OCR Text |
Show oe. For lovers of the West The Snake River Institute Integrates Man & Nature By Leslie Miller here's a place at the base of Teton just before the town of. Pass, Wilson, Wyoming, with a lot of high energy and purpose. But then again, this is a land of enormous natural beauty, and a rugged western identity that inspires anyone privileged enough to experience it's wonders. In a freshly painted old ranch building, situated on 27 acres of protected open space, The tiny“ chapel of sits at the base of the Grand tT 4} the Transfiguration af te Tetons, near 3 Jackson Hole. It is one of the stops on a tour by the institute, which offers a variety of programs with different perspectives on living that is dependent on the land. One of the faculty, Jack Huyler, has lived on the land at the base of the Grand Teton since father had come to 1926. His fellowstone by stage coach from New York in 1924, fell in love with Jackson Hole, bought a home and 160 acres on a hand- shake after an elk hunt in 1925 and moved his family to it's new summer residence the following year. The Bear Paw Ranch, one of Jackson's’ many historic guest ranches was born. His father's formula for a successful dude ranch was "good food, good beds, good horses." Ah, those were the days. In Jack Huylers' class/tour, Historic Dude Ranches, our group of seven visited old ranches and ranch sites and heard the folklore of the region as remembered by Jack. We prowled vacant log buildings, feasted on vistas of wide-open meadows long gone to seed, and often found ourselves in silent awe of the majestic mountains towering above us. We were captivated by the stories of hardship endured by the original settlers of the area. As we crisscrossed the Teton Valley, we passed by the gates of the famous JY Ranch, owned by the Rockerfeller family since 1930. This was the very first dude ranch in Jackson, the original owner claiming "dudes wintered better-than cows." that It also became the very first locked gate in Jackson Hole. During the stock market crash of the '30s, when about 35,000 acres were purchased for $39.67 per acre, congress refused to accept dedication of the land for the Teton National Park because of local opposition to the Rockerfeller purchase of of the Transfiguration. The windows above the alter in the old log church face west, in reverence to the Grand Teton itself. In the early days of Jackson the buck 'n rail fence enclosing the chapel grounds corralled the horses ridden by "dude and dudine” parishioners on Sunday mornings. Jack's mother played the pedal pump organ. And today, there's still a Christmas night service for those willing to ski or snowshoe in through snow depths that easily cover the corral. The final ranch site on our tour was the home of Jack and Margaret Huyler, the Rocking H Ranch. After the Bear Paw was sold in 1949, and eventually converted into park land, the Huylers moved the log cabin home to it's present spot. The covered porch, where we sat sipping lemonade, and listening to Jack play his guitar, looked out through a clearing in the woods to the mountain pinnacles of Grand Teton National Park. With humor and sensitivity Jack managed to deepen our appreciation for the history and beauty that defined the mountain lifestyle of his homeland. A gift that enriched our sense of place, and provided a better understanding of the integration of man and nature in the west. To this end, the Snake St River Institute is fulfilling an important role in the evolution of our western region. the surrounding ranch lands. It wasn't until Jack Huyler spins out the lore of the historic ranches and their one-time inhabitants. the 1950s when President Harry Truman finally transferred all of this land to the park. One of our stops included the tiny Chapel @ 2 > Z For more information call or write the Snake River Institute: 307-733-2214 or PO. Box 128, Wilson, Wyoming 83014 : £1 IDVd ° SAW the Snake River Institute makes it's magic. Here, a dedication to the western legacy and conservationism join hands. Thanks to the efforts of the Jackson Hole Land Trust, the Hardeman family. ranch, is blessed with a conservation easement, allowing the meadows and grasslands to remain unspoiled into perpetuity. The original homestead, barn and outbuildings are now home to the Snake River Institute, a nonprofit arts and humanities organization. The Institute leases the property from the land trust in exchange for restoring the buildings and making them available for community use. To date their capital campaign has raised a quarter million dollars for the first phase of the restoration. If you are a lover ef the west, the Institute offers a variety of adult and children's programs that range from straw-bale home construction; to fossil excavation; poetry journeys; outdoor painting; and even culinary art, like wild, wild, west cowboy cookie decorating. The director of all these activities, including wedding receptions, and a farmer's market, is Libby Wood. She credits Michelle Sullivan, founder, and daughter of former Wyoming governor, Mike Sullivan, with the vision for the Snake River Institute. Michelle's idea was to offer learning adventures for people of all ages. ‘ Recently, a new three-year curriculum focusing on the implications of the West's land base economy brought together westerners |