When the term "Western furniture" is used, it generally is in relation to the "West" of the United States. This "West" can even be broken into seperate regions, such as the rocky mountain north, the south west, the far west, etc. Western design certainly is connected to the settling of the American west. Connected by the early explorers and trailblazers, starting with mountain men and pioneering settlers, the confrontation between the native Americans, and a land hungry westward expansion. Land bieng divided and fenced by farmers and ranchers. These ranchers using vast spreads of land for the grazing of cattle necesitated the placing of crude "bunk" houses for their "Cowboy's"use. These cowboy's out of inginuity would build crude tables and chairs, or stools for use in these bunk houses. This time in history was during the 1800's.
With the industrial revolution in the early 1900's and transportation transforming from the use of horses, into the use of trains, automobiles and even aircraft, a whole lifestyle was transformed with it. The family ranch and farm became less and less important, and less desirable as people began to relocate in the cities. Life in the frontier was hard and inconveniant. The population for the most part was in the eastern part of the country. As life in the cities became more and more hectic and busy, the populace took solice by visiting areas away from the metropolis in the form of camps and resorts. The Aderondacks becoming a very popular getaway area, especially for the wealthier ones. This lent to the develpment of rustic furniture building which is known as Aderondack style. As the depression years of the 1930's progressed people were forced to relenquish their family farms and ranches to the lenders, or sell at lower than real values. Many wealthy easterners saw a real opportunity in the buying of prime western ranch land and the building of modern facilities to make their visits comfortable. Stemming from a romantic love of the "Old West", thanks in part to "Hollywood Westerns", the "Dude Ranch" era was born.
Most of these dude ranches were located in the rocky mountains area, Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana, with the Blackhills of South Dakota not bieng excluded. It was during this time period that Thomas Molesworth, building western furniture in Cody, Wyoming, found his nich with the owners of these early dude ranches. They hired Molesworth to decorate and design thier places of retreat, recognizing that Molesworth had an eye for western design like no one else. Using a blend of cowboy bunk house and Aderondack, Molesworth combined burled pine, leather, wool chimayo, brass tacks, antlers and Native American artifacts to come up with a distinctly unique American western style.
Of course there is much more to western design than this alone, and it is the blending of all the different regions of the west that makes true western design so unique and enduring. Western design has an encredible interest and appeal around the world. Western design, most certainly is an icon of the American west.
Rusty Viers
2009
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