Jackson Photos

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From Wyoming Tales and Trails

This Page: The Clubhouse, the Jackson Mercantile, Mercill's Store.



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Town Square, Jackson, 1920's, looking southeast toward what is now known as the "Crabtree Corner." Center Street is to the left, Broadway to the right and Deloney in the immediate foreground.

The long building with awning to the right of the Clubhouse is the Jackson Mercantile. To the left of the Mercantile is Mercill's Store. The Town established the grade for the streets surrounding the Square in 1917. In addition to operating the Mercantile, the Van Vlecks purchased the V Bar V near Hoback Junction in 1909. In 1913, the brothers split the operations with Roy receiving the Mercantile and Frank getting the ranch. Barely visible in the photo to the left of the intersection and the cluster of small buildings is the Crabtree Hotel depicted and discussed on a subsequent page.


Town Square, Jackson, looking east towards Center Street, approx. 1933. Photo by Charles Wesley Andrews.

Downstairs in the Clubhouse was commercial space including the Jackson Drug Co. discussed on a subsequent page. Upstairs was a hall which could be used as a gymnasium and for community events such as dances and community meetings. Indeed, former governor and United States Senator Cliff Hansen learned to wrestle in the Clubhouse. In 1920, the dance floor was renovated. In the 1920's, music for the dances was provided by the Fuller Orchestra. With the valley's isolation and possibly to relieve "cabin fever," planning for dances began in the late autumn. The bachelors of the town sponsored two dances. The married men sponsored another, with the result that during the winter there was a dance every weekend. One Bachelor's Dance lasted until midnight followed by a banquet at the Crabtree Hotel which lasted until 4:00 a.m. The post office was on the same side of the street. It has been said that during dances, some of the men would stash their liquor in their post office boxes so as to have it readily available.


Planting trees in Town Square, looking east toward Center Street, Jackson, 1933. Photo by S. N. Leek.

Prior to the construction of a permanent school building, the Club House was also used for the school. Other funtions were conducted in other halls. A weekly picture show was held on Friday nights at the Odd Fellows Hall then located on what is the southwest corner of the Town Square. The Odd Fellows were not moved to their present location on the north side of Deloney until 1934. The Odd Fellows Hall also hosted regular wrestling matches. During the summer, small travelling troups put on plays at the Woodmen of the World Hall. In the winter, local groups would put on the plays.


Clubhouse, looking east across Square from Cache, approx. 1938,.

About 1920, Jackson had a population of approximately 500. Businesses consisted of the Jackson Drug Co., Jackson Mercantile, a tailor, a bank, Jones Grocery, Mercill's Grocery, two billiard halls, a laundry, two barber shops, a blacksmith, Wort's livery barn, two hotels, a taxidermy, a meat market, a garage, and a leather shop. Liquor was available for "medicinal purposes" at the drug store. As of August 2003 the town had a population of approximately 6,600. By 2011 it population had grown to 9,710.


Jackson, 1941, photo by Marion Post Walcott

For discussion of Marion Post Walcott, see Sheridan II. Note that Mercill's store sells everything from boots to vegetables. William Mercill (1888-1969) was one of the men defeated for election in 1920 when an all woman city government was elected.


Center Street, looking north toward intersection with Deloney, approx. 1940.


Town Square, Jackson, 2003, looking southeast from Deloney, photo by Geoff Dobson

Next Page: Jackson continued.