Wind River Trading Company: a Fort Washakie stop with stories to tell

A stop at Wind River Trading Company can begin with a practical errand and turn into a longer look around. On Highway 287 in Fort Washakie, the trading post brings together jewelry, beadwork, gifts, making supplies, and the Gallery of the Wind. There is a selection to browse online, too, but the store floor offers a broader view of what is here.

That mix gives the business more than one reason to be on a local shopper’s list. Someone working on a project can look for materials. Someone choosing a gift can explore finished pieces. And someone with time to spare can step into a room of photographs, artwork, and objects connected to the surrounding community.

A family business, built over time

The property’s story reaches back to 1946, when Paul and Marjorie “Peg” Hines purchased the general store. Groceries, fuel, supplies, and tribal fishing permits were part of its everyday role. Don and Sharon Hines took over in 1963, and a major building project followed in 1978.

As the property changed, the former grocery space eventually became the Wind River Trading Company gift shop. Brothers Dave and Ben Hines took over operations in 2004 after working with their parents. The store’s own history traces a business shaped by successive generations, with the general store next door and the trading company sharing those roots.

Room for more than shopping

Inside the trading company, the Gallery of the Wind adds another reason to pause. Its displays include Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho artwork, beadwork, photographs, moccasins, and older objects. A historic car sits among the cases and surrounding displays, while smaller pieces invite a closer look.

The gallery gives visitors a different pace from the shopping floor. A photograph, a handmade piece, or an object in a case can become the focus of a visit. For someone bringing a friend through Fort Washakie, it offers a way to include local history and artwork in the same stop as browsing the store.

Bring a project. Find a piece.

The in-store range includes Pendleton blankets and apparel, seed beads, fabric by the yard, ribbon, pottery, baskets, and home goods. That puts materials for making something alongside pieces ready to take home. If a particular color, pattern, or size matters, calling ahead is the most useful first step.

The online shop offers another way to browse available goods, including earrings, bags, wallets, and accessories. It is a selection from the business rather than a promise that every item on the store floor is online. Shoppers can check the current listings or contact the store with questions before ordering.

For an in-person visit, Wind River Trading Company is at 14631 Highway 287 in Fort Washakie. The store lists hours of 9 a.m.–6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Sunday. Browse the collection online, call about something specific, or make time to see what catches your eye on the shelves and in the gallery.