Legacy of the Tetons: Homesteading in Jackson Hole

by Candy Vyvey Moulton

Today's Jackson Hole is a magnet for tourists who come for a taste of the American West. However, before the cars and buses, homesteaders on horseback and in wagons saw the beauty of the land and built their homes within sight of the majestic Grand Tetons. This second edition of Legacy of the Tetons is a narrative of the bravery, love, heartbreak, joy, and fortitude of the early pioneers. Candy Moulton shares the struggles of those who lived and died on the land--some of whom came on foot in the Mormon Handcart Migration and established the settlement known today as Mormon Row.
"The tightly-drawn story line of this new edition of Legacy of the Tetons . . . lures you into the compelling world of the real Western frontier, where fur trappers, emigrants, and homesteaders fought for survival every day of their lives. This book is a priceless contribution to the study of Western history in general, and Wyoming history especially."--W. Michael and Kathleen O'Neal Gear, authors of People of the Moon

Genres: History

192 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1998

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the Tetons and I love learning about the early homesteaders who settled the West so this book was absolutely fascinating to me. It’s full of interesting stories and information about the families who lived on Mormon Row. It was well-written and I felt like I’d gone back in time and experienced the harsh winters and other challenges they faced right along with these tough men and women.

[Alan Fisher · Rating 3 out of 5]

History of European settlers in Jackson Hole Wyoming focusing on the Mormon Row settlement near the Gros Ventre river.

[Alan Bates · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this quick read of a book of the history of Jackson Hole in general and Mormon Row in particular, written by somebody who married into the Moulton family.

[Judy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having just returned from a two-day stay in the Tetons, I enjoyed the background info in this book, but now I need to return so I can see some of the things I missed.

Moulton starts with the mandatory chapter about Native Americans' presence in the area, and she briefly addresses the trappers and earliest settlers. Then she jumps into the heart of the story, the people who came to claim homesteads and the challenges they faced as they struggled to survive in this harsh but stunning land. Vyvey married a Moulton, who was a descendant of one of the original homestead families, so she has personal buy-in to the place, but I quickly bogged down in all of the names. I trudged through quite a few pages before I decided that I didn't need to keep track of all these people, so I read past the names and gained insight into their lives. As is to be expected, their stories are similar to those of other people who settled in the Rocky Mtns, however the Teton geology presented some disastrous situations that were unique to the area.

A convenient map is included in the introduction, and the Moulton and May families are outlined in genealogies in the Appendix.

[Brandi Hudman · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a great book. I loved the history of the area.