The Mormon Row Historic District is Grand Teton National Park’s most visited and well-loved cultural destination. The iconic barns and surrounding structures are the physical remains of a community of resilient homesteaders sent by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1895. Learning and sharing Mormon Row stories helps visitors understand a unique period in the valley’s long human history, and sheds light on what life was like in Jackson Hole at the turn of the century.
The lack of active use and maintenance over many years led to disrepair and, in comes cases, the disappearance altogether of many homesteader buildings. In addition, Mormon Row is an increasingly popular visitor destination but it lacks basic services such as adequate parking, wayfinding, accessible pedestrian paths, and interpretation. In 2021, the park and Foundation launched a multiyear renewal effort of this beloved historic district. The project combines direct rehabilitation of vulnerable historic buildings with site planning that will help visitors meaningfully connect to Mormon Row and park history.
The John Moulton Homestead is one of the few remaining homesteads in the Mormon Row Historic District, which was inscribed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997. The homestead stands out among the many vernacular log structures both along the row and elsewhere in the park for its character-defining feature: its pink painted cement stucco.
The work accomplished at the Pink House in 2022 was a continuation of the stabilization project that took place in the summer of 2021, which included the installation of a new concrete foundation. The focus of preservation work for 2022 included: repairing and painting damaged portions of the exterior stucco; installing the foundation skirt to match the original skirt texture, pattern, and color; replacing the wood shingle roof; reconstructing the chimney utilizing the historic bricks previously removed; repairing and reconstructing exterior porches; and repairing and painting the windows and exterior doors.
The most noticeable work accomplished during this project was repairing and repainting the stucco siding and installing the repaired and repainted windows and doors. This was no easy task due to the variety of textures and the different levels of discoloration to the pink stucco around the building. Getting the texture and color to match the existing pink color was a crucial part of the preservation project. Grand Teton's crew tested a variety of paint colors and application techniques to be sure the finished product was as close to the original pink shade as possible.
The park’s cultural resources team is very pleased with how the building has come back to life with its fresh coat of paint, repaired stucco, reconstructed chimney, new cedar roof, and refurbished windows and doors. The newly preserved Pink House will serve as an anchor for the remainder of the preservation work to be completed in the Mormon Row Historic District.
The Pink House stabilization and preservation project completes the first phase of the multiyear project to renew Mormon Row, which will continue over the next five years. The ongoing effort will improve safety in this highly visible historic district, enhance the overall visitor experience through preservation and increased pedestrian access, and protect significant cultural resources. In addition, the park plans to adaptively reuse the Roy Chambers Homestead for employee housing. In 2023, park staff will develop architectural plans for the main house and other buildings to determine the number of staff members that can live in this location. Planning and compliance for visitor experience improvements, including parking, wayfinding, and interpretation, will also continue in 2023.
Private philanthropy is significantly elevating the outcomes of this project. Thank you to Zions Bank, Community Foundation of Jackson Hole, and many other generous individuals and foundations for helping to ensure that the legacy of Mormon Row remains for visitors to enjoy for generations to come.