Jack’s Ranch

Jack’s Ranch. . In 1988, Jack Van Sickle (1916 – 2003) donated 542 acres of land to the Nevada Division of State Parks to honor his grandfather, Henry Van Sickle. 20 years later, Van Sickle Bi-State Park was born., ”He was a cowboy. That was one of the things he could do was handle a rope.” , - Ralph Thomas, caretaker at Stateline Stables - , The Heart and Soul of a Cowboy , Like his grandfather, Jack was a hardworking entrepreneur. While he was born in San Francisco, he had the heart and soul of a cowboy., Built by William Lapham, the barn was once located along a bustling wagon road. Lapham’s barn provided services for stage travelers, freight teams, and silver seekers as part of a network of way stations dotting the long journey west., By 1892, Lapham’s way station was evolving from toll road to destination recreation resort. Jack came to work at the Lakeside Park resort in 1936, operating its tourist riding stables. In 1941, Jack purchased the stables – renamed Jack’s Ranch – for $7,000. The planned widening of Highway 50 led Jack to move the barn and cabin to its current location in 1960., Stateline Stables operated here until 1993, where thousands of families enjoyed trail rides. Thanks to jack’s generosity, Van Sickle Bi-State Park will continue the tradition of creating lasting vacation memories., Van Sickle Bi-State Park