According to Robert Redford, The earliest-known reference to Brown's Park was made in 1650 in the writings of Father Ortiz, a Spanish missionary. In 1825, the expedition of William H. Ashley and his fur trappers penetrated the valley in bull-boats along the Green River. In 1827 Kit Carson traded here among the Ute and Shoshone Indians. The same year a trader named Baptiste Chalifoux came to the valley with his Indian wife and the valley was named in his honor under the alias 'Baptiste Brown'."[2]
In the early 19th century, when the Euro-Americans first entered the area, the area was inhabited by Comanche, Shoshoni, and Ute tribal groups. Blackfoot, Sioux, Cheyenne, Arapaho, and Navajo tribes also visited or used the area. The use of the area by Native Americans was documented by the 1776 Domínguez–Escalante expedition and by the 1805 Lewis and Clark Expedition. In the 1830s the valley became a favorite location for fur trappers and settlers. In 1837 Fort Davy Crockett was constructed as a trading post and as defense against attacks by the Blackfoot. The fort was abandoned in the 1840s and the population of settlers declined. After the discovery of gold in California in 1848, the valley emerged among ranchers as a favorite wintering ground for cattle. By the 1860s it had acquired a reputation as haven for cattle rustlers, horse thieves, and outlaws, alongside Hole-in-the-Wall, Wyoming and Robbers Roost in Utah. During its outlaw heyday, the Browns Park ethic allowed for most "outlaw deeds" except murder.
The Wilson Place, near Lodore Hall
In 1965 the valley became part of the Browns Park National Wildlife Refuge, designated as a habitat for migratory waterfowl. The refuge contains the remains of several historic sites, including "Two Bar Ranch" headquarters; Fort Davy Crockett; Lodore Hall (which still serves as a community center); and several old abandoned cabins and homesteader settlements.
