I Think Josie Was Expecting Company

Sometimes the most memorable experiences are the ones you never planned. 

On our way to Yellowstone, we stopped at Dinosaur National Monument. Our intent was to freely explore as much natural beauty as we could over our vacation. While at Dinosaur National Monument, I learned about Josie Bassett Morris. 

By the time we reached the homestead, we were already wiped out from hiking and finding petroglyphs, so we thought, let’s just check out the cabin and go find our next hotel. Well, apparently, Josie had other ideas. 

If you've never heard of Josie Bassett Morris, she was quite a disruptor for her time! Born in 1874, she grew up at the “three corners” where Utah, Colorado, and Wyoming meet. Her family had connections with some of the West's most notorious outlaws, including Butch Cassidy. Her parents would host parties, and the girls would dance and have fun with them. The park ranger believed that Josie and Butch were romantically connected.  

In 1913 she moved to Cub Creek, the area I visited. She was 39 years old, moving there with her last husband, Ben Morris. In her life, she married five times, divorced four husbands, raised livestock, grew her own food, and lived on her remote homestead for roughly 50 years. Her last divorce was in 1916. The cabin that stands there today was built by Josie herself, with some help from family. She would have been around 50 years old!  

During prohibition she made moonshine to make extra money and also helped her neighbors when times were tough. In her 60s she was tried and acquitted twice for cattle rustling!  

Seriously, how could you not want to know more about this woman? 

We checked out the cabin and then went to the back of the property and sat on a picnic table under old cottonwood trees she had planted, just taking it all in. I imagined her daily life there... and as I sat there, I had a wonderful sense of being welcomed. Almost as though she was pleased that we made the stop and chose to sit and stay a while.  

As I sat at that table watching other visitors check out her cabin, I suddenly felt her calling for me to go check out the canyon where she kept her cattle.  I was pretty wiped out, but I was pulled to go check it out. I followed the trail into Box Canyon, which is a beautiful natural enclosure surrounded by high sandstone cliffs. She used this as a corral for her livestock. The towering cliffs provided much of what she needed to contain her animals. Pretty smart.  

I got pretty lucky to have the entire place to myself at one point, and as I walked farther into the canyon, I kept imagining Josie walking the same path, regardless of weather. It was just her everyday life. She lived there mostly on her own until she was forced to leave when she broke her hip at 89 years old.  

As I walked and climbed the rocks, I started talking to Josie. I found myself wondering how she managed these walks as she got older. Did she ever have trouble navigating the trail? Did she need a cane? Ha... the response I sensed was immediate, and there was a definite bit of defiance attached to it. She would NEVER use a cane. A walking stick, perhaps... I burst out laughing! I stood corrected. I guess there was a very important distinction between a cane and a walking stick to her.  

Now, was that Josie? Was it my imagination putting a personality to the woman I read about on the historical marker outside the cabin? I don’t think it really matters, because all I know is that being in the energy of her property brought so much joy to my heart. 

As I made my way back toward the cabin, I continued to wonder what it must have taken to live there for half a century mostly on her own. I can’t imagine her life was easy, but she lived how she wanted to, and for that I see her as a true bad ass and a born disruptor. As I walked to gather my partner and head out, I felt her pride. Pride in her home, her gardens, all that she created on her terms. I also felt her hospitality from the moment I sat on that picnic table and tuned in to... hey, you are here, so you might as well look around! 

I left with a smile on my face, and a fascination for a woman who died more than 60 years ago.  

Thanks for the hospitality, Josie. I thoroughly enjoyed our visit, and for the record, I completely understand the walking stick. A cane? Oh, hell no. 

About Disrupting Gracefully 

I'm fascinated by the lives we create, the assumptions we inherit, and the possibilities that become visible when we start  questioning what we've always accepted. 

That's part of what I explore through Disrupting Gracefully. 

If you're curious, I'd love for you to stick around and explore more at  DisruptingGracefully.com. 

Curious About Josie?

Her story is even more fascinating than I could capture here. If you'd like to learn more, these are two wonderful resources from the National Park Service.

• The Life of Josie Bassett Morris — Her remarkable history, independence, and colorful life.

• Josie Morris Cabin and Homestead — A closer look at her home, daily life, and the canyons she used for livestock.