Name: Minnick Basin

County: Hot Springs

Authority Name:  

GNIS Entry

Longitude:  1073922W

Latitude: 433721N

Legal Description:

Elevation: 5203/1586

(ft/m)

Feature Type: Basin

Origin of Name:

A sheep man named Minnick took his sheep into the Basin for the winter. This country was considered cattle country. Amil Thorine went to Minnick's camp to get some bucks but did not know that Minnick was in cattle territory. This was at the time of the range war between the cattle and sheep men. Thorine did not sleep that night as the sheep were uneasy. The following morning Minnick met a friend, while he was trailing the bucks, and they rode along visiting. They heard shots and upon reaching a rise of ground looked back and saw the sheep stringing from the bed ground. Thorine said he believed the cattlemen were shooting up the sheep camp. He left the buck in a little pocket and went back to the camp. Dead sheep were everywhere, and Ben Minnick lay on the bed wounded, shot through the shoulder. Ben asked the fellow why he shot him and the fellow said it was an accident. He said he was sorry and would send for a doctor. As he left, his confederates rode up, burned the wagons and shot the sheep, leaving the wounded man. Ben Minnick died before the doctor got there. The Basin thereafter became known as Minnick Basin.

Source: WPA

Other Names: 

Alternative Spellings:

History:

Stories:

Maps:

1:24000 Quadrangle: Bull Mountain

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