We are pleased to announce that a major grant provided by Tauck, a leader in premium quality guided tours and cruises, will help preserve the historic buildings and landscapes at Grand Teton’s Mormon Row. A homesteaders’ settlement inside Grand Teton National Park dating back to 1890, Mormon Row is home to a number of structures including the iconic T.A. Moulton barn, an unofficial symbol of the park that attracts photographers from around the world.
The Tauck grant will fund a total of three different initiatives within Grand Teton. The first project is the creation of a comprehensive Historic Structures Report, which researches and details the cultural history and current physical condition of four prominent Mormon Row buildings. The Historic Structures Report is the critical first step that must be completed before any work (other than emergency stabilization measures) can be initiated. The report will be the basis for all subsequent work performed on the four Mormon Row buildings included in the study, paving the way for their eventual preservation and protection.
Volunteers working on the roof of the T.A. Moulton Barn
In addition to helping care for the barns and other buildings at Mormon Row, the Tauck grant will fund enhancements to the culturally-rich properties surrounding the structures at several homestead sites, including the T.A. Moulton barn. In particular, sections of historic irrigation canals—part of an intricate system once used by the homesteaders to divert water to their crops—will be cleared of vegetation and other obstructions, foot bridges will be restored, and the canals’ head gates will be repaired to preserve their capacity to flow with water.
The third initiative funded by the Tauck grant is the establishment and operation of Grand Teton Hammer Corps, a formalized program that will recruit, equip, and oversee the efforts of volunteers performing preservation and repair projects throughout the park. The Tauck grant will fund Hammer Corps in both 2016 and 2017. In 2016 efforts will focus on establishing the program, hiring a seasonal, full-time program coordinator, and completing an initial round of projects. 2017 plans include the full deployment of Hammer Corps and the completion of more ambitious projects, to perhaps include work at Mormon Row as determined by the findings of the Historic Structures Report funded by the Tauck grant.
We wish to extend our sincere appreciation and thanks to Tauck for their incredible support of preservation work at Mormon Row and Grand Teton National Park!
Want to volunteer on Grand Teton Hammer Corps? Visit www.volunteer.gov and search the keywords “Grand Teton National Park.”