RH Barton House Coffee Mug

The Barton family, like other early settlers on the Southern Plains, faced drought, wind storms, prairie fires and pestilence. Family members recalled hearing of locusts that "marched like armies devouring every edible thing in their pathway including saddle and harness" One particular prairie fire was doused by rain that started just before the blaze threatened the family home.

Joseph Barton's dream may not have come true in his lifetime, but, ironically, when his house was moved from its original locating in Bartonsite to the National Ranching Heritage Center, it was placed not far from a Santa Fe depot and locomotive. He might have been please to know that.