Photos by Sublette.com and Pinedale Online unless otherwise credited.
Hoback River
Church of St. Hubert the Hunter
Bondurant, Wyoming
The Church of St. Hubert the Hunter is located in the picturesque Hoback River valley in Bondurant, Wyoming, set against the Gros Ventre Mountains as a backdrop. Bondurant is a small ranching community, population 100 in 2001, between Jackson and Daniel, Wyoming. The church building, and the adjacent library which was built in 1943, are located on a one-acre parcel of land which is now Bridger-Teton National Forest via a Special Use Permit issued in 1940.
In the 1930s, Bondurant did not have a church or community center. In 1937, Bishop Winfred H. Ziegler, Episcopal Bishop of Wyoming, found himself stranded in the little town one winter. Local ranchers and their families made him feel welcome and extended their hospitality to him until the winter storm passed. Some time later he got the opportunity to help Bondurant get the church and community center they wanted. While talking with Bishop Perry, presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church in America, he learned the story of a woman who had given him a diamond some years before her death. Mrs. John Markoe gave him her cherished heirloom with the request that he sell the stone and build a memorial church with the proceeds. When Bishop Perry approached jewelers about the gems worth, they offered only half of what he knew the value to be, so he kept it for some time in a safety deposit box. Bishop Ziegler immediately thought of Bondurant, Wyoming, and discussed the idea of using the money from selling the diamond to build a church there. Both Bishops agreed that Bondurant really needed a church and that same week Bishop Perry sold the diamond for $1,400.
When Bishop Ziegler returned to Wyoming and Bondurant, he rounded up volunteers in the community to help build a church and community hall. In late March or early April of 1939 Bishop Ziegler, two other priests, and some twenty-five ranch men formed a group to set on the task of cutting logs for the new church. With the snow still deep on the ground, the group crossed the high, cold water of the Hoback River with a team and sled to get to the forest on the other side. As the team crossed the river, they fell through the ice up to their bellies. The sled followed, showering the Bishop with icy water, but he took it all in good humor and the group proceeded on. At noon they built a fire and melted snow to make coffee and had their lunch, then went back to cutting logs. By four that day they had enough logs felled and returned home. The logs were later snaked out of the woods by teams of horses and hauled to the church building site in the valley.
The church had only five rounds of logs up on the walls when the first service was held there, a wedding ceremony, during the fall of 1940. The ranchers resumed their donated time and work to complete the building in the spring of 1941. Money from the sale of the Mrs. Markoe's diamond covered the purchase of the flooring, glass and hardware for the new church.
On August 3, 1941, the first free Bondurant Barbecue was held at the church, with food donated by local families and a steer donated by a Big Piney rancher. Bishop Ziegler, and the Governor of Wyoming, were in attendance and were brought to the church from the Triangle "F" Ranch by stagecoach. Many other people followed from surrounding ranches on horseback. In all, more than 500 people attended the church ceremony, which became the forerunner of to
day's annual Bondurant Barbecue.
Before 1941, the town of Bondurant did not have a church in their community. The Church of St. Hubert the Hunter was built in 1941 as a memorial church with money obtained by the sale of a diamond.
The Ladies Guild of Bondurant, formerly the Crazy Calico Club formed in 1931, took over the responsibility of the upkeep of the church. They planned and raised money for a new library and dispensary, which was erected in 1942. The group held bake sales, raffles of donated items, and anything else they could think of to raise money to maintain the church, including holding the annual Bondurant Barbeque. The ticket prices were kept at $1.50 for adults and $1.00 for children until 1966, when they were forced to raise prices in order to help pay for needed repairs on the buildings. Each year, local ranchers donate the beef and the people of Bondurant cook up the baked beans, home baked cakes, potato and kraut salads and feed some 500-900 people. The Barbeque of 1972 was held in honor of Bishop Ziegler, and he was able to attend and speak at the gathering. The Bondurant Barbeque is now held each year on the last Sunday in June immediately following outdoor church services. Money from the proceeds helps pay for the maintenance of the church and is also donated to area organizations such as the Sublette County Welfare, St. John's Hospital in Jackson, the Bondurant School. Money has also been used to rejuvenate the local cemetery, helped local families in time of need, and to send remembrances to members during times of illness.
The carving of St. Hubert the Hunter was hand-carved in Germany and donated to the church. The collection plate was donated to the church by Mr. and Mrs. Robert W. Maercklein.
Church remains much the way it was in 1941. Originally a coal shed to the east was separate from the church, but they were connected by a log addition in 1980. Around 1970, a concrete foundation was poured to replace the original log piers. In 1976, a green metal roof was added to cover the original rolled asphalt roofing. In 1979, the plumbing was hooked up in the new kitchen and two restrooms were installed. Regular church services are still held today at the building by the Reverend from the Pinedale St. Andrews in the Pines church, who travels to Bondurant to hold services.
Pinedale is the natural gateway to the Wind River Range and associated Bridger Wilderness, while Big Piney and Marbleton make great basecamps for those venturing into the beautiful and less-discovered Wyoming Range on the western side of the county. The entire county is over 80% federally owned, with large tracts of BLM and National Forest lands. While energy is the current primary economic engine, supplanting tourism in the last several years, ranching is the prevailing historic culture
Bondurant, Wyoming
This small community is named for B.F Bondurant who established his ranch in the Hoback Canyon in 1900 and later he scr-bondurantchurch2.jpgbuilt a store and post office. Bondurant is a small ranch community located in the mountains of the scenic Hoback Canyon on US Highway 191 between Pinedale and Jackson Hole. It sits at 6,588 feet elevation and is bordered by the scenic Gros Ventre Wilderness area and the Hoback River. Many of the residents live here only in the warmer summer months and "snowbird" out during the winter due to the deep snow the valley tends to get in the winter months.
Population for the town proper is officially about 100 people. The town has an elementary school for the kindergarten through fifth grades. Older students are bussed 43 miles to the middle and high schools in Pinedale. The town has a post office, but it is located several miles to the south of the actual town of Bondurant.
One of the big events in this community is the Annual Bondurant BBQ held the last Sunday in June at St. Hubert the Hunter Church. For this community social gathering, local ranchers donate two whole beef which are barbecued in an open pit. This tradition began on August 3, 1941 at the dedication of this little country church. This event usually draws around 800 people. The money raised helps to maintain the little log church, which was enrolled in the National Register of Historic Places on January 24, 2002. Money from the annual Bondurant BBQ also helps support the community hall and some local services.
In addition to its ranching heritage, the area also is significant historically and has many uniqur recreational opportunities nearby. The are many outdoor recreational activities to enjoy in Bondurant including fishing, hunting, snowmobiling and horseback riding. The nearby Gros Ventre Wilderness Area is remote and relatively unknown, offering spectactular scenic views for hiking and hunting. Granite Hot Springs makes a great destination both summer and winter to enjoy the uncrowded thermal pool and nearby campground.
Bondurant and HobackArea History
On Sept. 26 1811, the Astor party with William Price Hunt, 61 people and 118 horses entered the Hoback Canyon near Bondurant while making their way westward to the Pacific Ocean. The basin was known then as Jackson's Little Hole. The three legendary trappers, Hoback Reznor and Robinson, guided the party. These were the first known white men to pass through the Upper Green river Valley. From that time on, the stream and canyon became known as The Hoback.
The oldest carving date found in Sublette County is located on the Ferris Ranch near Dell Creek, in the Hoback Basin near Bondurant. Don Ferris found this on a rock covered with shrubs, near his home, where he had lived since about 1919. He found it in 1961. the carving is M A. 1791. It could be an M P. The A or P is indistinct. It is considered to be the oldest carved date in the county.
The town of Daniel located in the Green River Valley was settled in 1899 by Thomas Pixley Daniel, although it was not incorporated until Feb. 1, 1900. Just west of Daniel at the confluence of the Green River and Horse Creek is one of the original sites of the fur traders and Indians rendezvous. Beginning in the 1930's the reenactments of the Green River Rendezvous were held at this site. Now the pageants are held annually in Pinedale the second week in July. The old Daniel School house which is registered as a national historic landmark is now the Daniel Community Center. This is an area rich with history and the community club has recently published a book "Daniel, Wyoming - The first Hundred Years" to commemorate their centennial. The Community Center also sponsors such events as the Aniel Daniel Chili Cook-Off in April as well as the Old Timer's Picnic in July. The Green River Library registered as an official library in the Library of Congress is located in the Green River Bar. If you would like to learn more about the Daniel Schoolhouse, visit the Sublette County Historic Buildings page.
Boulder is a small community located 12 miles south of Pinedale, in the New Fork River Valley. It has a population of approximately 75 people and was originally a ranching community. The Boulder School was consolidated in with the Pinedale schools in the mid-60's. The old Boulder School became the Boulder Community Center in the mid-70's. The Cowbelles Harvest Ball and the Pinedale Fine Arts Council Black Tie & Blues
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