Jenne Building

With a small fortune amassed in the sheep-ranching industry, Jacob Jenne (pronounced, “jenny”) financed construction of this early Douglas office building, which remains an essential landmark in the downtown district. Jenne came to Wyoming in 1891 to assist with the ranching business of his older brother, John. The partnership ultimately prospered, and was known as the Morton-Jenne Sheep Company (“Morton” being the surname adopted by John upon his desertion from the Army). The comparatively sumptuous Jenne Building reflects the success of the brothers’ enterprise. Cream-colored ceramic ornament adorns the north and west façades, in subtle contrast to the orange/black-speckled brick walls. Awnings installed along the second story (originally of retractable canvas but later replaced by fixed assemblies of sheet metal) emphasize the visual rhythm of the second story windows across the west façade of the building. A decorative ceramic shield affixed to the parapet of the canted wall that defines the main entrance features, in stylized letters, the Jenne monogram, “JJ”. The careful detailing and elaborate ornamentation of the building attracted a series of upscale, professional tenants across the decades. Its earliest occupants included a commercial bank, an electrical supplier and—at the basement level, on specially-reinforced flooring—the printing presses of the Douglas Enterprise newspaper. Later tenants included attorneys, a land title company, and various other professional individuals and organizations. Despite the variety of tenants across time, the exterior of the building remains essentially unchanged, apart from a modern, wood-panel storefront installed at the lower level of the west façade. Both of the Jenne brothers constructed substantial residences at the east edge of the commercial district; both are extant, including the Morton Mansion.