Officially, it's been more than a century since Robert LeRoy Parker, alias Butch Cassidy, last saddled a horse at the old Parker Ranch three miles south of Circleville on U.S. 89.
Locals disagree.Until recently, highway travelers unschooled in the lore of the region sped past the ranch with no idea of its origins. The weathered cabin and corral sit under a single row of poplar trees, planted by a young Cassidy and his mother, according to his sister Lula Parker Betenson in her 1984 book "Butch Cassidy, My Brother."
Afton Morgan, 54, of Circleville wants to change the relative anonymity of the site and has propped a sign on the highway hailing it as Butch Cassidy's home.
Plans scaled down
Originally armed with grand plans of additional cabins and a convenience store at the spot, Morgan was forced to pare down his ideas when he lost an initial investment of $19,300.
Now, spurred on by his children, Morgan is moving toward improvements, albeit slowly. A donation box sits outside the cabin, and a handwritten note tacked to the front door indicates that renovating the cabin properly will cost $10,000 - and any donation is appreciated.
If Morgan were a pessimist, he would have simply taken down the sign on the highway and dismissed ideas of opening the ranch to the public. Mark Betenson, the previous owner and Cassidy's nephew, had displayed family antiques and mementos at the cabin site, only to have nearly everything stolen.
From law-abiding family
The stories of present-day economic and sentimental loss parallel those of a law-abiding family left behind by Cassidy to face years of rumor and tall tales about his exploits. Until the death of Cassidy's father in the 1930s, little was said among the family about their son and brother being an outlaw, said 75-year-old Mariam Betenson, the wife of another of Cassidy's nephews, Scott Betenson, 76, of Kanab.
"It wasn't until after that that they started to talk," she said. "It was a disgrace (to the family). But time takes care of things like that."
Born April 13, 1866, in Beaver, Robert LeRoy Parker moved to the ranch in the mouth of Circleville Canyon with his parents, Annie and Maximillian Parker.
Cassidy didn't die in Bolivia
The ranch's connection with the historic outlaw is a given among locals, as is the man's controversial life. Few disagree that Cassidy lived through his stint in South America to return to Piute and Garfield counties for a visit. Officials contend he was killed in San Vicente, Bolivia, in 1909. Yet, stories of Cassidy sightings are numerous, and many are accepted as fact.
"My mother saw him when he came back," Scott Betenson said. The Kanab couple recall Lula Parker Betenson reporting she saw her brother in nearby Dog Valley after he returned from South America.
In recent years, public interest in the outlaw's life has blossomed. Much of the nation seemed ready to embrace the swashbuckling story of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid following the release of the movie of the same name. But only recently did the man become a local folklore personality to be celebrated.
Local people rejected earlier plan
The Deseret News reported in August 1985 that a movement in Richfield to capitalize on the outlaw's life with the construction of a museum and schedule of special events fell on deaf ears and even annoyed some people.
A former Piute County commissioner told the newspaper the same idea had surfaced in his county but was rejected.
"My fellow commissioners and I were able to discourage the idea until it faded away," he is quoted as saying in the 1985 article.
Fair includes Butch's name
Nowadays, a banner reading "Butch Cassidy Days" flies over the Piute County Fair, scheduled for Aug. 5-7 in Junction.
"I think people are just kind of used to (Butch Cassidy being from the area)," Piute County Fair Board member Cordell Pearson said. "It's not coffee-shop talk, but you're just born and raised with it."
Morgan agreed. He purchased the cabin site with no intent to develop it and refers to the land according to the acreage that is "farmable."
"I just wanted to have a cattle permit on the mountain," he said. The Parker Ranch was included in the deal.
Vandalism at ranch
Vandalism at the site continues, but Morgan said the family is working toward restoration a little at a time. Eventually Morgan said he may be forced to employ strict security measures.
"They've just about taken everything that's loose," even the donation box itself, he said. "But, it's kind of fun. We get all the way from a $1 to $25 a day (in donations)."
This article is one of a weekly series on the people, places and issues along Utah's U.S. 89.