Liam Guthrie

A Busy Day on Main Street

by

Liam Guthrie, Regional History Librarian

A busy street of cars, pedestrians, and horses in winter.
Gold Mine Collection, Jeanne Rodger Lane Center for Regional History (F 08422)

It can be easy to imagine the past as a quieter, emptier place sometimes, and in some places it certainly was. But this photograph of Ketchum’s Main Street circa 1938 definitively shows that Ketchum was not one such place. The street is teeming with pedestrians even on a cold winter day. A policeman directs the flow of cars entering the crowded road. A couple men appear to be ski joring ­—­ skiing while being pulled by horses — down the middle of the road as onlookers watch on. It certainly is a lively scene.

The buildings and stores lining Main Street also tell a great story of 1930’s Ketchum. Lane Mercantile and Griffith Brothers Grocery call back to the town’s pre-Sun Valley ranching roots. Clubs and casinos like The Alpine Café and Bar, The Sawtooth Club, and Frontier Casino show the thriving gambling scene in Ketchum, driven by the wealth flowing into Sun Valley in droves. Meanwhile the Conoco and the Westcott Oil Co. gas and service stations speak to the growth of the automobile occurring across the country in this time period. Other buildings lining Main street include hotels, a sporting goods store, and a laundry.

Every inch of this photograph is rich with detail, each telling its own story about Ketchum’s history: The men leaning over the false front of The Alpine’s roof. The woman crossing the street, pulling her jacket closed against the cold. The cars stopped on the opposite end of the street as crowds of people, and a dog, walk across. Each is its own vignette of life in Ketchum in 1938.

It is likely that many in this crowd have bets on the skiers about to race down the middle of main street, eagerly awaiting the result. It is just as likely that the people waiting in their cars are annoyed at the stoppage and eager to be on their way. Still others may just be trying to cross the street and get their weekend shopping done. Afterall, the people in this photo ultimately aren’t all that different from us today.

Note this story was originally published in September of 2024 in the Idaho Mountain Express.

Young Women Fishing at Redfish Lake

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Lucy Maitland-Lewis, Wood River Museum of History & Culture Intern

Two women stand in a canoe with fishing gear.
“Fishing at Redfish Lake (Possibly Miss Brass and Miss Hensley)” photographed by Louis Holliday in 1939, Jeanne Rodger Lane Center for Regional History (F06919)

85 years ago, this early Sun Valley publicity photograph was taken as two young women assembled their fishing gear at the edge of their canoe. The horizon is tilted as Louis Holliday likely stood in a nearby boat, but the ladies’ boat is frozen in time, level and still, while Mount Heyburn ascends behind them. Donated to the Center for Regional History by Holliday himself, this photo only measures four by five inches, yet captures a much larger world we know and love.

Since Robert Limbert first built it in 1929, the Redfish Lodge has served his vision of a place where visitors could “turn their back on the grind of the civilized world” (redfishlake.com). The Lodge upholds a legacy through the practice of adventure, tradition, and hospitality – a legacy that reflects the beauty of Idaho’s wilderness and people, both of which shape places such as Redfish, a timelessly cherished oasis.

Beginning July 26, 2024, Redfish Lake Lodge reopened in phases to the general public after closing in the wake of the Bench Lake Fire. Since beginning on July 11 just a mile west of the lake, the Bench Lake Fire has grown to nearly 2,600 acres, but is 90% contained. The containment of the fire and reopening of the lodge in a matter of weeks is an admirable feat, owed in its entirety to the firefighting personnel who continue to selflessly protect our forests and recreation in the SNRA.

The photo above was taken only ten years after the Lodge’s establishment, and now, nearly a century after those first logs were laid, Redfish continues to endure challenges such as the Bench Lake Fire. After all, a great legacy is one that withstands the test of time and flourishes in the face of adversity.

Note this story was originally published in August of 2024 in the Idaho Mountain Express.

The Rare Book Case

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A book shelf with glass door in front of it.

An oft overlooked yet utterly fascinating shelf amidst the library’s stacks is the Rare Book Case in the Betty Olsen Carr Reading Room. Contained in this case is a variety of unique books, each with some interesting aspect to it. Some date back to the 19th century; others are signed by local celebrities. Some are rather hard to acquire; still more recount the earliest days of Idaho’s history.

Leatherbound book with gold embossing, cover reads "Idaho The Gem of the Mountains"

One book in the case, representing many of these features all on its own, is An Illustrated History of the State of Idaho, published by the Lewis Publishing Company in 1899. This comprehensive book, 726 pages covering everything from Idaho’s geology to the history of all its prominent places, is an incredible insight into the early history of Idaho, written while its memory was still fresh. Additionally, this copy was owned by and signed by Henry F. Ensign, who served as a district court judge in Hailey for twelve years in the early 20th century. The book itself is also beautifully bound, with a leather binding and golden embossing on its cover and spine. The pages as well feature a golden trim. It truly is a work of art.

Other books featured in the Rare Book Case include:

  • Fifteen Thousand Miles by Stage, a 1915 publication by Carrie Adell Strahorn, who spent decades traveling all over the American West by stagecoach and railroad.
  • Picabo, Nothing to Hide, the autobiography of Olympic skier and medalist Picabo Street, signed by Picabo herself.
  • The Sun Valley Ski Book, written by Sun Valley Ski School director Friedl Pfeifer in 1939. The Ski Book is full of pictures and captions demonstrating proper skiing technique and showing off Sun Valley’s fantastic slopes.
  • Blood of the Albatross, a thriller written by local author Ridley Pearson, and signed by him with a message for Community Library founder Clara Spiegel.
  • and many more!

Although the rare books may not be checked out, any visitor is welcome to take a look at the books in the library. Just ask a librarian to open the Rare Book Case for you, and you may read them in the Center for Regional History‘s Betty Olsen Carr Reading Room.

The Rare Book Case

by

An oft overlooked yet utterly fascinating shelf amidst the library’s stacks is the Rare Book Case in the Betty Olsen Carr Reading Room. Contained in this case is a variety of unique books, each with some interesting aspect to it. Some date back to the 19th century; others are signed by local celebrities. Some are rather hard to acquire; still more recount the earliest days of Idaho’s history.

Leatherbound book with gold embossing, cover reads "Idaho The Gem of the Mountains"

One book in the case, representing many of these features all on its own, is An Illustrated History of the State of Idaho, published by the Lewis Publishing Company in 1899. This comprehensive book, 726 pages covering everything from Idaho’s geology to the history of all its prominent places, is an incredible insight into the early history of Idaho, written while its memory was still fresh. Additionally, this copy was owned by and signed by Henry F. Ensign, who served as a district court judge in Hailey for twelve years in the early 20th century. The book itself is also beautifully bound, with a leather binding and golden embossing on its cover and spine. The pages as well feature a golden trim. It truly is a work of art.

Other books featured in the Rare Book Case include:

  • Fifteen Thousand Miles by Stage, a 1915 publication by Carrie Adell Strahorn, who spent decades traveling all over the American West by stagecoach and railroad.
  • Picabo, Nothing to Hide, the autobiography of Olympic skier and medalist Picabo Street, signed by Picabo herself.
  • The Sun Valley Ski Book, written by Sun Valley Ski School director Friedl Pfeifer in 1939. The Ski Book is full of pictures and captions demonstrating proper skiing technique and showing off Sun Valley’s fantastic slopes.
  • Blood of the Albatross, a thriller written by local author Ridley Pearson, and signed by him with a message for Community Library founder Clara Spiegel.
  • and many more!

Although the rare books may not be checked out, any visitor is welcome to take a look at the books in the library. Just ask a librarian to open the Rare Book Case for you, and you may read them in the Center for Regional History‘s Betty Olsen Carr Reading Room.

Pulling Into Station

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Finian Ayliffe, Wood River Museum of History & Culture Intern

Sun Valley Resort’s Western Welcome crowd at Ketchum Railway Depot. Jeanne Lane Moritz Collection, Jeanne Rodger Lane Center for Regional History (F 00220)

From the onset of 90-degree weather, to the influx of tourists following the Fourth of July, it’s clear that summer has come to the Wood River Valley in full force. This time, like many times of year in the valley, is dominated by the unrelenting economic force of tourism. Looking back at this photograph, taken around the early 1940s at the Ketchum railway depot, it’s clear that the more things change, the more they stay the same.  

The transition of the valley from a small mining outpost to a booming resort town can be attributed entirely to this railway’s construction. Completed in 1884, the Union Pacific Railroad initially built the Wood River branch to capitalize on the large quantities of ore being mined in the valley. During the first half of the 20th century, the railway shipped in sheep, shipped out galena ore, and brought the American populace to W. Averell Harriman’s all western “Sun Valley” resort for the first time.  

For over 80 years, the railway was a symbol of tourism, progress, and seasonal boom in the valley. Today, however, only hints of its existence remain. In 1976, the last passenger train pulled into Ketchum, and in 1987 the tracks were removed. The space they occupied is taken now by the bike path running up the valley. 

Though the original catalyst for Sun Valley’s success has long vanished, our valley is flourishing more than ever. Something about seeing that summer rush throughout the ages makes me think that our town’s spirit and character have not yet fled us. That even with a new coat of paint, we still have that old school Sun Valley charm. 

Note this story was originally published in July of 2024 in the Idaho Mountain Express.

Greg Randolph Olympics Scrapbook

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This large blue scrapbook, filled to the brim with news clippings, magazine articles, and product endorsements, documents Greg Randolph’s cycling career and his participation in the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. Randolph, a native of McCall, Idaho, quickly rose to prominence after starting his cycling career in 1993, and was ultimately selected to the 1996 Olympic team to support Lance Armstrong in the road race. Randolph would ultimately place 74th in the race.

Greg Randolph poses with bike frame for GT Bicycles

This album, assembled by his mother Nancy, includes a wide array of items including photographs, sponsored advertisements, letters to and from his family, academic achievements, and memorabilia such as racing bibs, Olympic tickets, and a miniature Team USA flag. A highlight of the album are the articles detailing his selection to the U.S. Olympic team. One article title reads, “McCall bike racer off to Atlanta Games: Selection to American team catches Randolph by surprise.” Though certainly on the up and up, Randolph’s selection was a surprise to most, including himself.

Another highlight of the scrapbook are the numerous product endorsements Randolph partook in following his Olympic participation. Pulled from the high-octane cycling magazines of the nineties, the bright, bold colors and dynamic poses of these advertisements are certainly a glimpse into the cycling scene of the time.

Greg Randolph has lived in the Wood River Valley since 2003. Photos, articles, and items from the scrapbook appear in the new foyer exhibit at The Community Library, Summer Games | Local Heroes, running through Labor Day 2024.

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