The Eccentric Architecture of Bill Smith

This fantastical building really does exist on the eastern road out of Yellowstone National Park on Route 14 between the Eastern Gate and Cody, Wyoming, near the town of Wapiti. The building is situated on a bluff overlooking the beautiful Wapiti valley and mountains beyond. As you pass out of town and come around a bend in the road, you can see the building from a great distance. From afar it first appears to be some weird mining shaft, then on driving closer it resembles a Russian Dacha or some over blown cathedral and nearer still it appears to have a ship on the roof with two insect like antenna sprung from it's head. It was built by a man named Bill Smith, a self taught architect, who wished to glorify the beauty of the mountains opposite his land with a structure of his own design. Mr. Smith lived and worked at this site without heat, water or electricity for many years in pursuit of his vision. His wife divorced him and moved into town. Undaunted, he continued until one day while working on one of the upper levels, he slipped and fell to his death. Today the site appears to be abandoned. This eccentric style of architecture combined with Mr. Smith's powerful individualism and determination to pursue his vision at all costs should make him and his building one of the great modern day legends of Wyoming. If anyone out there has any information about Mr. Smith, his life and work or additional photographs of this building...would you please e-mail me c/o The Virtual Ranch so I can post it here in hopes that Mr. Smith's dream and independent spirit can be preserved for the rest of the world to enjoy.