Until 1900, when the first general store opened in Jackson, if early homesteaders needed clothing they had to travel two weeks over the Teton Pass to Idaho, or make it themselves. Most chose to make their own clothing, and it was a point of pride for many women. Lengths of fabric would need to be […]
Cooking For many early homesteaders, the cook stove was their most prized possession. It was the centerpiece of the cabin, of the family, and of survival. To brave a burning building to rescue the stove was worth the risk. Meals were served on dishes made from heavy china, and flatware was made from steel that […]
With the convenience of linen sheets to keep the sod roof from trickling in, a secondary benefit was that the white linen considerably brightened the dark cabin interior. This provided a bright surface for candles to reflect from, which greatly aided the long night hours of winter. Luxuries like interior illumination were still in their […]
When the Wilson families moved into Jackson Hole in the late fall of 1889, it was too late in the year to construct their own cabins. Trees needed to the cut, and left to dry in the area where they could be shaped into logs for a cabin. Winter in Jackson Hole fell swift and […]
Sylvester Wilson was born on January 30, 1840 in Nauvoo, Illinois. He was one of thirteen siblings, and traveled with the family to settle in Grantsville, Utah in 1852. Sylvester’s father worked as a cattle herder and suffered an early death in 1861. Sylvester was now the head of the family, and after several disagreements […]
First Families is a unique exhibit dedicated to the first families who made Jackson Hole their permanent home. The entirety of the research and family photos have been collected by direct descendants of these families. Authored by Melvina Wilson Robertson, the story was an account of Sylvester Wilson and his family’s decision to move from […]
By all accounts, Chester Arthur (1829-1886) was an accomplished angler, adept at both bait-casting and fly-fishing. He had tested northern waters in Canada and those of the American South in Florida. Salmon, trout, and bass had all filled his creel. Indeed, throughout most of his life—as lawyer, New York “machine” politician, and President of the […]
FORCES THAT SHAPED THE LAND “Over these seemingly changeless mountains, in endless succession, move the ephemeral colors of dawn and sunset and of noon and night, the shadows and sunlight, the garlands of clouds with which storms adorn the peaks, the misty rain-curtains of afternoon showers.” -Fritiof Fryxell, The Tetons: Interpretations of a Mountain Landscape, […]
This exhibit is inspired by the Jackson Hole News & Guide’s annual “Jackson Hole Woman” special edition. It is intended to highlight and celebrate the unique women who called this valley home when all members of the family were considered capable ranch hands. From raising children to cattle, they prided themselves on their self-reliant attitudes and “didn’t give a damn” what the outsiders thought. The Jackson Hole Historical Society and Museum is proud to share the stories these strong women and plans to update this exhibit annually.
Photographer Lisa Erdberg has spent over 9 summers in Jackson Hole exploring and photographing the old homesteads and historical dude and cattle ranches inside and around Grand Teton National Park. Her images of the region’s late 19th and early 20th C. barns, corrals, utility sheds and other outbuildings speak to a shared past that evoke […]
