WILSON, Wyo. — Dozens of community members showed up for the first-ever classic car tour of historic barns in Jackson Hole on Sunday, Sept. 29. A total of 125 participants and 35 classic cars registered for the family event.
“It turns out car lovers love barns and barn lovers love cars,” Classic Cars and Old Barns Event Organizer Katherine Wonson told Buckrail.
Recently polished classics, old trucks, jeeps and sport cars could be seen driving down colorful tree-lined streets in Jackson and Wilson.
It was a beautiful fall day and drivers and kids waved to passersby as they followed the tour’s map to each destination.
The self-guided tour started at the Jackson Hole Hereford Ranch, an operational 100-year-old barn run by the Gill family. The next stop on the map was the big, red Hardeman Barn that was built in the early 1940s, and is now part of Teton Raptor Center’s campus. Next, families drove their vintage cars to Trail Creek Ranch to visit the 1930s Bircher Barn. Lastly, the tour ended at the Rocking H Ranch and its 1920s barn.
Families were given tours of each structure and local volunteers shared the generational stories weaved throughout each building’s history.
Children participated in a scavenger hunt in search of different fun items at each barn.
Car drivers were also on the look-out for each barn’s featured classic car, all of which are in working use. Even the 1971 IMP snowcat is still used to spread hay in the winter for the horses at Trail Creek Ranch. The day ended along the banks of the Snake River with lunch and music.
Participants voted for their favorite car. All three winners received a trophy, a free tire rotation donated by Big O Tires and a free oil change donated by Express Lube.
Car winners were as follows:
- First place: Jamie Gilbert’s 1949 Plymouth Woody Special Deluxe
- Second place: Phil Horstmann’s 1968 Ford F350
- Third place: Are Friesecke’s 1971 Citroen DS 21
