Celebrating Progress: Our Tribe's New Property Purchase Announcement

Roughly 8 acres of land situated along Highway 287 is centrally located within the Fort Washakie community.

September 2025

Fort Washakie, WY -- After more than two years of planning, negotiations, and a search for funding, the Eastern Shoshone Tribe is pleased to announce the purchase of property for its new Cultural Hub.

The Shoshone Tribe now owns roughly eight acres of land off U.S. Highway 287 in Fort Washakie. The new museum will be located directly across from the Shoshone Tribal Service Station, and conveniently located along the way to the most visited place in Fort Washakie - the Sacajawea Cemetery. Also located strategically along the major highway leading from I-80 to the iconic Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, the Cultural Hub is poised to capture the flow of tourism traffic. 

“This not only enhances our sustainability model through increased visitor engagement and revenue but also positions us as a gateway experience for millions of tourists seeking to enrich their understanding of Native American culture as they head toward these national treasures,” said Alejandra Robinson, Public Relations and Archives Director for the Eastern Shoshone Tribe.

The purchase of the deeded land was made possible in part by a generous grant from the Mellon Foundation, which donated $150,000 for land acquisition. At the beginning of 2024, the tribe looked at several locations in Fort Washakie and in the vicinity. 

“We discovered other sites would either take too long to acquire, further delaying the project, or were not available,” said Robyn Rofkar, new Project Director for the Eastern Shoshone Cultural Hub. “The logistics, regulations, and other challenges made this 8-acre site the best option, and with the support of the Shoshone Business Council and the Mellon Foundation, we were able to move forward with the purchases.”

Additional grant funding from the Mellon Foundation will now allow the project to move forward with third-party testing and inspections, and continued work on the schematic design, design development, and preparation of construction documents.

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