Who’s Stealing Lander’s Custom-Made Community Benches?

When John Applegate had spare time on the weekends, he took old wood and repurposed it into unique, Wyoming-themed benches.

Then, he donated his benches to the people of Lander so they can sit for a spell and enjoy the views on one of the town’s popular trails.

But his benches keep getting stolen.

In mid-August, Applegate placed a handcrafted wooden bench on Mortimer Lane. This past week, he passed by the spot where he had put it only to realize it had been stolen.

“I was driving up and down Mortimer Lane, which I like to do, and saw that it was missing,” he told Cowboy State Daily. “I couldn’t believe it. That’s the second time this has happened in that spot.”

Applegate is making a public plea to the Lander community, hoping his bench will be returned to its intended place. It hasn’t, and he isn’t confident that it will be.

“If someone likes my work so much, I would make them their own bench,” he said. “I'm flattered that you like my art and what I do, but please return it.”

Stole Our Seat

Applegate has placed three wooden benches in various places throughout Lander. All three have been stolen.

The last two benches had been placed along the Tomato Loop, a popular hiking trail in the southeast corner of Lander. The spot was strategically chosen because of the excellent views it offered.

“The benches overlooked our property,” said Scott Woodruff, co-owner of the Lander Llama Company. “People hiking on the Tomato Loop like to sit there and watch the birds and our llamas, especially on the weekends.”

After Scott and his wife, Therese, informed Applegate that the first bench he placed there was stolen, Applegate decided to make an even better bench to replace it.

“Therese came across me in the grocery store and told me how much she enjoyed the (first) bench, and it got a lot of use, so I decided to make another one,” he said. “I put a bit more design into it, more of the artistic side of what I do, and made it sturdier to accommodate more people.”

It takes Applegate 30 to 40 hours to make each bench, using a laser engraver to add more intricate designs.  The second bench included the iconic image of the bucking Steamboat and the latitude and longitude of Lander.

Applegate placed the second bench in the same spot along Mortimer Lane on Aug. 17. It was there for less than a month before someone absconded with it.

“We couldn’t believe it,” Scott said. “Who would do that?”

Hopeful Heart And A Small Request

The latest theft brings Applegate’s total of lost benches to three. The other bench had been placed on Buena Vista Drive until it suddenly disappeared.

“Someone replaced by a marble bench,” he said. “Nobody’s stealing that.”

Applegate has been hesitant about “making a thing” about the loss of the benches. He doesn’t consider them his property, but donations to the citizens of Lander, and doesn’t want to cause more turmoil when he feels “the temperature” is already high.

“They’re there for the people of Lander to enjoy,” he said. “I’ve lived in Lander a long time, and I have personal relationships with probably three-quarters of the people that live here. A lot of people use that path, and I wanted to put something there for everyone to enjoy.”

Nevertheless, moving another bench motivated Applegate to make a public request to the Lander community on social media. He hopes whoever was determined to acquire the bench will find it in their hearts to return it.

“If you know where it might be, or if you were the one who took it, all I ask is that it be returned to its original home,” he wrote. “No judgment—just gratitude for bringing it back so it can continue to serve everyone who walks that trail.”

The Woodruffs are upset by the shadow of selfishness and ingratitude that this project casts on their community. Applegate made these benches, at his own expense, for everyone, only for someone to abscond with them simply because they could.

“It's just a nice gesture from John,” Scott said. “His work is very good, but I still don’t know why somebody would do it. I suspect they're doing it carefully at night, unless they’d be brazen enough to stop on Mortimer Lane and take it during the day.”

There’s been plenty of community response to Applegate’s posts, empathizing with Applegate’s generosity and bemoaning the missing bench. However, Applegate hasn’t heard from anyone who’s seen any of his benches since they disappeared, and the overlook on the Tomato Loop remains benchless.

Undeterred

Applegate sells repurposed pallet wood & laser art through his business, Four Finger Wood Art. The benches he placed were an excellent way to promote his skills as an artisan, although that wasn’t his intention for putting them in public places.

Despite his frustration that yet another one of his benches has disappeared, Applegate isn’t giving up on giving Lander another spot to sit. He’s determined to put yet another bench on the Tomato Loop.

“I’ll probably make another one, put it there, and hope that someone doesn't take it,” he said. “It doesn’t cost me much to take and repurpose old wood. It’s just a fun and artistic hobby.”

Nevertheless, Applegate hopes the other benches he donated to the community will return to the community. He can see how one of his benches would be highly desired for a backyard or a “man-cave,” but if people want one that much, they can contact him directly.

“I’d probably make one at no cost, because that’s what I do,” he said. “This bench wasn’t just décor. It was meant to be a quiet gift to the community—a place to pause, breathe, and enjoy the scenery. Sadly, someone took it. And I hope, if they find the kindness in their hearts, they’ll bring it back.”

Andrew Rossi can be reached at arossi@cowboystatedaily.com.