Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Sublette County Historical Society Inc a Foundation

EIN 83-6006019 · Pinedale, WY

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong93 out of 100GovernanceGood79 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

OUR MISSION IS TO PRESERVE AND INTERPRET THE HISTORY OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN FUR TRADE, AND PRESERVE AND INTERPRET THE HISTORY OF THE AREA THAT IS NOW SUBLETTE COUNTY.

Income
$1.1 million
Spending
$1.1 million
Spent on programs
85%
Reserves
36.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
investment income, 31%
Employees
15
Volunteers
0
Highest pay
$48,000, executive director

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Strong: 93 out of 100.

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 36.2 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    8 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 2% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 5% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    85% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 3 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Good: 79 out of 100.

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    9 of 9 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    0 of 7

    Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    9 of 15

    Its accounts were reviewed or compiled by an independent accountant, but not audited.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (4)
  1. $843,424 spent. EXHIBITS: THE MUSEUM OF THE MOUNTAIN MAN HAS A COMPREHENSIVE COLLECTION OF ROCKY MOUNTAIN FUR TRADE ARTIFACTS INCLUDING THOSE OF THE PLAINS INDIAN AND THE MOUNTAIN MAN AS WELL AS SETTLEMENT ERA ARTIFACTS FROM SUBLETTE COUNTY. MAJOR EXHIBITS INCLUDE JIM BRIDGER'S RIFLE; ORIGINAL FUR TRADE LETTERS FROM THE 1820S AND 1830S; 20 FOOT BUFFALO HIDE TIPI REPLICATED FROM ONE IN THE SMITHSONIAN; 300 YEAR OLD SHEEPHORN BOW; MOUNTAIN MAN CLOTHES AND ACCOUTREMENTS; PLAINS INDIAN CLOTHES AND ARTIFACTS; AND SETTLEMENT ARTIFACTS FROM PINEDALE DATING 1880-PRESENT. ABOUT 10,000 PEOPLE FROM ALL 50 STATES AND AT LEAST 20 COUNTRIES VISIT THE MUSEUM EACH YEAR TO SEE THESE EXHIBITS. THE SOMMERS HOMESTEAD LIVING HISTORY MUSEUM HOST 1000 VISITORS EACH YEAR WITH HANDS ON EXHIBITS FROM THE SETTLEMENT PERIOD.
  2. $91,212 spent. EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS: LIVING HISTORY DAYS, HELD AT THE MUSEUM IN MAY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE AMERICAN MOUNTAIN MEN, HOSTS ABOUT 800 STUDENTS FROM A 150 MILE RADIUS OVER A THREE DAY PERIOD FOR HANDS ON DEMONSTRATIONS OF THE DAILY LIVES OF THE HISTORIC MOUNTAIN MEN. GREEN RIVER RENDEZVOUS DAYS THE SECOND WEEKEND IN JULY HOSTS 2000 ADULT AND CHILDREN VISITORS ATTENDING MORE THAN 35 ACADEMIC AND LIVING HISTORY PROGRAMS INTERPRETING THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN FUR TRADE. IN MAY AND SEPTEMBER, 400 FOURTH GRADE STUDENTS VISIT THE SOMMERS HOMESTEAD LIVING HISTORY MUSEUM FOR 4 HOURS OF HANDS ON SETTLEMENT ERA HISTORY ACTIVITIES. MANY SMALLER PUBLIC PROGRAMS ARE HELD THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
  3. $7,287 spent. PUBLICATIONS: THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN FUR TRADE JOURNAL IS AN ANNUAL ACADEMIC PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATION INTENDED TO FURTHER THE KNOWLEDGE AND DISCUSSION OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN FUR TRADE ERA AND PROVIDE AN AVENUE FOR RESEARCHERS TO SHOWCASE THEIR WORK. EACH YEAR 5 TO 7 IN DEPTH ARTICLES OF LEADING EDGE RESEARCH ARE PUBLISHED AND DISTRIBUTED TO MEMBERS AND INTERESTED PARTIES WITH A CIRCULATION OF ABOUT 1000 EXTENDING THE EDUCATIONAL REACH OF THE MUSEUM.
  4. $4,280 spent. CURATION: THE SUBLETTE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY CURATES AND PRESERVES OVER 20,000 HISTORICAL ARTIFACTS REPRESENTING THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN FUR TRADE AND SUBLETTE COUNTY SETTLEMENT ERAS.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since January 1964.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.