WILSON, Wyo. — The Teton County Historic Preservation Board was recently awarded grant funding to complete a historic survey of downtown Wilson and on Tuesday, March 7, the Teton County Board of County Commissioners approved the grant agreement.
The Teton County Historic Preservation Board will now be tasked with hiring a contractor to complete a survey of the “commercial core” of Wilson to determine if it is eligible to be a historic district.
The grant from the State Histroric Preservation Office will provide $14,000 for the survey. Teton County will contribute $4,500. An in-kind match from the Preservation Board is listed valuing $4,834, which includes volunteer hours from the Board.
The survey is projected to cost $23,334.
According to the grant application, “several historic buildings have come up for sale and there is interest in the Wilson community in finding preservation buyers…our survey will provide professional documentation for the public about Wilson’s historic buildings and architectural heritage.”
The application cites Nora’s Fish Creek Inn, the Stagecoach Bar and Hungry Jack’s General Store as historic properties.
Hungry Jack’s closed on Feb. 17 for renovations after the propery was purchased in January by Hungry Jack’s Company, a recently formed coalition of 210 community investors who bought all of the 300 shares for $25,000 per individual share.
In September 2022, Nora’s announced they would be closing their doors after 40 years but just a few weeks later, Nora’s was purchased by locals Tom Fay and Eddie Opler. The new buyers promised to keep the breakfast restaurant basically as-is, with a few changes. They reopened the restaurant in October with a similar menu and a new coffee purveyor, Overview.
According to the grant, a consultant must be hired prior to July 1. The grant period ends Sept. 30, the same day the final report is due.
“The experience inherent in a night at the Stagecoach or breakfast at Nora’s before a day of skiing is a critical fiber in the fabric of our local culture,” states the application.
