The E Bar L Guest Ranch is in western Montana, 45 minutes east of Missoula. Operating since 1925, the ranch families have developed deep relationships through generations of families that return yearly. We welcome new guests through a recommendation from our past guests, friends and families.
Four generations at the Bendict Family Reunion
BRIEF HISTORY: Orrie William Potter (Pops) and Gertrude Olive Landsburg Potter (Mah) started the guest ranch in 1925. Pops grew up in Chicago and attended MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology). After graduating he knew he wanted to live out West. To achieve this goal he became a surveyor and engineer for the Milwaukee Railroad laying tracks from Chicago to Seattle. While he was engineering wharfs and trestles in Seattle he met University of Washington student, Gertrude. She was born in Pictou, Nova Scotia but grew up in Anchorage, Alaska. They married and moved to Montana living on land Pops bought in 1906 with the help of his father and three sisters. In 1913 Pops and his father E.C. Potter built a grand model home. The 12 room, 2 ½ story Main House with insulating walls in five thicknesses was known as one of the best built in this part of the country. They named the ranch the Eldorel Ranch in honor of Pop’s sisters, Eleanor, Dorothy and Elizabeth. The brand was E-L. The summer of 1917 Pops left Montana to serve in Europe during World War I. While overseas he was unable to re-register the brand and lost the rights to it, thus the ranch’s brand changed to E/L (“E slash L”) but we still pronounce it “E Bar L.” Mah returned to Seattle during the war to raise their two children, Bill and Eleanor. After the war the Potters returned to the ranch, which had been looked after by various caretakers and they settled down. The guest business was created when Mah had had enough of the years spent entertaining Pop’s friends from back East. If they were going to come for months at a time, then they were going to pay for the staff and food. By 1927 Cabin One was built, a cook was found, some horses were rented and Mah and Pops were in business. In 1932, the Main House burned in a devastating fire. Not to be deterred, Mah and Pops rebuilt with the help of various folks looking for work during the Depression. One was a University of Montana student, Gordon Erickson. Along the way, Mah and Pops had become close friends with George and Mildred “Wawa” Stone. George and Wawa’s son, Johnny, was also devoted to the ranch. Gordon and Johnny were like sons to Mah and Pops so much so that the Potters created a partnership among Bill, Gordon and Johnny. Bill and his first wife, Peggy, are the parents of Mary and Spike. They divorced in 1971 and Peggy(94) lives in Missoula. Bill passed away February 22, 2013, about six weeks shy of his 96th birthday. He was able to die peacefully at home and is buried in the North Pasture where he still keeps a watchful eye on the ranch. His second wife, Betty (who came here in 1962 on the kitchen and cabin crew) remains on the ranch. Spike is currently in Missoula and Mary is on the ranch with her husband, Louie Vero, whom she met in 1965 while he was working here as a wrangler. They have two children, Juanita and Emmanuel. Juanita is here on the ranch and her husband, Matt Rinella, lives in Miles City, MT. Emmanuel, a Chief Warrant Officer and Blackhawk helicopter pilot for the Army, lives with his wife, Debbie, and two children, Sylvia and Nena, in Killeen, TX.
Gordon met Zella Petersen while vacationing in Death Valley where she worked in the winters. She visited the ranch in the fall of 1954, married Gordon October 8, 1955 and began working at the ranch. She assumed Gordon’s partnership after his sudden death in July, 1962. Zella passed away Feb 4, 2019 after managing the office for over 60 years. They had two sons, Andy and John. John now lives with his wife, Ginny, in Denver and Andy is a ranch partner and continues to work at the ranch as he has done since age 12. He and Connie married in 1997 and live here with their kids. Annika (20 in June) attends MSU and Lars (18 in August) attends Hellgate High School. Andy manages guest activities, Connie manages the office and both kids are wranglers.
Johnny married Jane Bidwell, a guest who started coming to the ranch as a child in the late 1930's. For over sixty years Johnny and Jane lived on the Clearwater River a few miles from the ranch. Johnny passed away October 2, 2013 and Jane passed away September 11, 2016. They had two sons, George and Jim. George lives with his wife, Shar, in Butte, MT. Jim is involved with Potter Trust. He and his wife, Colleen, live on their ranch in nearby Ovando and their son Brady attends trade school in Havre.
Matt Knox started washing dishes here in 1994. He returned the next few summers to help Johnny with the milk cows and maintenance. Matt has made the ranch his home since 1997 and is currently the ranch manager.
Shannon Harper has been with us since 2007, and has evolved into the role of finance manager. He makes his home in Missoula with his wife, Renée, and their daughter Clementine (5). Caitlin Wall started on the cabin crew midway through summer 2007. She has worked a variety of departments and now helps manage the cabin crew and waitstaff. She accepted a year round position as assistant ranch manager in 2017 and lives in the Riffles with her dog, Cider.
Magee Payne started coming to the ranch as a five year-old guest in 1988. In 2016 he joined the summer maintenance crew. During the off-season he tends bar at Clearwater Junction and rents the ranch’s single wide.
Now in its fourth generation, we are pleased to share our ranch and hope you will enjoy it as much as we do .
