Named “Grovont” by the U.S. Post Office, the area was more commonly known as Mormon Row due to the predominant religion of its residents. In 1896, a group of Mormons escaping drought in Utah settled on the rich soils east of Blacktail Butte along Ditch Creek. With only 60 frost-free days, the community relied heavily on shared labor and tools, along with quick-growing crops such as oats. They worked hard to clear the area of sagebrush and established intricate irrigation systems involving a network of levees and dikes, some of which continue to transport water to the area today. Long winters and drought caused many Mormon Row residents to sell their properties to the Snake River Land Company in the 1930s, which soon became part of Grand Teton National Park. Although over 100 residents lived in the Mormon Row community in the 1920s, only six homesteads remain visible today. They are some of the most visited sites in Jackson Hole.
Despite various maintenance efforts over the years, today the structures at Mormon Row are in poor condition. As they deteriorate, the area grows increasingly unsafe for visitors. The Foundation is currently raising funds to enable work this summer to improve structural longevity and visitor safety at Mormon Row. Thanks to the generous support of Foundation donors, including the Community Foundation of Jackson Hole, $10,000 has been raised for this effort to date. An additional $5,000 is needed to complete the park’s goals for the area this year. If you would like to contribute to the success of this project and help us preserve this iconic area, please make a donation here or contact Leslie Mattson at GTNPF.
