Spotted Horse thrives as a community pillar and must-stop destination for tourists driving by, as well as motorcyclists heading to the annual rally in Sturgis, SD
SPOTTED HORSE, WY – Posted outside of the Spotted Horse Bar & Grill in in Spotted Horse, WY, is a sign that says “Population: 2,” representing co-owners Jennifer and Brian McLaughlin (although it might need to be updated 3 to include their German Shepard, Mac).
Spotted Horse dates back to 1924 and was recently named a recipient for a $50,000 grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation, one of only 50 awarded annually to local cultural landmarks to assist with upgrades, improvements and miscellaneous expenses.
“It’s going to be huge,” Jennifer McLaughlin said. “For the aesthetics of the place, we’re going to do the usual paint job and stuff like that, but we’re going to get new windows. Heating and cooling a 100-year-old building is not easy. These windows are going to help so much, and to be able to put a little fresh look on this place, I couldn’t be more excited about this.”
Preserving Jerome Schantz’s Legacy
In 1992, Jennifer McLaughlin’s father, Jerome, became the owner of Spotted Horse, which previously had been a post office, general store, and gas station. But when Jerome passed away, Jennifer admitted feeling trepidation at the prospect of continuing his legacy.
“When my dad passed away, it just felt like, ‘Am I going to be able to do this and carry on what he started?’” she pondered.
Since taking the reins as owners of Spotted Horse, Jennifer and Brian have proved to be steady hands in charge, continuing the strong tradition that Jerome passed along in caring for the beloved bar and grill. However, running things undoubtedly poses unique challenges. That led them to investigate ways for Spotted Horse to receive a helping hand, resulting in the application for the National Trust for Historic Preservation grant.
After about two months, they received word that Spotted Horse was among the select 2025 recipients of the $50,000 grant. Upon receiving the game-changing news of her grant, Jennifer knew her father would have been smiling.
“I was ecstatic. Tears were running down my cheeks hard when I got the email,” she said. “My dad would have been pretty happy. I’m so excited to get to work on things. I couldn’t be more proud and honored for this.”
Spotted Horse: Community Hub
Spotted Horse thrives as a community pillar and must-stop destination for tourists driving by, as well as motorcyclists heading to the annual rally in Sturgis, SD. Hunting season is also a big time for Spotted Horse, while locals and ranchers are the main customers in the wintertime.
Owning Spotted Horse has proven rewarding, whether seeing familiar faces at the bar and grill or meeting new people just passing through.
“I’ve never belonged to a community like the people out here,” Jennifer McLaughlin said. “I enjoy all of our locals and couldn’t ask for a better community than where we live. If you need help, everybody’s right there and willing to help you. And then in the tourist season, it’s so much fun to meet everybody, hearing their stories, seeing where they’re going and what they’re doing.”
Cheeseburgers and Events
Locals have long enjoyed Spotted Horse’s delicious, locally-raised burgers and Polish Dogs, but years of travelers stopping by have led to a reputation for great food spreading far and wide.
“It’s word-of-mouth,” McLaughlin continued. “Especially in the day and age of social media, somebody shares something about Spotted Horse, and somebody will comment, ‘Oh, yeah. I’ve stopped there,’ or, ‘I’ve been meaning to get there.’”
Spotted Horse, “a cozy little bar in the middle of nowhere,” also hosts game nights, an annual pig roast and other community events.
“We are a community hub,” McLaughlin said. “People come for a cheeseburger or lunch – it’s the gathering place.”