THEN & NOW

The Jackson Drug story began in 1914 when our great-grandfather, Bruce Porter, spent a college summer working here in Jackson Hole.

An old black and white photograph of a two-story wooden building with a large sign reading "Jackson Mercantile Co." on its front. The building has a porch with several people and a horse attached to a wagon in front of it.

1914

Our great-grandfather, Bruce Porter, graduated from the College of Pharmacy at Creighton University on February 23rd, 1914. Bruce spent his summers during college working in Jackson Hole, Wyoming at the Jackson Mercantile, which at the time was located on the Town Square, in the Clubhouse building. The building still stands on the East side of the Town Square and is the oldest building on the town square. It is currently home to Hines Jewelers, Wilcox Gallery, and the Resort Store.

Three women on horseback in front of a wooden building with a sign that reads "Jackson & Driscoll Co." and "Kodak Supplies" and "Fishing Tackle."

1917

Bruce was called to serve in World War I, where he served in France.

1919

Bruce returned home from his tour he purchased the Jackson Mercantile and changed the name to the Jackson Drug Co.

1928

Bruce Porter started the Jackson Hole Hereford Ranch on what is now known as Dog Creek Ranch, in the Snake River Canyon. Bruce Porter bought his first herd of Hereford cattle with the help of his father-in-law Seaver Callahan.

Street view of Jackson Drug Co, a historic storefront with a brick facade and awning, parked cars nearby, and an adjacent building with a fire escape.
A person riding an old red tractor in a field, with a rusty piece of farm equipment attached behind it, under a partly cloudy sky with mountains in the background.

1937

Bruce Porter moved the Jackson Drug Co. to the north side of the Town Square.

1938

Bruce Porter purchased the Wort and Leeks Homesteads and moved the ranch from Dog Creek to its current location on South Park Loop Road.

June 12, 1952

Bruce Porter’s youngest daughter, Jeannine Porter, marries Ralph Gill.

Black and white photo of a swimming pool area with people swimming and playing, surrounded by a grassy area, with buildings nearby and a river running alongside the pool. There are mountains in the background.

1961

At the request of his father-in-law Bruce Porter, our grandfather, Ralph Gill, took over the management of the Porter Estate which included – the Jackson Hole Hereford Ranch, the Jackson Drug, the Teton Theater, Astoria Hot Springs, and several other commercial spaces. Ralph was an accountant by trade and as it turns out, he was also a rancher at heart.

Two men standing outdoors in front of a farm or rural scene, wearing outdoor clothing and hats, smiling at the camera.

1969

Ralph’s son Robert, our father, joined his dad on the summer hay crew at the ripe old age of 11. He worked alongside his father for the majority of his life.

1970

Our grandparents, Ralph and Jeannine Gill and their business partner Virginia Huidekoper started a newspaper called the Jackson Hole News.

A black and white photo of an older man wearing a cowboy hat, glasses hanging from his shirt, and a light-colored shirt. He is outdoors with hills, trees, and a partly cloudy sky in the background.
A cowboy riding a horse through a grassy field with mountains and a herd of cattle in the background.

1976-80

Ralph Gill serves as mayor of Jackson.

1994

Ralph Gill handed the reins over to his son Robert (our dad), who has continued the family tradition of ranching with the help of his wife, his five children, Nikki, Patrick, Jessica, Scooter, and J.J., and three of the best cowboys around – Steve, Alex, and Bart.

A man in a green cap and brown jacket standing next to a historical marker on Jackson Drive, smiling and leaning against a stone wall.

2010

Our father repurchased the Jackson Drug Store building.

2018

We reopened the Jackson Drug!