As the sun peeks over the Gros Ventre mountain range on the eastern side of Jackson Hole, Wyoming, a pink glow bathes the snow-covered Tetons, standing watch over the valley below. Cottonwood trees and quaking aspen cast long shadows on the sagebrush along Antelope Flats where picturesque wooden structures reflect the early morning sunlight. These are the remains of homesteads, a testament to the tenacity and determination of the early settlers who made this valley their home. Three historic sites in Jackson Hole have been preserved: The Mormon Row Historic District, Cunningham’s Cabin near the Snake River and the Miller House on the edge of the National Elk Refuge.

MORMON ROW HISTORIC DISTRICT

The Mormon Row Historic District is a legacy to those who took advantage of the Homestead Act of 1862 which promised 160 acres to any person willing to build a house and cultivate the land for five years. Originally known as the town of Grovont, the houses and barns are all that remain of a community of 27 Mormon families who settled the area in the 1890s.

Of particular interest are the two surviving barns which were once the centerpiece of family life. Barn-raising was a community activity involving everyone. The men built the barn, the women cooked hearty meals for the workers and the children helped where they could. In addition to the barns, a few houses still stand. Some are the traditional log cabins; others were made of stucco and cement and look quite modern. There is only one pink-hued stucco house (that belonged to John and Bertha Moulton) still standing in the northern end of Mormon Row. As you walk around the remaining structures, you can almost hear the inhabitants talking, laughing, carrying on with their lives even under austere conditions. The Mormon Community thrived in this area until the mid-1900s when the land was sold to be part of the Grand Teton National park. Today, elk, deer, moose, and bison roam freely across the open flats around the old community.

CUNNINGHAM’S CABIN

The Cunningham Cabin is one of the best examples of the few remaining homestead cabins in Jackson Hole. Cunningham arrived in Jackson Hole about 1885 and staked a claim on silt-rich, fertile land overlooking the Snake River. He built a “dogtrot” style cabin for his wife consisting of two small cabins joined with an open, covered breezeway. It was constructed with lodgepole pine trees which were secured and joined at the corners with saddle notches. Any cracks between the logs were filled with earth. The roof was made from sapling poles covered with sod. Cunningham’s ‘Bar Flying U Ranch’ is delineated by the unique system of ‘buck and rail fences’ which can be seen throughout Jackson Hole, with X-shaped braces used to support the horizontal rails. It was a cheap, low maintenance means to fence the property.

It is hard to imagine how the Cunninghams kept warm in their little cabin during the bitterly cold Wyoming winters. It is also difficult to imagine how hard he would have had to work to grow enough hay to support his cattle and horses throughout the year, especially since the growing season usually only lasted 90 days.

THE MILLER CABIN

On the east side of the National Elk Preserve, you will find three small wooden buildings — a house, a barn, and a cabin. These were the residence of Robert A. Miller, the first superintendent of Teton National Monument. Built at the turn of the century, they were purchased in 1915 together with 1,240 acres of land as part of the effort to create the National Elk Refuge, in an effort to preserve the rapidly dwindling elk herds.

Today, over 5,000 elk make the refuge their home during the winter months; it is also the winter home to over 800 bison and 45 other species of mammals. The elk begin their migration, which is the largest in the US, in the fall, usually after the first snow blankets the high mountains. They remain here until the spring when they return to the mountains.

Today as we drive through the grandeur of Grand Teton National Park, it is hard not to be humbled by the determination and courage of the homesteaders and early settlers of Jackson Hole.

IF YOU GO
To get to Mormon Row, drive north from Jackson, Wyoming on Hwy 191 past Moose Junction and turn right on Antelope Flats Road. Follow the road 1.5 miles until you see a dirt track on your right leading from a pink stucco house on your left. The first barn is immediately behind the pink stucco house; the second barn and most of the remaining structures are down the right-hand dirt road.
To get to Cunningham’s Cabin drive north of Jackson on Highway 191 past Moose Junction towards Moran Junction. About 5 miles south of Moran Junction look for the signs on the left indicating a historic site. Cunningham’s Cabin is half a mile west of the main road.
To reach the National Elk Refuge entrance, drive east on East Broadway in Jackson to the end of the road. Turn left onto a dirt track that takes you along the east side of the Refuge. The Miller Cabin will be on your left. There are also wildlife viewing spots on the west side of the Refuge on Highway 26.