Like many parts of the West, the area now known as the Grand Tetons were settled by followers of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in the late 1800s. They started homesteads in what became Jackson, Wyoming with plenty of room for their large families.
Community was important to these people, so their homes were clustered together to share the workload and responsibilities. The area was known as Grovont, for the nearby Gros Ventre River, but today is named for their faith: Mormon Row.
The settlers did everything by hand, from digging levees to feed water to their fields to building barns and homes, many of which still stand today. In fact, people still did, and do, live within the confines of Grand Teton National Park when it was created in 1929. Electricity in the homes didn’t arrive until the 1950s but now the buildings on Mormon Row are for educational purposes only.
Perhaps the most iconic photo you can take of Mormon Row is the Moulton Barns up against the crags of the Grand Tetons. The two remaining barns were built by settlers John and Thomas Moulton before both moved away to more traditional homes nearby.
The Andy Chambers homestead included a log cabin and stable and is the most extensive property on Mormon Row. It closely resembles what the homestead would have looked like when the family lived there.
If you’re visiting Mormon Row to photograph, choose a time when the fog isn’t completely covering the Teton Range, which can be tricky, depending on the season you’re visiting during. And if it’s overcast, wait just a few minutes and it will likely clear up.
Sunrise and sunset are beautiful over the barns but come with your monopod or tripod for best results. Park on the road so that other cars may pass. The park is open 24/7 with a pass if you want to capture it at night.
Very interesting. I haven’t ever been to the Grand Tetons and didn’t realize they were first settled by the Mormons. Lovely country.