Barn Doors Open!
Coincident with the summer solstice, Teton Raptor Center officially opened the doors to the beautifully renovated historic Moseley/Hardeman Barn, as the venue for our year-round conservation programming. The barn was originally owned by aviator Major C.C. Moseley and was built between 1940-1942 by Wesley Bircher. The windproof Gothic-arch structure is an icon of Wilson. Between 1956-1989, the Hardeman family utilized this barn and others for their prized Hereford operation. In 1989, through a community-wide fundraising effort spearheaded by the Jackson Hole Land Trust, the 137-acre ranch was permanently protected and placed under conservation easement.
Teton Raptor Center began leasing two buildings on the ranch in late 2008 and in April 2017, Teton Raptor Center purchased the 27-acre parcel with the barn. From that point forward, TRC has worked diligently to continue all of our raptor conservation efforts through education, research, and rehabilitation, while also embarking on a $12 million site improvement project that includes a state-of-the-art rehabilitation clinic for injured, ill, and orphaned raptors, a flight barn that accelerates raptor patient recovery by allowing birds to exercise and build stamina before returning to the wild, and “The Roost” a home for our avian ambassadors. TRC also restored the historic horse barn as a home for our research team and Sporting Lead-Free initiative. Another transformative component of the overall project was the creation of workforce housing.
The final chapter of this campus improvement is all about community, conservation, and collaboration by creating a space for education to occur year-round. The adaptive re-use of the Moseley/Hardeman Barn signifies a bright future for raptor conservation. The space includes a Learning Lab, Nature Shop, program office, and a soaring loft for live raptor programs.
The best way to experience this space is to join us for a program this summer. Avian Experiences are offered Wednesday – Saturday at 2 p.m. through September 30th, reservations are required. The Nature Shop is open Wednesday – Saturday from noon – 4 p.m. and by appointment. Stay tuned for special offerings in August during our Locals’ Appreciation month.
Click on the link below to learn more about how Teton Raptor Center is bringing historic preservation and natural conservation together in this article by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
We thank the National Trust for Historic Preservation and hundreds of other supporters who came together to bring this capital project and campaign to a successful conclusion.
We look forward to seeing you in the barn!
