_____________ Money talks, history walks Residents establishing Preservation Board so JH won’t be like any other Western town 1 The Wort Hotel is one site that could be on the National Historic Register listing. By Peter B. Brace ackson Drug Store. Sweetwater Restaurant. The Lucas and Walton ranches. Many people don’t realize the significance of Jthese properties to Teton County and Wyoming’s his tory and to its cultural identity. Yetmanyimportanthistorical sites inJackson Hole are either decaying or being remodeled into something new—usuallyformoney. The predominant attitude in the West is “A lot of it has to do thatpropertyownersdo with what you can and astheypleasewithwhat they own, said Larry can’t do with your Kummer,Directorofthe propty. And I think Teton County Histori- t t-irj “‘I’he West in gen- historical preservation eral, isn’t very old,” he and land use are more said, “Thisisn’tlikeback conservative here.” East where you ye got out things that are still Larry Kummer standing at 200 to 300 years old. Director of the TCHC “A lot ofit has to do withwhat you can and can’t do with your property. And Ithinkthe attitudes toward historical preservation and land use are more conservative out here.” And it’s that attitude that prompted several Jack BONNIE JO MOUNT . GUIDE The little Jewel building stands vacant in a lot at the corner of Gregory Lane and High School Road. son Hole residents to help establish the county’s His toric Preservation Board to save what can be saved. The idea sprang from the minds ofhistorians Bob The county is in the process of creating an official “This is not an attempt to regulate and tell people Righter and Sheri Smith, two warm-weatherresidents program called the Certified Local Government Pro what they can do with their property,” said Carole from Texas who wanted to help the National Park Service gram Commissioner Sandy Shuptrine said. Hofley, a member of the Teton County Commission- preserve historic sites like the Mormon Row Barns. “We agreed that it was a better way to enabk created task force that wrote the bylaws for the new Thepairpresentedtheirproposalatacountycommis preservation of a site or structure in our community,’ board. “It’s moreto encourage and assistpeoplewiththe sion meeting last summer. The commission liked the idea she said. preservation oftheir property.” and helped Hofley and others initiate a task force. The Certified Local Government is essentially r local preservation commission, saidNancyWeidel, his. torian and local preservation coordinator for the Stat Historic Preservation Office. There are 18 such local preservation boards ir Wyoming working on a wide range of preservatioi efforts, Weidel said. “Some of them are very, very effective,” she said “There’s been a whole variety ofprojects like intérpre tive signs along the road and Evanston has sponsore an archeological study ofits Chinatown.” Weidel said there will be a conference coming uj soon in Casper that will focus on empty buildings ii downtown areas. “It all depends on the groups,”Weidel said. “They’v II —. all got different focuses.” The Teton County Historic Preservation Board won’t begin until a survey ofthe county is complete i about three years. The county commission unanimously adopted resolution Tuesday establishing the board pendin County Attorney Paul Vaughn’s review of the board proposed bylaws. The commission will vote on tl bylaws and appoint the nine-member board at its ne meeting on April 30. Jedediah’s Original House of Sourdough is only one of the few places in Jackson that is listed on the National The board will consist mostly of residents wit Historic Register. see PRESERVATION.? - 16B - JACKSON HOLE NEWS, Wednesday, June 5, 1996 11. Consideration of Certified_________________ PRESERVATION: History Local Government for Historic walks Preservation Bylaws and LEGAL continued from Board Appointments. Paul A6 to have to see a cooperative effort.” Vaughn gave an u-date on historicalpreservation, architecturaland Kummer, retiring director ofthe His the required doc1r&iLs. building experience Bob with one or two citi torical Center, said the creation of his made a motion, setnded zen at-large members. by Sandy, to direct the Chair torical preservation board is just to sign County what a clean copy of the Commissioner Ann Teton County needs to retain its indi Resolution when presented. Stephenson Motion carried. stressed the importance of viduality and uniqueness among other the board There was a discussion on and the line ofcommunication Westerntowns being transformed Board appointments. Joan it by de will open between the park and the velopers and people with little • Grever was present to discuss county. regard for this with the Board. the history of a place. Sandy moved, “I can see seconded by a real value in this group Some buildings, like the Little Jewel Ann, to approve the following and this means ten people: ofcommunicating to the andtheJackson Hole Courier, have been park and I can • Robert W. Righter also see removedfrom their origi 700 Mississippi Ave. th’at the means of diplo El Paso, TX 79902 L £ nal sites and left to dete macy and i. iOi I 915-545-1306 (home) atotal coopera Ci people riorate on vacant 915-747-7064 tion lots. (work) is necessary,” have been concerned Still others like the • Joan Grover Stephenson, said. 200 St. Andrews Blvd.,Unit about preservation 308 Mike Johnson, Grand in Winter Park, FL 32792 Teton National 700 Ponderosa Park cul the park (and taurant, Dirty Jacks and Dr. turalresources specialist, Jackson, WY 83001 the Wax Museum have 307-733-3080 is hoping that Jackson Hole). I think (home) Righter’s aireadyhad severalother • James R. Schoen and Smith’s efforts there will Box 1888 will be a good uses in them or soon will translate into Jackson, WY 83001 along-last partnership, have, all in the 208-787-2315 (home) ing, local/federal but it name of partner money, Kimuner said. 3)7-739-5523 (work) ship to preserve sites won’t save every • Kurt Dubbe of “Manybuildingshave Box 20269 lessernational value, but building.” been modified so much I Jackson, WY 83001 of great regional impor don’tknowhowmuchhis 307-739-2447 (home) tance. 307-739-2275 (work) Carole Hafley torical significance • Georgia Ligori “These they are notnation would have,” he said. Box 3950 allysignificantstructures Jackson, WY 83001 “PartofitisJacksonHole 307-733-5051 and soin terms (home) ofgetting federal money is looked upon as place to invest your • 307-733-5929 (work) for • •CaroleHofley maintenance, it’s not possible,” money to tap into the tourist industry Johnson said. “It’s Box 767 pretty low on the to and people who come here to do that are Wilson, WY 83014 tem pole.” 307-733-7727 notinterestedinpreservinghistoricchar (home) Currently, the • Silver L. Jacobson park has about 125 acter,they’reinterestedininvestingtheir Box 272 propertieslistedontheNationalHistoric money.” Teton Village, WY 83025 Register, but in Jackson Hole, only a Hofley agreeswithKummertbatalot 307-739-1721 (home) handful of 307-733-1770 (work) properties arelistedinclucling of buildings have been torn • Robert Rudd Jedediah’s down and Original House ofSourdough replaced, or reused and not preserved, Box 400 and St. John’s Episcopal Church. Wilson, WY 83014 but she has high hopes for the Historic 307-733-3385 (home) “There’s alotofsites thatthe commu Preservation Board. • Robin LA Hartnett nity Box 3780 would like to see preserved and • “A lot ofpeople have been concerned primarily, the one Jackson, WY 83001 the community has aboutpreservationinthepark(andJack 307-733-5902 (home) contacted me about is the barns at Mor sonHole),” she said. “I think 307-733-5233 (work) therewillbe • Lorna Miller mon Row,” Johnson said. “Ifwe’re going a good partnership, but to it won’t save Box 261 see those sites preserved, we’re going every building.” Wilson, WY 83014 307-733-7574 (home) Metion carried. The meeting was recessed and an Executive Session was tak JWf i4/qq Lytjen is new director of the historical society • Director was working periods; while teaching at Greens boro College in North Carolina, she at NMWA previously. also worked at a Moravian historical site near Winston-Salem. Lytjen By Mark Huffman later worked at the Elizabeth II State Historic Site in North Caro The Jackson Hole Historical lina. The museum there was dedi Society and Museum went just up cated to the early English settlement the road to find its new executive of the area by colonists led by Sir director, finding the person at the Walter Raleigh. National Museum ofWildlife Art. Before coming to Jackson in 1993, Lokey Lytjen has been working at Lytjen was assistant director of the NMWA as its director of public pro Art Gallery at the University of New grams, overseeing adult and chil Hampshire. dren’s education activities and coor Lytjen serves as a member of the dinating with other groups in related Wyoming Council for the Human fields for programs of use to both. ities. She also is associated with the “It’s a wonderful organization,” Partners, a Jackson Hole Cultural Lytjen said of the historical society Council program that promotes coop and museum. “I’m pleased to be cho eration beteen Jackson Hole sen to be part of it.” schools and cultural organizations. Lytjen replaces Larry Kummer, Lytjen will be on hand to meet the who is retiring. Lytjen will work public during an open house set to half days at her new job next week mark the reopening of the Jackson and begins full-time after that. Hole Museum for the summer. Lytjen described herself as having The museum, at the corner of “a history fetish” that was fueled by Glenwood and Deloney, will reopen her childhood in Savannah, Ga.