
on February 4, 1993.
History
Evon Zartman Vogt, born in Upper Sandusky, OhioUpper Sandusky, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 6,533 people, 2,744 households, and 1,682 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,246.2 people per square mile . There were 2,910 housing units at an average density of 555.1 per square mile...
in 1880. He entered the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
in 1902, where he became a member of Delta Upsilon
Delta Upsilon
Delta Upsilon is the sixth oldest international, all-male, college Greek-letter organization, and is the oldest non-secret fraternity in North America...
fraternity
Fraternities and sororities
Fraternities and sororities are fraternal social organizations for undergraduate students. In Latin, the term refers mainly to such organizations at colleges and universities in the United States, although it is also applied to analogous European groups also known as corporations...
. In his junior year, he was diagnosed with tuberculosis, which necessitated a change of climate. Hence, he moved to the Territory of New Mexico and worked on a ranch on the slopes of Mount Taylor
Mount Taylor
Mount Taylor is a stratovolcano in northwest New Mexico, northeast of the town of Grants. It is the high point of the San Mateo MountainsThere are two small ranges in New Mexico called the San Mateo Mountains; this is the northern one. The other range is near the Plains of San Agustin. and the...
, near the railroad town of Grants
Grants, New Mexico
Grants is a city in Cibola County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 9,182 at the 2010 Census. It is the county seat of Cibola County....
. After a long vacation in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
in 1914 he returned to Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
and married Shirley Bergman, and brought her to their new residence in Ramah, New Mexico. They built their house of sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
and adobe
Adobe
Adobe is a natural building material made from sand, clay, water, and some kind of fibrous or organic material , which the builders shape into bricks using frames and dry in the sun. Adobe buildings are similar to cob and mudbrick buildings. Adobe structures are extremely durable, and account for...
, raised four children, and as the largest sheep ranchers in New Mexico experienced both fortune and as well as economic privation through the 1920s and 1930s.
Evon, known by all as "Skeeter", and by the Navajo
Navajo people
The Navajo of the Southwestern United States are the largest single federally recognized tribe of the United States of America. The Navajo Nation has 300,048 enrolled tribal members. The Navajo Nation constitutes an independent governmental body which manages the Navajo Indian reservation in the...
as Pesoteaje ("Little Fat Pig"), was the first Custodian of El Morro National Monument
El Morro National Monument
El Morro National Monument is located on an ancient east-west trail in western New Mexico. The main feature of this National Monument is a great sandstone promontory with a pool of water at its base. As a shaded oasis in the western U.S. desert, this site has seen many centuries of travelers...
, also known as Inscription Rock, 10 miles (16 km) southeast of their ranch. He also founded the first newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
in that part of New Mexico, the Gallup Gazette (which became the Gallup Independent), was the Master of Ceremonies for many years of the Gallup Ceremonial, and served as Agent for the Ramah Navajo Reservation. Evon died in 1943; his widow, Shirley, maintained the ranch as a guest/dude ranch during the 1950s and lived there until her death in 1986.
The Vogt Ranch House is still owned and occupied by Evon Vogt's direct descendants. His eldest daughter, Barbara Vogt Mallery, wrote an acclaimed book about her parents' lives entitled "Bailing Wire and Gamuza" in 2003. The book was awarded one of the "Southwest Books of the Year 2004" by the Arizona Star newspaper. Barbara's elder brother, Evon Zartman Vogt, Jr.
Evon Z. Vogt
Evon Zartman Vogt, Jr. was an American cultural anthropologist. Born in Gallup, New Mexico, he was a professor at Harvard University his entire career, serving as Chairman of the Department of Anthropology, Co-Master of Kirkland House , and Chairman of the Center for Latin American Studies...
(1918–2004), a noted anthropologist and former Co-Master of Kirkland House
Kirkland House
Kirkland House is one of the 12 undergraduate houses at Harvard University, located near the Charles River in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It was named after John Thornton Kirkland, president of Harvard University from 1810 to 1828. Some of the buildings were built in 1914 but construction was not...
at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, acquired his interest in cultural anthropology thanks to the many local cultures with which the family interacted on a daily basis.