Seven years ago, Vic Payne was offered a deal he couldn’t resist. For several years he had been driving from his ranch in Cody, Wyoming, through a small town named Meeteetse and noticed— and admired—an old building on the town’s main street. During one of those drives, he pointed to the Meeteetse Mercantile building, which had fallen into disrepair, and said to his wife Angie, “I love that building.”
Months later, Payne purchased it, knowing that he and Angie could transform the historic structure into something wonderful. They had worked on similar ventures in the past—restoring an historic home and building an artist studio overlooking the Navajo River in Chromo, Colorado; revitalizing a coveted gallery in Jackson Hole, Wyoming; and designing Payne’s previous studio in Cody. Now they set out to transform the Meeteetse Mercantile building from a forgotten relic into a testament to their creativity, dedication, and love for the town and its heritage.
Read the full article in the July/August 2025 issue.
Keeper of the Homeland
bronze
10’3″ by 13′ by 6.75′
Sounds of the Night
bronze
5’8″ by 3.75′ by 3′
