Leaving The Tetons

A pioneer settler in this area was J. Pierce Cunningham, who came to Jackson Hole from New York as early as 1885. He was about 20 years old. He reputedly spent his first years trapping.

Either in 1888 or 1890, he took up a homestead south of Spread Creek, selecting land with a meadow of native grass. With his bride, Margaret, he established a small cattle ranch, cultivating 100 acres of hay each year for winter feed. In 1897, he filed a desert land entry, irrigating 140 acres for grazing and hay. The Cunninghams produced 75 tons of hay for winter feed. At this time, the Cunninghams owned eight horses and 100 cattle.

After 1895 the Cunninghams used the cabin as a barn or a smithy. A small fortification was erected in 1895 during unrest involving the Bannack indians. Traces of foundations survive. The cabin was the scene of a shootout in 1899 between a posse and two horse thieves, who were killed at the scene.

Cunningham was destined to become one of the most prominent and respected of the valley's early citizens. His homestead cabin marks the site of his ranch today, and is one of the best and few remaining early homestead cabins in the valley.

So Long, Farewell...Weeks Family

We spent the night with Weeks, but unfortunately our time in Jackson came to end on Sunday morning. But, before we left, we all went to breakfast.

Our wonderful hosts...Freddie, Brooke and Vickie...

We went to breakfast at Jedediah's Original House of Sourdough. The sourdough starter here is also historic: It dates from the 1870s. (How you like that Nancy)?

The place is so popular there is a waiting line to get inside. Thank goodness it was not a cold morning. Doesn't Brooke look like she's starving?The Van Vleck House was built in Jackson, Wyoming in 1910-1011. The log house and barn are the only remaining residential structures in the vicinity of the Town Square.

It was built by Roy Van Vleck, operator of the first "mercantile", or general store, in Jackson. Roy and his new wife, Genevieve Lawton Van Vleck lived in the cabin from 1911 to 1960. The Van Vleck house was notable at the time for possessing its own well, which served much of the surrounding population. In 1920 Genevieve became one of the members of the first all-female town council in the United States, serving until 1923. Roy Van Vleck was the local land commissioner and served on the hospital and school boards. Van Vleck was also a leader of the opposition to the creation and expansion of Grand Teton National Park in the 1930s.

The house is a one story log cabin. The approximately 36-foot by 60-foot L-shaped house was moved 30 feet after a 1988 fire and set on a new foundation. It retains its orientation and context. The interior did not survive the fire and has been reconstructed. The barn, which is a few years newer than the house, stands nearby. The barn includes a central brick chimney and is presently used for storage. The barn was the location for the final fight scene featuring Clint Eastwood in the 1980 movie Every Which Way But Loose.

From 1980 the house became a restaurant. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1995, and is the only authentic historical structure in the central area of Jackson.

Some of their famous sourdough biscuits and gravy. I must admit they were okay, but I sure enjoy the sausage gravy served at Country Inn and Suites.

Joe enjoying his breakfast...

And Brooke and Freddie enjoying their breakfast...

And then we had to head home and hope to see Freddie and Vickie and Brooke again real soon.

Dinner at the Gun Barrel

The Weeks' took Joe and I to dinner at The Gun Barrel Steak & Game House on W. Broadway in Jackson Hole. Can I say a big WOW!?!?! It was a fantastic place - both visually and food wise.

We met there with some other friends of theirs who had been spending the week with them at a dude ranch in the Tetons. (Brooke in front, Vickie (l), Freddie next to her and Joe and I on the left)...Vickie and I shared an order of Fried Green Tomatoes which were herb encrusted and lightly fried, drizzled with a chipotle mayonnaise sauce. Yum, yum!!!

My dinner was a mixed Game Grill which was a combination of elk chops, buffalo prime rib, and venison bratwurst (see my plate below). It was fantastic!!! This was the first time I'd ever eaten elk and it was the best meat I've ever eaten. I could have and would have eaten the bones clean if we hadn't been in such a fancy-schamanchy place.

About the Gun Barrel Steak & Game House... it opened in 1993 in what had formerly been the Wyoming Wildlife Museum & Taxidermy. The Gun Barrel Steak & Game House name was taken from the small east Texas town of Gun Barrel City. The original 1950’s hand-painted town sign was given to us by the town.

Many of the museums full mount game trophies, which were taken from around Jackson Hole, can still be seen - some even in front of their original painted dioramas. In addition to these indigenous animals, there are numerous others from around the world, many of which were collected by the restaurant. Most of the antique cowboy artifacts also come from Wyoming and many have historical significance; Hank William’s 1800’s buffalo coat that he wore on the Lone Wolf album; two Harrison Crandle colorized photographs taken in Grand Teton National Park in the forties; and eight original Edward Curtis portrait photogravures of American Indians taken circa 1890. There is even a very large gun which is an .82 caliber rampart gun from India forged in the 1700’s.

The original museum structure was completely refurbished with lodgepole pine. The logs were hand-peeled in the parking lot using draw knives to remove the bark (notice the cut marks) and the milling was the subject of a Carhartt catalog shoot. The detail logs around the front entrance and bar were removed from Shadow Mt. north of town. They also set the old bugling royal elk which was outside the old museum, atop the building and now it is a Jackson landmark. The mural on The west wall outside is a re-creation of Bierstadt’s Buffalo Hunt.

Almost all of the fixtures in The Gun Barrel Steak & Game House were designed for the steakhouse, including ironwork, lighting fixtures, tables, and mesquite grill. The Gun Barrel has recently been the site of a Browning catalog shoot and an NRA video on game preparation.

Hank William’s 1800’s buffalo coat that he wore on the Lone Wolf album, this coat was also used as a prop in the 90's classic "Dancing with Wolves".

This was a collection of barbwire through the years. Quite fascinating.

Spending Time In Jackson With The Weeks Family

The primary reason we went to Jackson this weekend was to visit with Freddie, Vickie and Brooke Weeks who had flown out for a vacation in Wyoming. I've known the Weeks family for many years as Brooke was one of my daycare children for about three years. So, when I heard they were coming to our "neck of the woods", it was time to go see them.

This is one of the famous antler arches in the townsquare in Jackson...

Before we went to dinner on Friday, we girls went shopping - them to buys gifts for friends back in Georgia and I got some huckleberry candy for Joe.

Can you guess who much the boots cost?

Brooke getting acquainted with Buffy the Buffalo...

and meeting another buffalo on the street...

Brooke and Vickie...

BTW - the price on the boots...

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And now - a little step back into the past. Pictures of Brooke!

This was our "Teddy Bear Picnic" at Jeff Davis park with all the kids. Brooke is on the back right side with the white picnic. "Grandmudder" is on the back left side.

Playing in the backroom...

This was taken around Thanksgiving since everyone is wearing their turkey headbands they made. (Brooke bottom left)

Snacktime. She always ate everything I gave her. (3rd from left)...

Celebrating "Mother Goose Day" at a friends house with a sheep cookie. (Brooke is in the purple sweater)...

Playing outside with Daddy Les...