Meek's Dude Ranch Brochure

Meek's Dude Ranch was founded by Otto Meek, a well-known western cattleman who owned the Baker Ranch outside of Baker, Nevada, 60 miles east of Ely, Nevada. Meek had acquired the ranch, which was originally established in the 1880s, in 1921 from Guy Saval. Friends with Hollywood producers, Meek convinced James Cruze to film a movie at Pruess Lake in the Snake Valley. The film, The Covered Wagon, helped bolster the local economy and inspired Meek to found his Dude Ranch. The ranch would be different from other dude ranches and would include amenities such as golf and polo, as well as many other outdoor activities. Meek heavily promoted the ranch to his Hollywood friends but was unable to draw enough people to make his ranch feasible. He sold the Baker Ranch and Meek's Dude Ranch a few years later.