American Dude Ranch: A Touch of the Cowboy and the Thrill of the West

Thursday, August 11, 1:00 - 2:30 pm on Zoom

The surprising story of the dude ranch and its place in American culture. You might think the dude ranch is simply a place where city dwellers pretend to be cowboys in amusing and inauthentic ways. But the history of this original Western vacation is much more interesting. This illustrated program, will look at history of the dude ranch and its relevance in American culture. Movies, food, literature, clothing, and the role of women are just some of the ways that dude ranching has influenced the way we live. Will include the history of dude ranching in Sonoma County, from Cloverdale to Glen Ellen.

REGISTER by August 10 at 707-776-6055, or www.villagenetworkofpetaluma.org/events. 

Lynn Downey is a native California writer, archivist, and historian. In addition to writing, she works with museums, businesses, and non-profits to create archives, curate exhibits, write books, and plan anniversaries.