In the Spotlight: The Wort Hotel

Established in 1941, the Wort Hotel has served as a town landmark and social hub ever since. This cornerstone of Jackson’s frontier history is widely involved in many aspects of the community, including support for Foundation initiatives—trail restoration, wildlife research, and youth engagement—in Grand Teton National Park.  Here to discuss the iconic property and its commitment to Jackson is Jim Waldrop, general manager.

 

What’s your favorite part of the hotel’s history and how does it feel to work for such a renowned place?  As stewards of this landmark, it’s an honor to carry on the Wort’s rich traditions.  I enjoy the lore surrounding gambling and the unconfirmed escape tunnels under the hotel.  I also love the story of how the community rallied to get the Wort back in operation within one year after it was devastated by fire in 1980.

Recently the hotel has won several prestigious awards, including a Four-Star rating from Forbes and the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Best Small Historic Hotel in America. What steps has the hotel taken to achieve these accolades?  There were critical steps in three areas:  staff development, capital improvements, and community involvement.  We have undertaken intensive staff training specific to providing gracious hospitality, our ownership has committed the capital dollars to restore every inch of the hotel, and we’ve encouraged all levels of our organization to get involved with the community.

The Wort is a tremendous community partner and has supported Foundation initiatives for over 9 years.  Why did the hotel decide Grand Teton was a priority?  We believe that a visit to Grand Teton is at the core of every guest's experience.  From front desk agents to housekeeping and engineer staff, we encourage each of our associates to share their experiences with guests and to get out and enjoy the park. We recognize the importance of preserving one of our nation's greatest treasures and committing dollars toward this cause is a priority for the Baxters (the owners) and the Wort. 

Given the Wort’s long history, are there legendary stories to share about the hotel?  The hotel has a history of high profile guests.  One of the most talked about events was in 1951 when the cast of the movie Shane stayed at the hotel.  Each morning locals would gather at the base of the stairs to watch leading lady Jean Arthur slide down the banister in grand style.

We would like to thank the Wort Hotel for its widespread support for the Jackson community and Grand Teton. To learn more about the Wort Hotel, check out this fantastic article in the Jackson Hole News and Guide.