T. A. Moulton Barn – Moose, Wyoming - Atlas Obscura

T. A. Moulton Barn

Moose, Wyoming

This rustic old building is said to be the most photographed barn in America.  

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This rustic old barn, perfectly positioned before the dramatic backdrop of the Teton Range, is a striking visual of the Wild West. As such, it’s earned itself a reputation as the most photographed barn in America.

The barn is part of Mormon Row, which was established in the late 1800s. Mormon settlers came from Idaho and formed small homestead communities in the otherwise isolated land. Today, the clusters of historic buildings they built look like a ghost town, now protected to preserve the spirit of the American frontier.

A man named Thomas Alma (T.A.) Moulton was among the people who moved to the area in the early 1900s. He spent more than 30 years constructing a barn that still stands today. It’s all that remains of the homestead he and his sons built.

The photo-friendly structure has become a symbol of Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Photographers flock to the site to capture the scenic vistas of the historic structure with the Teton Range looming in the background. (Some people wind up snapping photos of his brother John Moulton’s nearby barn instead.)

T.A. Moulton’s barn also served as inspiration for the fictional “most photographed barn in America” in Don DeLillo’s White Noise. His depiction mocks the spirit of tourism. DeLillo describes a scene of mindless individuals taking photographs of the barn simply because they know that people photograph it, lamenting that, “once you’ve seen the signs about the barn, it becomes impossible to see the barn.”

Know Before You Go

From the NPS website: "Drive north from Jackson on highway 191 past Moose Junction and turn right onto Antelope Flats Road. Follow the road about 1 ½ miles until you see a north-south running dirt road marked by a distinctive pink stucco house on the left with a small dirt parking area. A trail brochure and interpretive sign can be found at the parking lot."

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