Restoring a neglected National Historic Landmark is no small task. Taking into consideration the original materials, and the relative isolation of the location, it's a wonder the building exists at all.
Originally built in 1903 by an enterprising local timber mill operator, (as a wedding present for his daughter) the Ten Sleep Mercantile building featured the "toniest" fixtures and accroutements of the time. Secret passageways, lift systems, wall-to-wall shelving, a full basement warehouse, coal-fired radiant heating, and electrified lighting. Topping all of this off was an elaborate 3,000 square foot pressed tin ceiling, hauled over the mountains by wagon and applied one sheet at a time. Using raw cut fir lumber, timbers as thick as a man's leg, the original builders raised a landmark to craftsmenship and mechanics, which eventually housed a variety of enterprises, from prostitution and liquor, to dry goods and live music. The store served as a focal point for the residents of Ten Sleep (Pop. 304) for over 100 years, a community center to share news from far away, and gossip from just down the block.
As time slipped on, the structure served as a variety of restaurants, until it was finally abandoned in 2005. Weather and neglect took their toll, until in 2006, new owners Marcus and Lori Huff purchased the property and set about restoring it to its intended glory. Enlisting a collective of local artists and craftsmen, the building was soon a honeycomb of activity, with plumbers, painters, carpenters and electricians tearing, shoring and rebuilding around the clock.
On Memorial Day 2007, the Big Horn Mountain Stage opened her squeeky screendoor once again, to reclaim her rightful title as the "Jewel of the Big Horn Basin". Onward and Upward Rolling into 2008, the BHMS crew is still hard at work, working on the neverending list of things to be finished or improved, and finalizing the newest addition to the property, Sackett's Fork, a restaurant serving homemade pizza from a 20,000 ton, handmade wood-fired brick oven. Don't be shy to say hello when you visit; even though we keep a busy schedule, our carpenters and staff are always eager to give tours and explain the history of the building. We hope to see you soon.
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