Department of Cultural Resources: Special History Study Grant for Research on the Rockefeller Family’s Contribution to the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem

Often overshadowed by their dedication to conservation and the expansion of Grand Teton National Park, the Rockefellersâ¿¿ interest in the cultural values and history of the GYE resulted in major preservation and museum projects in the early and mid twentieth-century. Working through the Snake River Land Company and later the Jackson Hole Preserve, Inc., John D. Rockefeller, Jr. and Laurance S. Rockefeller, known primarily in the GYE for their land conservation efforts, were frequently drawn to the cultural and human history of the areas where their conservation occurred, resulting in unique preservation and cultural history projects that impacted the course of their conservation work. Unfortunately, this dedication has never been fully and concisely documented, having been overshadowed by their environmental conservation work. The final report generated by this project will provide park cultural resource managers and interpreters with a more complete picture of the Rockefeller familyâ¿¿s cultural work in area, and will help inform management decisions.