Smith Mansion

Before a July 1997 family vacation, I booked lodging in a rustic sounding motel in Wapiti's small community, Wyoming, just east of Yellowstone National Park. When we arrived in Wapiti, right above the motel sat a crazy unfinished structure - the Smith Mansion.

Francis Lee Smith, an architectural engineer, began construction in 1971. Working alone, he worked until 1992 - when he fell from the top level and died. The structure sat vacant for years, including our 1997 stop in Wapiti.

Since 1997, articles in newspapers from Casper Star-Tribune, and the New York Times, provide the Smith Mansion history. In 2010, Smith's daughter Sunny Smith Larsen began cleaning up the site. She hoped to set up a non-profit and open the building for tours. Feb. 1, 2020, Casper Star-Tribune reported the sale of the property.