Historic Recluse Hall

Community Group Organizes to Save the Historic Recluse Hall

Last night, November 11, 2009, the existing Recluse Community Trust voted to abandon the historic preservation and renovation of the Recluse Community Hall in favor of building a metal pole building in a different location. Some members of the community, however, are still committed to the original purpose of the project, and are organizing as quickly as possible in an effort to keep the Hall from disappearing forever. Several multi-generational families in the community have come together, along with supporters from across the nation to see that this irreplaceable building remains a beautiful and functional gathering place for northern Campbell County for generations to come.

The Powder River Breaks Foundation has filed paperwork with the Wyoming Secretary of State today to become a Wyoming nonprofit corporation, and the Wyoming Community Foundation has agreed to serve as the fiscal sponsor and administer funds until the new nonprofit receives its own IRS 501(c)(3) status. The first initiative of the new Foundation will be preserving and maintaining the historic Recluse Hall.

The Powder River Breaks Foundation will offer all of the donors who contributed to the original project the opportunity to leave their generous donations with its original purpose. “We hope that it might be possible,” says Billee Hackett, lifelong member of the community, “to find a way to keep our old Hall.”

As the existing Recluse Community Trust finalizes their plans to move forward on the pole barn building, they will be contacting each donor to see if they would like to support a different purpose.

One of the consequences of the existing Trust voting to abandon the Hall, is that they forfeit a $300,000 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) which was granted to Campbell County by the Wyoming Business Council for the specific purpose of renovating the historic Hall and adding an addition that would include restrooms, a kitchen, and a library. One of the major advantages for the existing Recluse Community Trust, if they will agree to transfer the title to the building, and the responsibility for completing the CDBG supported project to the new Powder River Breaks Foundation, is that they would not be required to return the more than $34,000 of CDBG grant funds that have already been spent, nor be saddled with the responsibility of what to do with the old Hall. This should be a considerable financial advantage towards their new project.

For more information,
contact: Frank Wallis