“Cyclic Maintenance — Long Overdue.”
July 28th photo: Check back regularly this week and all summer for more images and updates!
Many of the historic buildings and structures are getting some maintenance, structural repairs, and cosmetic touches this summer. Two independent groups have begun work all up and down Mormon Row this summer. Work will continue into September. While it might seem like a disruption to the norm to visitors and photographers, the long term benefit should far outweigh the temporary inconveniences. Workers show up at 7:00 to 7:30, so it might still be possible to get sunrise shots.
The T.A. Moulton Barn is a Grand Teton National Park project, headed by Shannon Dennison — Cultural Restoration Branch Chief. Harrison Goodall, a Conservation Specialist from Langley, WA is on hand to help direct the 16+ volunteers from around the country. July 28th photo.
The John Moulton Barn project, along with the rest of the maintenance along Mormon Row is part of the Western Center for Historic Preservation (WCHP). July 10th photo.They are headquartered in Grand Teton National Park, but work on various projects in the Intermountain Region. Katherine Wonson is the director for WCHP. On site, you might find Jeff Olson, preservation carpenter. Recently their group has been adding cement foundations to the corners of the John Moulton barn, along with repairing and replacing chinking. Additionally, groups of youngsters from the Grand Teton Youth Conservation Program and the Student Conservation Association has been assisting preservation efforts. Earlier in the summer, crews worked on barns, sheds and structures around the Chambers Homestead.
Connecting the two “Most Photographed Barns in the World”: July 8th photo: I’ve heard people suggest the T.A. Moulton Barn is the most photographed barn in the world. Over my 30 years of living here, I’d suggest the John Moulton Barn is at least equal in numbers of photographers in the field each morning—if not more. Most people visiting one barn, go to the other, so call it a dead heat! Either way, the Park Service is in the process of linking the two areas with a path. A restroom is included in the plans to be built in a larger parking area along the path, just north of the T.A .Moulton Barn. I haven’t seen the official plans, but I also hear there is a bus turnaround area planned along Antelope Flats Road. (I’ll update details in this section as I can get more concrete info)
Sept 24, 2014 photo
T.A. Moulton Barn Photographers: In the early years of Grand Teton National Park, most visitors were drawn to the mountains, streams, rivers and features along the base of the Teton Range. Over the years, more people venture to the rural East side of the park for a nostalgic glimpse of a less common way of life—by today’s standards anyway. Farms and barns can be found in almost all states, but none of them can compare with the two Moulton Barns when they are viewed with the Tetons behind them. The two barns are popular all year, but even more so in the Fall when the leaves of the cottonwoods begin to turn yellow and orange. Aspens are more common at the John Moulton Homestead, attracting big crowds as they change colors.
Sept 24, 2014 photo
I’d seriously doubt John Moulton could have ever envisioned photographers lined up to take photos of his barn as he started building it in the 1910’s. A crowd like the one above is uncommon, but both barns have a steady flow of tourists and photographers at all times of the day and night. Both barns are popular with photographers doing star photography and light painting. Antelope Flats Road is gated from sometime in mid-December until the snow melts in April, but numerous hardy souls still snowshoe, hike, or cross-country ski into the area for Winter images.
T.A. Moulton Barn, 1964. Sue Ernise’s father took this shot during one of his family’s summer stays at the John Moulton homestead. The corrals, chicken coup, and other structures have fallen down since the photo. See more of his photos on these two pages:
Josette Katcha, a preservation specialist intern, is onsite at the T.A. Moulton Barn project almost full time. She told me the #1 goal for the barn is stabilization and preservation. Additionally, some interior work would be in anticipation of future interpretation. Projects along Mormon Row are receiving “cyclic maintenance —long overdue.”
Morning Meeting: July 28th photo. Harrison Goodall can be seen in the red jacket going over the prior day’s accomplishments and detailing the current day’s assignments. Most people, including myself, have never seen the inside of this old barn. Note: I was given permission to be onsite and signed an acknowledgement of risk form with the Park. Visitors and photographers are requested to stay out of the work zones.
Harrison and 2x4s: July 28th photo. Maintenance and stabilization has been ongoing off and on since Labor Day of 1994. Harrison is pointing out how some of it wouldn’t exactly be considered historically correct, prompting a smile from restoration specialist Nick Wujek. For more info on the 1994 restoration, check out the book Legacy of the Tetons: Homesteading in Jackson Hole by Candy Vyvey Moulton
Early Structural Supports: July 28th photo. Some early structural maintenance was designed to simply hold the building upright. This year’s crew is removing some of the earlier work and bringing the building back to its original state. Someday, we may all get to see the interior close to original as possible.
Removing Old Supports: July 28th photo By the time I go back tomorrow, these supports in the original center section of the barn will be “history”.
Hog Shed: July 28th photo. Paul Hodgdon (GA), Sheila Bricher-Wade (WI), and Lee Chavez-Goodall (WA) can be seen working on the hog shed addition on the North side. The rotting old flooring was ripped out on Monday and piled next to the north side of the barn.
Horse Shed: : July 28th photo. A couple of other teams of volunteers are working on the horse shed on the south side of the barn.
Horse Shed Progress: July 29th photo Mike Wujek, a restoration specialist from New Jersey, heads the team working on the “horse shed” part of the barn. The timber running down the center of the shed needs to be replaced, so Mike’s group built temporary lifts to hold the roof up while a new timber can be set in the original location. A new “sleeper” will be added under the posts.
Clark and Melba Moulton c.1919: David Moulton supplied this shot of the original barn. At the time, if had a flat top roof. Later, an additional five or six foot section was added to the front along with the roof and hood.
Trimming the New Decking: July 29th photo. This image shows the front, left corner of the original T.A. Moulton barn. Bob Haynam (Moose, WY) is seen here trimming the new decking, added over the original barn section.
Hay Loft: July 29th photo. Harrison Goodall is seen here going over the “battle plan” for work in the loft. They are standing on the new deck. Fred Chapman (WY) has his back turned. Matthew Masters (Loveland, CO) listens for instructions.
Moulton Barn Dec23, 2013. Most tourists see the barns along Mormon Row only in the summer and fall, but they have to stand against the elements all year. Heavy snow settles on the north facing roof and hog shed addition. The bracing and cables seen in the previous image are helping ensure the structure doesn’t crumble under the weight.
David Moulton, working on removing one of the supports in the front of the barn. July 29th photo.
Sleeper Timbers in the Hog Shed: July 29th photo. The new sleepers are being reinstalled in the north addition. Plastic Visqueen is being added in the hand dug trough under the logs to allow the crew to add rot retardant. Eventually, a new floor will be added over the sleepers. Much of the current work will be “buried” from view of future tourists enjoying the old barn.
Matthew Masters, Lee Chavez-Goodall, and Paul Hodgdon can be seen here hauling in a new section of the sleepers going into the north section of the barn. Sheila Bricher-Wade is bringing up the last sling, but slightly out of sight. July 29th photo.
2015 Volunteers: July 29th photo. You might say this group is “half a bubble off”…maybe a couple of bubbles off! Many of them have been volunteering each summer in Grand Teton National Park on multiple projects. I can’t help but feeling their time spent here is close to a family reunion. I suggested the observation to Sheila Bricher-Wade. She replied, “Yes, but we get to choose this family.” If you were to click on last year’s post, you’d see many of the same faces. Preservation Begins on the John Moulton Homestead! (2014). The crew worked half a day today to allow them to enjoy parts of the Park.
Young Volunteers: This group showed up temporarily at the T.A. Moulton barn to help. (I’ll try to get their group name). The group leader discovered they had gone to the wrong barn initially. They moved on north to the John Moulton Homestead to help with the Western Center for Historic Preservation (WCHP) group. Either way…thanks!
This year’s preservation efforts along Mormon Row are a joint venture between Grand Teton National Park, the Grand Teton National Park Foundation, Wyoming Cultural Trust Fund, and a group of volunteers from around the country.
You Can Help!
Both private and corporate donations can be made to either of these two organizations: (Note: you can earmark donations to specific projects like the GTNP Mormon Row restoration projects.) Grand Teton National Park Foundation and Wyoming Cultural Trust Fund
Additional Pages and Resources
- Preservation Begins on the John Moulton Homestead! (2014)
- Early Roads in Grand Teton National Park:
- The Moulton Barns: 1963-1965
- The “Missing” GTNP Farming and Ranching Photos:
- Mormon Row Irrigation and the Kelly Warm Springs:
- Kelly and Antelope Flats Map from 1939
- The Creation of Grand Teton National Park.
Check Back for More Photos of the Progress at the Homestead!