Morton Mansion

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, July 30, 2022

1. Morton Mansion Marker

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From the National Register Nomination:
The Morton Mansion is a large, three-story, wood frame, Late Victorian style house. The Morton Mansion has not been substantially altered and was skillfully restored in the late 1990s. Consequently, it retains excellent physical integrity. Built in 1903, the Morton Mansion embodies considerable historical significance for its association with the regional sheep industry, which transformed the agricultural landscape and significantly boosted the economy of Converse County in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The mansion, built for pioneer sheep rancher John Morton and designed by prominent Wyoming architect William Dubois, serves as a visible reminder of the considerable wealth generated by the sheep industry and its impact on the community of Douglas, the economic hub and county seat of Converse. The home was occupied for nearly five decades by the family of John Morton, a German immigrant whose success in the sheep business led to a diverse career

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, July 30, 2022

2. Historic Downtown Douglas Marker

(near the sidewalk, on the north side of the house)
Morton Family Mansion
Constructed 1903
Historic Downtown Douglas

as a prominent banker, elected official, and civic leader in Douglas from the late 1880s until his death in 1916.

During the territorial period cattle and sheep ranches were established in the region surrounding Douglas, and after Wyoming achieved statehood in 1890, a federal land office was established in Douglas which facilitated homesteading and expansion of the area's agricultural economy. Located along the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad, Douglas was destined to become a regional shipping center for the County's agricultural output, including wool. The establishment of the regional sheep industry in particular — which was well suited to the ecological conditions of Converse County — brought new prosperity to Douglas and initiated a new period of population growth in the community.

The designer of the Morton house, William Dubois, is recognized as one of the state's most versatile and prolific architects. Educated at the Chicago School of Architecture, Dubois designed numerous major public and private buildings throughout Wyoming in the early Twentieth century. His credits include Carnegie libraries, the Laramie and Albany County courthouses, and wings for the state capitol.

The Morton Mansion was built in

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, July 30, 2022

3. Morton Mansion (north elevation)

The marker is mounted on the left side of the door.

1903 in Douglas, Wyoming for the family of John Morton. Morton was a sheep rancher who also served as an elected official, banker and civic leader in Douglas. He became the largest owner of livestock in central Wyoming, working together with his brother Jacob Jenne to operate the Morton-Jenne Sheep Company. The Morton Ranch grew to be the largest ranch in Converse County. The Morton Mansion was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 11, 2001.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, July 30, 2022

4. Morton Mansion (northeast elevation)

From the National Register Nomination:  Distinctive features of this home include a partially enclosed wraparound porch on the front (north) and east sides, and pedimented dormers on the east and west slopes of the main roof. The wraparound porch is open on the front side of the house and along part of the east side, and its open portions are enclosed by distinctive wooden rail featuring diamond-pattern cross-bracing spanning a series of square-sided wooden posts supporting the porch roof. The three main gables (on the north, south, and west sides of the house) feature cornice returns, triple windows, and a projecting apex supported by a cross brace with exposed rafter tails. The wraparound porch is covered by a half-hipped roof. The porch incorporates Classical elements such as a decorative pediment above the main, north side entry, and tapered square-sided columns affixed to a Classical entablature cornice embellished with dentils. Another distinctive feature is a two-story canted bay window located on the east side of the house, the first-floor level of which is enclosed within the wraparound porch.