A series where we take a #lookback at the stories and history of our community, brought to you by Mick Pryor, Financial Advisor with Edward Jones.
As one approaches Dubois from the east, a dirt road on the west side of the highway at Jakey’s Fork leads to the Dubois Fish Hatchery. Tucked back in the foothills of the Wind River Mountain Range are several sheds with large tanks filled with the young hatchlings, fry and fingerlings of rainbow, cutthroat and brown trout. These also include the local subspecies of Yellowstone cutthroats and Snake River cutthroats. The primary purpose of the hatchery is to hatch and rear fish for hatching and rearing fish for stalking the public waters.
The first hatchery was started on Jakey’s Fork in 1920 about a quarter of a mile above the present site. It was used as an eyeing station with just a few small raceways for raising fish. (Eyed fish eggs is the stage in the development of fish eggs where the developing embryo’s eye is visible through the eggshell.) Niles Seidenbenter was the first superintendent and funds were appropriated for the hatchery in 1927. The hatchery was then moved to the Blue Holes, located five miles east of the current site. The Blue Holes was considered ideal because of the thermal waters made for the perfect temperature controls. These lakes were formed from a series of hot springs. The Game and Fish Commission was prepared to expand and build the hatchery at that site with the use of the workers of the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps). The Dooley Ranch around the site was acquired, but it was later determined that the chemistry of the water was not suitable for eyeing eggs, so the hatchery was relocated to Jakey’s Fork in 1940. A house was built for the superintendent in 1939 by the WPA (Works Progress Administration). Eight years later, the facility was expanded with the addition of 44 cement raceways. The site was fed with natural spring water and water from Jakey’s Fork Creek. In 1949, a large spring was piped in from one and a quarter miles away to enlarge the station. Two springs supplied over a million gallons of water, and averaged two different temperatures. This allowed the fishery personnel to use the temperature differences to increase or decrease the growth rate of the fish eggs.
Today, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department manage the hatchery. The facility was remodeled in 2006. This transformed the facility into a high production facility utilizing a partial reuse recirculation system. The hatchery can produce nearly triple the amount of fish on 25% of the original flow of water. In 2020, the hatchery was the only one in Wyoming that hatches and rears artic grayling.
Author: Seth McFarland Dubois Museum
Next up for the Fremont County Museum
April 26, 9-2 with the Pioneer Museum, “Garden Expo Craft Booth” Bailey Tire/Pit Stop Children’s Exploration Series
April 26, 10am at the Dubois Museum, “Wind River Kites: Make Your Own Kite” Bailey Tire/Pit Stop Children’s Exploration Series
May 1, 2pm at the Dubois Museum, “Shippen Family Legacy in Dubois” Wyoming Community Bank Discovery Speakers Series
May 17, 9am with the Dubois Museum, “Butch Cassidy at Jakey’s Fork” Wind River Visitors Council Adventure Trek Series
May 22, 7pm at the Pioneer Museum, “Lander 1925” Wyoming Community Bank Discovery Speakers Series
May 24, 1-3pm at the Pioneer Museum, “Being a Pioneer Kid” Bailey Tire/Pit Stop Children’s Exploration Series
May 24, 10am at the Pioneer Museum, “Lander Main Street Trek” Wind River Visitors Council Adventure Trek Series
May 31, 11am at the Riverton Museum, “Horned Owl Draper Raptor Experience” Bailey Tire/Pit Stop Children’s Exploration Series
Oct 4, TBA at the Lander Community Center, “Rare Relics Roadshow” Wind River Cultural Centers Foundation
Call the Dubois Museum 1-307-455-2284, the Pioneer Museum 1-307-332-3339 or the Riverton Museum 1-307-856-2665 for detail regarding their programs.
The Dubois Museum, the Pioneer Museum in Lander and the Riverton Museum need your financial support. In the current economic environment, the museums are more reliant than ever on donations from the private sector to continue to provide the quality programs, collections management, exhibits and services that have become their hallmark over the last four years. Please make your tax deductible contribution through the Wind River Cultural Centers Foundation www.windriverccf.com or by sending a check to Fremont County Museums 450 N 2nd Rm 320 or taking it directly to the museum you choose to support.