Two hundred years ago, Indians camped along the streambeds, hunted for buffalo, deer and antelope, and fished the many streams that traverse the Clear Creek valley on their way to the Powder River. One hundred years ago, the buildings known as the Big Red complex served as headquarters for a ranch owned by Pratt & Ferris Cattle Company stretching from Ucross into Nebraska.

Big Red, a former Pony Express stop, was an imposing visual landmark on the prairie. The Ranch House is one of the oldest standing houses in the area. The village that grew up around Big Red went through several name changes, eventually settling on Ucross, named after the original Pratt & Ferris brand.