Jackson, Wyoming: Antler Arches of Jackson

Tourists love to stroll through the four antler arches in the town square. A fixture since the early 1960s, new antler arches are swapped in occasionally; at least one such retired, tired arch sits near the town limits.

Large elk antler arches curve over the square's four corner entrances, and posing tourists are a constant at all of them. When we visited in August, 2007, the weak dollar meant lots of Chinese visitors under the antlers, probably shocked at the fortune in traditional remedies so assembled (as if Americans went to China to find a huge tower made of Viagra tablets).

The antlers have been there since the early 1960s, and new arches are currently assembled to replace them. One of the originals now sits in a vacant lot on the way into town. Antlers, we are reminded several times, are solid and fall off naturally from animals who grow new sets every year. This contrasts with horns, which have to be sawed off but then are hollow.

Old West Town feel. Stagecoach rides around the four antler arches.

Massive antler arches sit at each of the four corners of the town square in Jackson, Wyoming. Supposedly no deer were hurt in the construction of these arches, since they naturally fall off each year, but I suspect more than one frisky child has been savagely poked by these spiny edifices. When checking out the arches late in the afternoon between Memorial Day and Labor Day you might be lucky enough to catch the longest running western shoot-out reenactment in the country. Replete with drunks, dancing girls, near hangings and plenty of gunshots, this is one show that hasn't been pc'd to death.

In downtown Jackson, there is a 10-15 ft arch (and about 10 ft around at the base) made of antlers as you head towards Grand Teton and Yellowstone.