The Salt Creek Cattle Growers Association was a group of local ranchers and farmers utilizing grazing lands, and thereby affected by agreements with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the United States Department of the Interior regarding grazing rights, acts, and legislation. The Association was recognized by the Holy Cross Ranger District of the Forest Service in June of 1942 as the official handler of the allotment. This collection is dated 1942-1972 and is not meant to be a comprehensive view of business between these organizations.

Ranchers were permitted an allotment—in this case, the Salt Creek Allotment— and were required to notify of fences, corrals, number and type of livestock, and when the grazing lands were open. The ranchers listed in the allotment for 1942 included R.J. Bearden, Hans Larsen, R.H. High, Alex Macdonell, Gordon Whittaker, John VanHorn, among others.

The Taylor Grazing Act of 1934 (43 USC 315) was intended to “stop injury to public grazing lands [excluding Alaska] by preventing overgrazing and soil deterioration; to provide for their orderly use, improvement, and development; [and] to stabilize the livestock industry dependent upon the public range. Approximately 80 million acres of land valuable for grazing and forage crops were available to be placed in grazing districts. All the established grazing districts are still in effect today.” US Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management.

The Salt Creek C&H Allotment currently falls under the Eagle Ranger District of White River National Forest. Information regarding the current status of the Salt Creek Allotment can be found on the Bureau of Land Management website.