The Wind River Sage Fund (WRSF) announced today that it selected Brunton Architects of North Mankato, MN to design the new Ecotourism Visitors Center to be located in Fort Washakie. Brunton won the contract after competing with 16 other firms for architectural and engineering services.

The new ecotourism visitors complex will feature a 5,500-sq-ft Tribal Fish & Game headquarters that will include a wildlife museum, gift shop, theater, restrooms, and an information desk. A 7,200-sq-ft storage facility will also be constructed to house vehicles and equipment. The new complex will be located on Ethete Road across from the Fort Washakie hot springs, and construction is expected to begin in 2026.

Art Lawson is the Director of the Shoshone and Arapaho Tribal Fish and Game. “We are deeply grateful to the Economic Development Administration for awarding a $6.5 million grant to support the construction of a 5,500-square-foot building for the Tribal Fish and Game Department. For 41 years, since the creation of our game code, the department has worked tirelessly to protect and manage our natural resources without a permanent place to call home. This new facility represents more than just a building – it’s a home base for stewardship, education, and the preservation of our way of life. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Wind River Development Fund and Wind River Sage Fund for their dedication and hard work throughout this process. Their partnership and perseverance have made this milestone possible.”

The Ecotourism Visitors Center is the centerpiece of a much larger strategy to invest in the outdoor recreation infrastructure on the Wind River Reservation. In addition to the EDA Recompete grant, the Wind River Development Fund (WRDF) secured $4 million in grants from the Wyoming Office of Outdoor Recreation. The outdoor recreation grants will focus on improving the facilities and amenities at four lakes, three trailheads, a new multigenerational playground, and revitalized baseball fields, among other projects.

Paul F. Huberty, Executive Director of the Wind River Sage Fund, said, “We are very excited to reach this milestone with the new Ecotourism Visitors Center. Since receiving the $6.5 million grant from the Economic Development Administration (EDA), we have been working to secure the property and interview architectural and engineering (A&E) firms. We were pleased to see such high interest from regional and national A&E firms, and we are looking forward to working with Brunton Architects.”

Corey Brunton, CEO of Brunton Architects, said, “We are deeply grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with tribal leaders and community members on a project of such cultural and regional significance. Our goal is to create a facility that honors tradition while inspiring visitors through design that is both educational and welcoming.” Brunton Architects is an award-winning, multidisciplinary design firm dedicated to creating architecture that enriches lives and reflects the spirit of place. The firm’s portfolio includes tribal, municipal, public safety, medical, civic, educational, cultural, and commercial projects across the nation.

The Wind River Sage Fund (WRSF) announced today that it selected Arete Design Group of Sheridan, WY to design the new Tribal Buffalo Center to be located at the Wind River Tribal Buffalo Initiative (WRTBI) in Morton, WY. Arete won the contract after competing with 16 other firms for architectural and engineering services. Arete is partnering with the MASS Design Group.

The new 14,400-sq-ft Tribal Buffalo Center will feature a museum, gift shop, mini theater, administrative offices, and conference area. The building will be constructed at WRTBI and conveniently located on Highway 26. Construction is expected to begin in 2026.

Jason Baldes is the Executive Director of the Wind River Tribal Buffalo Initiative. In speaking about the new construction project, he said, “The return of buffalo to the Shoshone and Arapaho people is the return of a long lost relative, important for ceremony, nutrition, education, and food sovereignty for the people, but also important as part of the land, and to other plants and animals. This building signifies that importance by providing space for community, while providing informative experiences for visitors traveling through the reservation, to learn of our shared history and continued efforts to protect land, water and wildlife.”

Paul F. Huberty, Executive Director of the Wind River Sage Fund, said, “We are very excited to be working with the Arete Design Group on the new Tribal Buffalo Center. This project is the centerpiece of our Recompete grant and represents a $9.75 million investment into the Wind River economy.”

The Tribal Buffalo Center is one of eight grants awarded to WRSF through the Economic Development Administration’s Recompete Pilot Program. WRSF is also making significant investments in workforce training, food sovereignty, health care programs, and land planning.

“We are honored to be a part of this significant project,” said Rachel Delventhal, Principal at Arete. “Its impact will be felt for generations. Arete and MASS Design Group are here to listen to the people, understand the land and the buffalo, and design a center that speaks to the rich history of the Tribes and the deep significance of this place.”

For more information, please visit the Wind River Sage Fund at wrsagefund.org and the Wind River Tribal Buffalo Initiative at windriverbuffalo.org.

In partnership with Central Wyoming College, we are pleased to announce that a 6-week online/hybrid course on Managing Career Development will be starting October 29th at the Frank B. Wise Building in Fort Washakie. This class will build personal, workplace, and technical skills for any career you choose and will earn you an industry-recognized “Career Essentials” credential upon successful completion.

PFDV 1500 Managing Career Development

October 29 – December 12
Wednesdays and Thursdays, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Frank B. Wise Building
3 Ethete Rd, Fort Washakie, WY 82514

Laptops will be provided.

Participants 25-54 years of age may be eligible for scholarship and financial aid.

As you begin the application process, help is available every step of the way. For more information, call Jerri Prejean, (307) 855-2346.

Published by WyoFile

When the Wind River Food Sovereignty Project purchased this 30-acre farm near Fort Washakie, the land mainly grew hay. Machinery and tools stood in the yards. Fences were aging.

Fast forward two years, and a transformation is taking root. Old equipment has been cleared out, and a fenced vegetable garden is thick with vines of squash and melons. A large high tunnel has been erected; inside tidy rows of raised beds sit ready to receive soil and seeds. Native plants like chokecherry bushes have been transplanted near the creek, and some may even survive the deer onslaught. Near the farm entrance, circular paths wind around a garden, where benches, flowers and a shaded area have been designed to welcome tribal elders for rest and reflection.

“This garden is a sanctuary,” Wind River Food Sovereignty Project Co-director Kelly Pingree told a crowd gathered for a grand opening celebration Saturday. “A place for healing, peace and connection with nature.”

Once the ribbon was cut, tribal members and others from the community filed through an ornate gate and into the brand-new elder garden, forming a circle around drummers. After a song and a prayer, it was time to eat.

Marking the occasion with bowls of buffalo stew and fry bread dipped in chokecherry gravy felt appropriate given that the nonprofit is aimed at restoring food production and traditions in Wind River Reservation communities.

“As Native people, we always give thanks to Mother Earth for what she provides us,” Pingree told the crowd. “And when we connect with our food, it reconnects us to the land, our ancestral knowledge, our spirituality, our prayer.”

The progress at Trout Creek Farm marks the early stages of a multi-year vision to bolster local production, access to healthy foods, tribal education and more. But it also signifies the fruits of a $36 million federal redevelopment grant that several facets of the reservation stand to benefit from.