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Rockefeller Family Turns Over More than 1,100 Acres to Grand Teton National Park

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A winter day's sunrise over the Tetons. NPS Photo by K. Finch

After negotiating a paperwork gauntlet, a tract of more than 1,100 acres has been transferred by the Rockefeller family to Grand Teton National Park.

While the idea was kindled back in May 2001, the Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve, valued at $160 million, didn't officially become part of the park until this past Tuesday, November 6. Long a private inholding located within the southwest corner of the park on the eastern shore of Phelps Lake, the land since the 1930s had served as a private retreat for the Rockefeller family. Over the years the Rockefeller had donated roughly 2,000 acres of the so-called JY Ranch to the park; this latest transfer is the last piece of the ranch.

While the preserve's trail system is now open to the public, its education center will not open until next spring.

The JY Ranch was part of approximately 35,000 acres of valley lands purchased by John D. Rockefeller, Jr. during the late 1920s and early 1930s for the purpose of protecting and enlarging Grand Teton National Park. In those days the purchase of the ranch itself cost Mr. Rockefeller $90,000.

The JY Ranch was originally purchased in 1906 by Lewis Joy and is considered to be the first true dude ranch in Jackson Hole. John D. Rockefeller, Jr. purchased the ranch in 1932, intending to include it in a sizeable land donation to the park. Over the years, however, it became a treasured family retreat and remained private property. Laurance inherited the JY from his father, and in the 1990s arranged for the transfer of a significant portion of the ranch—some 2000 acres—to Grand Teton.

One of the requirements for the transfer set by Laurance Rockefeller was that the existing seven miles of roads within the JY boundaries, its existing log buildings and its utilities be removed so as to restore the area’s natural landscape. Park officials say that approximately half of the structures were donated to Grand Teton for reuse as employee housing and related facilities; the other buildings were relocated to a new family property outside the park. A portion of this work had begun before Mr. Rockefeller passed away at the age of 94 on July 11, 2004.

With the seasonal closure of the Moose-Wilson Road to vehicles on November 1, visitors may only access the Preserve grounds by hiking or biking on the Moose-Wilson Road to reach the Preserve’s entrance gate and parking area located approximately 1.75 miles north of the Granite Canyon trailhead and about .5 mile south of the Death Canyon turnoff. Those who bicycle in, can lock their bikes to the racks located in the parking lot before setting out to hike the eight miles of established trails to reach Phelps Lake and the surrounding Teton Range. Visitors are encouraged to stay on the designated hiking trails; and bikes are not allowed on the Preserve’s trails.

For some more insight into this transfer and the beauty of the land, check out this story that Tony Perrottet wrote for Smithsonian Magazine earlier this year.

Comments

Rick,

Not to be contrarian (!) - how does one answer such a thing?! LOL - but the truth is that I'm an anarchist. I've said that many times here. So, I do have a worldview, and the intent isn't to be contrarian but because I believe that society is far, far too large, that it's become abstract and that we've lost touch with each other and with the people and beings we love. We care more about abstract ideas like nations, "individuals" like corporations, bureaucracies like the Park Service, than we do about what we live and breathe every single day.

Since my point of view about society at large is in such a small, small minority, I am bound to come across as a contrarian. In truth, I believe in building consensus and agreement. That's how I organize as an activist - that's how I get along with the vast majority of people who are not activists or anarchists - how I keep a job and a family. But, when it comes to things that matter most to me - and Yellowstone frankly matters most to me (and that includes Grand Teton) - then my views are going to come out most strongly, and being from a point of view that only the scantest have, it's going to come off as contrarian. I am suspicious of anything too large - whether that be large corporations or large government. It's not easy being outside the normal political spectrum, agreeing with the right that government has no reason to be so large but disagreeing so strongly that we should simply let the "market" figure things out, agreeing with the left that the smallest in our society should be protected but disagreeing that government is the ultimate answer to that question. Disagreeing with the right (but agreeing with the left) that the individual must be accountable to a community, disagreeing with the left (but agreeing with the right) that the community should ever be synonymous with the state apparatus. And, yet, that doesn't make me a moderate, either! But, I know I am someone, not simply contrary, that my contrariness amounts to something - perhaps the most something a human can be (to believe that the plants and animals and wind and air and our families and our friends are what are left to us when the constructs of society are torn down and that those things that touch us are most important).

Anyhow, that's why - even in a place I love as much as Yellowstone - I focus right now on one aspect of it, the buffalo and have gotten involved with organizing here in Bozeman. It would be hard to be motivated if I were simply against. There has to be a better way, eh?

Jim Macdonald
The Magic of Yellowstone
Yellowstone Newspaper
Jim's Eclectic World


Jim--

Thanks for the clarification. And, I agree that there has to be a better way. I admire the work that you are doing on behalf of the buffalo. You and the other activists are making huge sacrifices to support your point of view. I must say that I am not encouraged by yesterday's announcement that Secretary Kempthorne is appointing a new bison advisory group. It smells like last minute politics and will undoubtably take the next president, no matter who he is, some time to un-FUBAR the appointments to the group and its marching orders.

Rick Smith


Rick,

I agree wholeheartedly with you on Kempthorne's announcement regarding the bison advisory group.

On the plus side for buffalo - a very small plus but one nevertheless - it's looking like cattle in Greater Yellowstone will be managed differently than outside the area. It's something like Gov. Schweitzer's split state idea applied to the entire area. The hope I have is that because brucellosis transmission inside of Greater Yellowstone won't affect entire states (only those few who are near Yellowstone), then that might buy some time for buffalo.

But, now CWD has been found in a moose in NW Wyoming, and I'm afraid that just as things felt like they might be turning slightly in our favor, everything is going to hit the fan now - because this truly is a terrible disease. I was talking with Mike Mease of BFC a couple weekends ago, and I informed him about the bad news. He's very worried about this development, though it adds fuel to the fire - why are the feds and states spending so much time on brucellosis when there's this real disease problem on the horizon?

And, now they want this new advisory board - no thanks.

Jim Macdonald
The Magic of Yellowstone
Yellowstone Newspaper
Jim's Eclectic World


Well, Jim, it is fine to be a contrarian in the abstract, and it is hard not to be affected by the American romantic anarchistic or libertarian vision, but the bottom line is getting the critical mass of support to make the differences we need NOW.

Pragmatism is also an american virtue.

And, lately, the Rockefellers have made the difference in any number of key environmental disputes. And, lately, they tend to support national parks. They are able to get political officals to answer the phone and talk about new environmental initiatives when no one else seems to bother or be heard. No doubt the concerns many of today's Rockefellers have raised about the Arctic Wildlife Refuge does ameliorate to some extent the passion for drilling found in american oil companies, notwithstanding the fact that a lot of Rockefeller money is still tied up in oil companies.

My guess is the Rockefellers can get a seat at the table when you, Jim, or I cannot. Yes, it rankles my radical roots to think about the affect the Robber Barons and the Priviledged have in the Land Of The Free. But, right now we need all the friends we can get.

When somebody does the right thing, praise them. We are beyond the point where we can support only the completely virtuous, even if you are able to perceive which individual really truly is virtuous, and who is not. Me, anymore, I just pick up the marbles that are on the table.

So, Jim: Time for some smart pragmatism. Next time, thank the Rockefellers for what they do, unless you want to discourage any further good acts from others in their Set.


Jeepers, Beamis, there's not much grey area in your conception of the world, is there? So, our immorality exceeds all other's, and this comic book version of history you would install in place of any kind of real understanding of how things are, and how they work?

Beamis, i do try to give your stuff the benefit of the doubt. Sure, nothing exceeds like excess. It can have great entertainment value. But this rant in response to the preservation of the Grand Tetons? This gives a new meaning to 'over the top.'

It's time, Beamis: Get The Hook.


Sorry, Bemis, but I don't buy your bleak assessment of the world or the US. Nor do I agree with your characterization of the two candidates as a socialist and a fascist. Your unremitting pessimism is hard to read. For you, apparently, the glass is neither half full nor half empty; it's empty. It must be hard to get up every morning.

Rick Smith


Bravo Mr Mcdonald you have once again put your anarchy stamp on yet another story here at Traveler. This discussion centers on the thoughtful and forward thinking of the Rockefellers who have done some amazing things in this country for national parks including making Acadia National Park even possible, since most of the park is their land--no doubt swindled as you might say from misinformed and bullied landowners who had no idea what their oceanside land was worth and got pillaged in the sale. Perhaps th efamily did nothing more than suggest that they would do nothing to hurt the land and indeed protect it from future generations who might want to profit from it--but I digress. You've mananged to once again spark a political debate within an issue that has nothing to do with poltics but conservation. I'm not sure anarchists and conservation go together....so what is your point???? I agree with the grounded folk here in this thread...praise any conservation effort made by any group, because like it or not it's a step in a positive direction. Even if it's not a popular one, it is a step that encourages many more steps. I think you should try your optimist suit on...it might be a much better fit.


Last time I checked, this article was about Grand Teton, not the economic policy....


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