Dead Eagle Trail by Jane Hilton

Page 1


Daniel Junction, Wyoming Allan Randolph, Gun Collector, Beulah, Colorado 2006 ‘The Elk went through the window because it couldn’t fit through the door.’

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Daniel Junction, Wyoming Allan Randolph, Gun Collector, Beulah, Colorado 2006 ‘The Elk went through the window because it couldn’t fit through the door.’

>


Jane Hilton

D e a d E a g l e Tr a i l


Jane Hilton

D e a d E a g l e Tr a i l


6|7

Daniel Junction, Wyoming


6|7

Daniel Junction, Wyoming


8|9

Carson City, Nevada


8|9

Carson City, Nevada


Since 2006 I have ‘collected’ this series of cowboy portraits,

and has strong associations in American history. I wasn’t

old when he left. He epitomised the American Dream, and the

too much tumbleweed in their blood to settle down.’ Most

from the buckaroos of Nevada to the cowpunchers of Arizona

surprised to find the creature gone the following day, supposedly

older cowboys loved him for that. In such a friendly cowboy

were brought up on ranches where it was always hard work

and Texas. They have all been photographed in their own

taken back to the nearby Indian reservation for its feathers.

town, I was offered supper at one of the cowboys’ abodes. I

and never particularly profitable. Even today a cowboy can

homes, which they have filled with western artefacts. The

Despite taking several photographs of it whilst it lay there, the

had no idea until that moment how much they cherished the

expect to earn only a few dollars an hour, but this is not what

need to hold on to their heritage and culture is clearly visible:

results never matched up to the experience. Some things cannot,

lifestyle and was blown away by the interior of his home. A

drives them. They do it because they love the way of life

stuffed animals, belt buckles, spurs, John Wayne memorabilia,

just as the cowboys treasure every sunrise and sunset.

few homes later, I discovered there were western artefacts

and because they can’t imagine doing anything else. Some,

everywhere.

however, have had to diversify, offering dude-ranch holidays

guns, boots, and saddles, its all there. There’s a craving to

10 | 11

and leasing out land to hunters. The bigger ranches are

collect and preserve their way of life as the ranches struggle

Growing up in suburban England, I would often spend Sunday

to survive in the face of new technology, and the rising costs

afternoons watching Westerns on the television with my

The paradox of photographing a cowboy at home, and

succumbing to the lure of developers; many have already

of feed and petrol. In the same way, I have felt a compulsion

dad and siblings. I remember those afternoons as a magical

showing their obsession with the lifestyle was much more

been sub-divided and sold off because there is so much more

to collect these photographs as a document to the cowboy of

experience. The stories of gun-slinging cowboys, defending

fascinating to me, than photographing them on a horse. I

money in land than in beef. Real cowboys will not disappear,

the twenty-first century.

their land and a moral code, were played out in spectacular

found it extraordinary that they seemed to bring the outside

but every generation produces fewer and fewer of them.

scenery of the American West. These displays of heroism have

inside. But then, why not be surrounded by the things you love

Dead Eagle Trail

Maybe I was a cowgirl in a former lifetime, I am not sure, but

been reinforced in films such as Victor Fleming’s The Virginian

at all times? You can clearly see this in their portraits, where a

Real cowboys boast of never having met a stranger, most

Jane Hilton

America’s Twenty-First Century Cowboys

there is definitely a romanticism associated with the cowboy

(1929) with Gary Cooper, and John Ford’s Stagecoach (1939)

window acts as a constant reminder to the outside world. All

can’t swim. All of them have a John Wayne story they love

February 2010

way of life. The enormous wide-open spaces, desert highways,

with John Wayne. Places like Monument Valley, Utah, have

of them were shocked that I wanted to go inside their houses,

to share. This book is a celebration of The West as it is now.

and vast skies are addictive; they make you feel alive and

since become tourist spots because of them. Hollywood has

and sometimes even their bedrooms where they spend the

Nobody can predict whether in a hundred year’s time the

liberated. Certainly a strong sense of spirituality pervades

immortalized the Wild West. American culture has been defined

least time. But it was much more interesting to see them in

cowboy will still be around.

amongst the cowboys I met. As one cowboy told me, ‘I don’t

by it, and the American Dream has been created out of it.

less familiar territory, revealing their softer and possibly more

For me it’s been a very personal adventure, and a journey that

feminine side. They were always immaculate despite the

I don’t want to end. Driving my car across the huge expanse

I have taken numerous road trips across the States whilst

harshness of their working environment. It is the contradictions

of Nevada desert on Highway 50 East ( the loneliest road in

documenting the many facets of American culture. Driving a

that are infinitely more enlightening.

America ), listening to Johnny Cash - I feel alive and centred,

need to go to church. My horse is my church, I’m out with God every day.’

just as they do. Cowboy Gail Steiger sums it up: ‘The best

The title of this book, Dead Eagle Trail, refers to an experience

1966 Mustang along desert highways and under expansive

I had when I discovered a dead Golden Eagle on the side

skies is synonymous with the Hollywood movies I grew up

You will never find a man who “used to be a cowboy.”

thing about punching cows is it keeps you out there in the

of a road, in southern Nevada. It was the size of an Alsatian

with. On one of these trips in March 2006, I was diverted up to

Johnny Green, who has been a cowboy all his life,

middle of life, the kind that grows up out of the ground.’

dog with giant wings, and absolutely beautiful. There were no

Cortez, Colorado, to photograph a story by Bella Pollen for The

describes it as: ‘Working hard, doing what you want to do,

obvious reasons as to how it had ended up falling from the sky,

Times. She had discovered a young cowboy called Jeremiah

being in the wide-open space, talking to your horse and

but I found it an immensely emotional experience that seemed

Karsten who had taken 2 years to travel from Alaska to the

cows, being your own boss, shooting the breeze with folks

symbolic of my journey. It is a sacred bird for Native Americans,

Mexican border entirely on horseback. He was just 17 years

you run into. Freedom is a cowboy’s life, some cowboys got


Since 2006 I have ‘collected’ this series of cowboy portraits,

and has strong associations in American history. I wasn’t

old when he left. He epitomised the American Dream, and the

too much tumbleweed in their blood to settle down.’ Most

from the buckaroos of Nevada to the cowpunchers of Arizona

surprised to find the creature gone the following day, supposedly

older cowboys loved him for that. In such a friendly cowboy

were brought up on ranches where it was always hard work

and Texas. They have all been photographed in their own

taken back to the nearby Indian reservation for its feathers.

town, I was offered supper at one of the cowboys’ abodes. I

and never particularly profitable. Even today a cowboy can

homes, which they have filled with western artefacts. The

Despite taking several photographs of it whilst it lay there, the

had no idea until that moment how much they cherished the

expect to earn only a few dollars an hour, but this is not what

need to hold on to their heritage and culture is clearly visible:

results never matched up to the experience. Some things cannot,

lifestyle and was blown away by the interior of his home. A

drives them. They do it because they love the way of life

stuffed animals, belt buckles, spurs, John Wayne memorabilia,

just as the cowboys treasure every sunrise and sunset.

few homes later, I discovered there were western artefacts

and because they can’t imagine doing anything else. Some,

everywhere.

however, have had to diversify, offering dude-ranch holidays

guns, boots, and saddles, its all there. There’s a craving to

10 | 11

and leasing out land to hunters. The bigger ranches are

collect and preserve their way of life as the ranches struggle

Growing up in suburban England, I would often spend Sunday

to survive in the face of new technology, and the rising costs

afternoons watching Westerns on the television with my

The paradox of photographing a cowboy at home, and

succumbing to the lure of developers; many have already

of feed and petrol. In the same way, I have felt a compulsion

dad and siblings. I remember those afternoons as a magical

showing their obsession with the lifestyle was much more

been sub-divided and sold off because there is so much more

to collect these photographs as a document to the cowboy of

experience. The stories of gun-slinging cowboys, defending

fascinating to me, than photographing them on a horse. I

money in land than in beef. Real cowboys will not disappear,

the twenty-first century.

their land and a moral code, were played out in spectacular

found it extraordinary that they seemed to bring the outside

but every generation produces fewer and fewer of them.

scenery of the American West. These displays of heroism have

inside. But then, why not be surrounded by the things you love

Dead Eagle Trail

Maybe I was a cowgirl in a former lifetime, I am not sure, but

been reinforced in films such as Victor Fleming’s The Virginian

at all times? You can clearly see this in their portraits, where a

Real cowboys boast of never having met a stranger, most

Jane Hilton

America’s Twenty-First Century Cowboys

there is definitely a romanticism associated with the cowboy

(1929) with Gary Cooper, and John Ford’s Stagecoach (1939)

window acts as a constant reminder to the outside world. All

can’t swim. All of them have a John Wayne story they love

February 2010

way of life. The enormous wide-open spaces, desert highways,

with John Wayne. Places like Monument Valley, Utah, have

of them were shocked that I wanted to go inside their houses,

to share. This book is a celebration of The West as it is now.

and vast skies are addictive; they make you feel alive and

since become tourist spots because of them. Hollywood has

and sometimes even their bedrooms where they spend the

Nobody can predict whether in a hundred year’s time the

liberated. Certainly a strong sense of spirituality pervades

immortalized the Wild West. American culture has been defined

least time. But it was much more interesting to see them in

cowboy will still be around.

amongst the cowboys I met. As one cowboy told me, ‘I don’t

by it, and the American Dream has been created out of it.

less familiar territory, revealing their softer and possibly more

For me it’s been a very personal adventure, and a journey that

feminine side. They were always immaculate despite the

I don’t want to end. Driving my car across the huge expanse

I have taken numerous road trips across the States whilst

harshness of their working environment. It is the contradictions

of Nevada desert on Highway 50 East ( the loneliest road in

documenting the many facets of American culture. Driving a

that are infinitely more enlightening.

America ), listening to Johnny Cash - I feel alive and centred,

need to go to church. My horse is my church, I’m out with God every day.’

just as they do. Cowboy Gail Steiger sums it up: ‘The best

The title of this book, Dead Eagle Trail, refers to an experience

1966 Mustang along desert highways and under expansive

I had when I discovered a dead Golden Eagle on the side

skies is synonymous with the Hollywood movies I grew up

You will never find a man who “used to be a cowboy.”

thing about punching cows is it keeps you out there in the

of a road, in southern Nevada. It was the size of an Alsatian

with. On one of these trips in March 2006, I was diverted up to

Johnny Green, who has been a cowboy all his life,

middle of life, the kind that grows up out of the ground.’

dog with giant wings, and absolutely beautiful. There were no

Cortez, Colorado, to photograph a story by Bella Pollen for The

describes it as: ‘Working hard, doing what you want to do,

obvious reasons as to how it had ended up falling from the sky,

Times. She had discovered a young cowboy called Jeremiah

being in the wide-open space, talking to your horse and

but I found it an immensely emotional experience that seemed

Karsten who had taken 2 years to travel from Alaska to the

cows, being your own boss, shooting the breeze with folks

symbolic of my journey. It is a sacred bird for Native Americans,

Mexican border entirely on horseback. He was just 17 years

you run into. Freedom is a cowboy’s life, some cowboys got


12 | 13

Pate Meinzer, Cowboy, Benjamin, Texas 2009


12 | 13

Pate Meinzer, Cowboy, Benjamin, Texas 2009


14 | 15

Justin Anz, Ranch Hand, Olney, Texas 2009


14 | 15

Justin Anz, Ranch Hand, Olney, Texas 2009


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