W W W. D I S T I N C T LY M O N TA NA . C O M
55
A
COUPLE YEARS AGO, ON A WARM SUMMER DAY, SEDAN RANCHER LYLE WOOSLEY INVITED
RETIRED RANCHER DAN HURWITZ TO CHECK OUT AN OLD HORSE DRAWN RELIC HALF BUR-
IED IN TWO DIFFERENT LOCATIONS ON HIS RANCH. Lyle knew that these pieces were remnants of
an old beer barrel wagon from the years of his grandfather's ranching, and he knew that Dan liked dabbling in the
rebuilding of wagons. us began a most interesting exploration of wagons and Montana history that goes all the
way back to a young Julius Lehrkind fleeing Germany as a stowaway to America around 1860, and the Woosley
family homesteading in the east Bridger foothills, all in the exact same era.
by DOROTHY BRADLEY
HISTORIC PHOTOS COURTESY OF MUSEUM OF THE ROCKIES ARCHIVES
THE LEHRKIND
BEER BARREL WAGONS
