Located on a bench off of South Park Loop Road, the South Park Cemetery has dramatic uninterrupted views of the Teton Range. This location was chosen specifically because of these views in 1891 when Sylvester Wilson lost two of his children to a diphtheria outbreak. Sylvester Wilson lead the first families into Jackson Hole, and cut down the first trees to mark Teton Pass to allow their wagons through. When the families arrived in 1889, only handful of individuals lived in the valley. With their nearly twelve children, the extended Wilson families more than doubled the population. While the Wilsons are better remembered by their namesake town west of Jackson, their contributions to the early settlement of the valley are numerous. They can be credited with the first school, the first nursing services, the first church (LDS), and the first cemetery. These early pioneers paved the route for countless others to follow. Today there are more than 230 individuals buried in the South Park Cemetery, and many of them bear the Wilson surname. For more information on the Wilsons and South Park, please visit our First Families online exhibit.

When visiting the cemetery, please be respectful of all posted signage and other visitors.