Snake River Land Company Residence and Office
Encyclopedia
The Snake River Land Company Residence and Office are structures associated with John D. Rockefeller, Jr.'s acquisition of land in Jackson Hole
, Wyoming
. Under the guise of the Snake River Land Company
, Rockefeller bought much of the land that he eventually donated to the National Park Service
, first as Jackson Hole National Monument and a year later as Grand Teton National Park
. The buildings are located in the park, in the community of Moran
. They served as the residence and office for SRLC vice president Harold Fabian and foreman J. Allan from 1930 to 1945. The buildings are still used by the National Park Service. The property was owned from 1926 to 1930 by John Hogan, a retired politician from the eastern United States. The Snake River Land Company bought the property in 1930.
The ranch buildings were built by John Hogan, a retired politician from the East, who bought William Carter's homestead in 1926 for use as a guest ranch and fox farm. Hogan built the main residence and the blacksmith shop.Four guest cabins a barn and an ice house no longer exist. The Snake River Land Company bought the property from Hogan in 1930, adding on to the house and building a log garage.
The house, also known as Building 117 and as "Buffalo Dorm", is a 1-1/2 story log structure dating to circa 1926. The original central gabled block was flanked by shed-roofed extensions on the east and west sides, with the stone chimney centered in the eastern side. A later shed-roofed addition covers the front of the central unit. A further gable-roofed addition covers much of the western shed wing. The main entry opens into a large office, with a living room to the north and a kitchen and pantry to the west. The sun room, an enclosed former porch, is reached from the living room. The living room hs a raised ceiling that forms the floor of the storage loft above. The stone fireplace dominates the room, with bookshelves to either side. Three bedrooms and a bathroom are in the northwestern portion of the house. On the second floor a central landing leads to two bedrooms on the south and southeast and a storage loft (stated to be "bat infested") to the northeast. The interiors retain many of their historic furnishings and contribute to the ranch's significance.
Harold and Josephine Fabian moved to the Geraldine Lucas Homestead
in 1945. The Jackson Hole Preserve, which had succeeded the Snake River Land Company, used the house as a residence for Sonny Allen, manager of the nearby Jackson Hole Wildlife Park at Oxbow Bend. The house was taken over by the Park Service and used as a dormitory before being abandoned.
The house was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 2006.
Jackson Hole
Jackson Hole, originally called Jackson's Hole, is a valley located in the U.S. state of Wyoming, near the western border with Idaho. The name "hole" derives from language used by early trappers or mountain men, who primarily entered the valley from the north and east and had to descend along...
, Wyoming
Wyoming
Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
. Under the guise of the Snake River Land Company
Snake River Land Company
The Snake River Land Company was a land purchasing company established in 1927 by philanthropist John D. Rockefeller, Jr.. The company acted as a front so Rockefeller could buy land in the Jackson Hole valley in Wyoming without people knowing of his involvement or his intentions for the property,...
, Rockefeller bought much of the land that he eventually donated to the National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
, first as Jackson Hole National Monument and a year later as Grand Teton National Park
Grand Teton National Park
Grand Teton National Park is a United States National Park located in northwestern Wyoming, U.S. The Park consists of approximately and includes the major peaks of the long Teton Range as well as most of the northern sections of the valley known as Jackson Hole. Only south of Yellowstone...
. The buildings are located in the park, in the community of Moran
Moran, Wyoming
Moran is an unincorporated community in south central Teton County, Wyoming, United States, which serves as one of the principal fee collection entrances to Grand Teton National Park. It lies in Grand Teton National Park northeast of the city of Jackson, the county seat of Teton County, at the...
. They served as the residence and office for SRLC vice president Harold Fabian and foreman J. Allan from 1930 to 1945. The buildings are still used by the National Park Service. The property was owned from 1926 to 1930 by John Hogan, a retired politician from the eastern United States. The Snake River Land Company bought the property in 1930.
The ranch buildings were built by John Hogan, a retired politician from the East, who bought William Carter's homestead in 1926 for use as a guest ranch and fox farm. Hogan built the main residence and the blacksmith shop.Four guest cabins a barn and an ice house no longer exist. The Snake River Land Company bought the property from Hogan in 1930, adding on to the house and building a log garage.
The house, also known as Building 117 and as "Buffalo Dorm", is a 1-1/2 story log structure dating to circa 1926. The original central gabled block was flanked by shed-roofed extensions on the east and west sides, with the stone chimney centered in the eastern side. A later shed-roofed addition covers the front of the central unit. A further gable-roofed addition covers much of the western shed wing. The main entry opens into a large office, with a living room to the north and a kitchen and pantry to the west. The sun room, an enclosed former porch, is reached from the living room. The living room hs a raised ceiling that forms the floor of the storage loft above. The stone fireplace dominates the room, with bookshelves to either side. Three bedrooms and a bathroom are in the northwestern portion of the house. On the second floor a central landing leads to two bedrooms on the south and southeast and a storage loft (stated to be "bat infested") to the northeast. The interiors retain many of their historic furnishings and contribute to the ranch's significance.
Harold and Josephine Fabian moved to the Geraldine Lucas Homestead
Geraldine Lucas Homestead-Fabian Place Historic District
The Geraldine Lucas-Fabian Place Historic District in Jackson Hole, Wyoming is significant as the 1913 home of Geraldine Lucas, a single woman pioneer in a harsh environment. It later became the home of Harold Fabian, vice president of the Snake River Land Company, which assembled much of the land...
in 1945. The Jackson Hole Preserve, which had succeeded the Snake River Land Company, used the house as a residence for Sonny Allen, manager of the nearby Jackson Hole Wildlife Park at Oxbow Bend. The house was taken over by the Park Service and used as a dormitory before being abandoned.
The house was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 2006.
See also
- Geraldine Lucas Homestead-Fabian Place Historic DistrictGeraldine Lucas Homestead-Fabian Place Historic DistrictThe Geraldine Lucas-Fabian Place Historic District in Jackson Hole, Wyoming is significant as the 1913 home of Geraldine Lucas, a single woman pioneer in a harsh environment. It later became the home of Harold Fabian, vice president of the Snake River Land Company, which assembled much of the land...
- Historical buildings and structures of Grand Teton National ParkHistorical buildings and structures of Grand Teton National ParkThe historical buildings and structures of Grand Teton National Park include a variety of buildings and built remains that pre-date the establishment of Grand Teton National Park, together with facilities built by the National Park Service to serve park visitors. Many of these places and structures...
External links
- Snake River Land Company Office at Grand Teton National Park
- Snake River Land Company Historic Structure Report