History

In May 2001, Laurance S. Rockefeller announced his intent to donate the 1106-acre JY Ranch to Grand Teton National Park.  During a ceremony held at the ranch on May 26, 2001, Vice President Cheney and Secretary of the Interior Norton committed that the U.S. Government would honor the specific wishes and vision of Mr. Rockefeller in accepting his donation.  This was also annotated in a Memoranda of Understanding between the NPS and Mr. Rockefeller in which the National Park Service committed to operating the ranch upon transfer of the property and states Mr. Rockefeller's intent to establish an endowment fund to provide for the long-term capital maintenance of the Ranch.

Through this gift, Mr. Rockefeller expressed his hope that the Preserve would become a place of physical and spiritual renewal, it would be a model for achieving balance between preservation of natural values and public use, and that it would demonstrate how citizens working in partnership with their government can achieve important goals.

The JY Ranch is significant because of the family's relationship to the establishment of the park and the conservation stewardship legacy of the Rockefeller family to both Grand Teton and the entire National Park Service.  Used as a treasured summer family retreat since the 1930's the ranch is one of the most scenic, pristine, and wildlife-rich areas of the park.  The property is located along the Moose-Wilson Road corridor, and though priceless due to its pristine qualities and incalculable value, it will surely be one of the largest donations in the history of the National Park Service.