the
hatchet resort derived its name from the hatchet
cattle ranch, which was originally made up of five
homesteads. the ranch was named the hatchet because
the original homesteaders, who put down roots in
the area during the late 1800s and early 1900s,
used a hatchet brand on their cattle. the original
800-acre hatchet property begins at the cattle guard
on the highway near the resort and extends for two
miles on both sides of the road toward the teton
range. it is surrounded by national forest. in 1950,
the ranch was purchased by w.b. campbell, and kansas
oil man. upon completion of the nearby highway through
his ranch, campbell built the hatchet motel in 1954
with lodgepole pine logs taken from the nearby national
forest.
after being sold to other
parties, the hatchet’s final fate was decided on
nov. 17, 1998, in the most dangerous of forums –
a public bankruptcy auction. in direct competition
with a developer, the current resort owners partnered
with the jackson hole land trust to purchase the
resort and an adjacent 30-acre meadow. this partnership
permanently protected important wildlife habitat
and the scenic integrity of the site while allowing
resort operations to continue on 7 acres. the hatchet
resort project shines as an example in which an
appropriate balance was struck between development
and conservation – where the two truly complement
one another.