Beckman House

Oil on Canvas
14″ x 11″
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Beckman Ranch
Born in Minnesota Albert Beckman came to Roundup to work as a carpenter, found the homestead land all claimed, and bought a section from the Northern Pacific Railroad for $9.00 per acre.In 1917, when he was 30, he married Cora Strike, 18, who lived around Devil’s Lake. For a couple of years they camped in a tent until Albert hauled lumber 100 miles by horse and wagon and built a house. For school their three children boarded with neighbors who had a school house and a teacher, and at one point Albert converted a chicken coop to a school room for the three Beckman children and a neightbor girl. The teacher lived in a teacherage (a small camper) and was furnished fuel and food. During a period of the Depression, Cora operated the ranch and Albert worked demolishing homes lost to bankruptcy, for the government. Only in 1950, when a power line was strung to the Big Wall oil field, did the family have electricity. The sixties saw an end to their hard-earned life on the ranch. First, Cora died in April of breast cancer, after which Albert stuck it out alone until, in late August, he suffered blood clots in his legs and could not walk. He crawled to a shed but could go no further. Following morning he was found and rushed to the hospital. the doctors could not save his legs, and this amputation was not only of body but also of his life on the ranch he so loved. After Albert passed away, two brouthers bought the house and original section of land. First Vince, later Frank, Goffena lived there with his family. Even in the 1980’s life in the remote place was arduous. At times the only way to transport children to the school bus stop was by tractor. Electricity and phone were iffy at best. Now empty of people the house is prey to the harsh elements and is home only to rats, mice, snakes, and memories.