TONS OF MEAT, IT’S MACKAY’S TREAT
The History of Mackay’s Free BBQ and Famous Stone Oven
September
2011 Compiled by Earl Lockie, South Custer Historical Society
On the occasion of the Mackay’s 73rd annual free BBQ,
it may be a fitting time to reflect back on how the traditional affair all got
started, and why the free barbecue and large stone barbecue oven have come to
be synonymous.
The story of Mackay’s annual free barbecue relates to
times of celebration; actually two celebrated events. Both had to do with water, the lifeblood of
the Lost River valley. The first of these two events occurred in May of
1923. The Mackay dam and reservoir had
been a controversial project since the initial phases of its construction. After years of resistance by Mackay residents and numerous changes in
dam design and engineering, the Utah Construction Co. would complete and
dedicate the dam in 1918. It would take
another 5 years to complete the canal system of the project and finally reach a
settlement of water rights with valley irrigators. Valley residents, elated not to have gone
through years of litigation, felt it a reason to celebrate. The construction company, anxious to smooth
the waters and heal a few old wounds, felt the same and on May 18, 1923
Mackay’s business community hosted a big barbecue for the whole town; Mackay’s first!
The affair was well attended and an atmosphere of joy
prevailed. The feelings of joy were very
short-lived however. As the valley
entered the 1930's and suffering years of drought and broken promises by the
construction company, residents decided it was time to gain control of their
own water destiny. In 1935, after
approval of loan money from the U.S. government and local voter approval of the
sale of bonds to purchase the dam and irrigation system, ownership and control
of the waters of the Big Lost River finally came into the hands of the people
of the Lost River Valley. This was truly
a time for celebration, and, as the Mackay Miner newspaper termed it, “time for a revival of that first barbecue
back in “23". The “real first” of Mackay’s annual free
barbecue “Tons of Meat, It’s Mackay’s Treat” was born.
That barbecue of 1935 and subsequent barbecues of the
1930's were lavish affairs with attendance by plenty of local, state, and even
national politicians of the day. It was
said that more notables attended the Mackay barbecue than any other function
held throughout the entire state; Speeches, bands, and plenty of free food to
take care of the usual crowds of 2-3000 people.
In fact the speech making became such a problem that measures were taken
to limit their duration by use of the Major Bowles system. This employed a timekeeper who after 3
minutes sounded a loud gong to let the speaker know his time was up.
These early
barbecues were held in our present day tourist park, but without benefit of
some of the amenities that we enjoy today.
This included the large stone oven that didn’t come along until
1938.
The tons of meat served at the
barbeques of 1935, 36, and 37 was roasted in large open pits dug in the ground
at the serving site. According to a
number of old-timers, the meat once wrapped and placed on the coals, was
covered with sand and allowed to roast.
They attested to its great taste, but stated they often times had to
contend with the grit of a little sand. In 1938 that all changed.
Utilizing depression WPA funds, Mackay officials
decided to up-grade the tourist park including construction of a covered
grandstand and speakers platform, some ballfields, a kids swimming hole,a rock fire place, rock restrooms, bridge over Kid's Creek to the Tourist Park, and a large stone barbecue oven.
Rock bridge over Kid's Creek on Capitol built by the WPA in 1940 allowing better access to the Mackay Tourist Park.
According to an article in the August 25, 1938 issue of the Mackay
Miner, construction was started on the huge stone barbecue oven, the largest of
its kind to be built within the state.
Two shifts of (6) men each were working hard to have it completed in time
for the annual event in mid September.
By Sept. 8th the oven was complete. It measured 12 feet by 12 feet and nearly 11
feet high with exterior walls of lava rock and a concrete top. Its dome topped firebox and roasting chamber
of fire brick measured 4 ft. wide, 7 ft. high, and 7 ft. deep and was provided
with a roll-in (5) tiered meat rack and included a pair of heavy metal hinged
doors to seal the cooking chamber. Its
design was based on a definite firing and roasting procedure. This included
maintaining a large wood fire in a slide out metal ash pan within the firebox
for about 24 hours. The fire remnants
and ash pan were then removed, the loaded meat racks rolled into the very hot
roasting chamber, the metal doors of the chamber closed and sealed, and the
chimney flue sealed off. This provided
the ideal conditions for slow roasting and in about 10-12 hours the doors were
unsealed and the meat readied for cutting and serving. The inaugural loading for the new oven for
that 1938 free barbeque included 3 steers, and 7 lambs and a crowd estimated at
nearly 3000-3500 turned out to share in the feast.
A major renovation of the oven was completed in 2002 thanks to a grant from the Idaho Heritage Trust.
The original large stone oven proved to be a great success
that September of 1938, and at every annual barbecue event to-date. Except for the World War II years of 1943,
44, and 45, Mackay’s free barbecue affair has highlighted everyone’s calendar
of events each September since 1935. In
the 73 years since the oven’s construction it has required many a repair of one
kind or another but year after year it has always come through and done the
job.
The Mackay Barbecue Covered Serving and Storage Area at the Mackay Tourist Park was constructed in 2004 and used for the first time in 2005. Ken Day, City Manager, below on September 17, 2004.
The Mackay Barbecue Covered Serving and Storage Area at the Mackay Tourist Park was constructed in 2004 and used for the first time in 2005. Ken Day, City Manager, below on September 17, 2004.
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