Sayler Peavey, Wood River Museum of History and Culture Intern A small-town celebration proudly marches down a muddy street, with brass instruments, horses trotting past storefronts, spectators and floats. The faces may be unfamiliar, but the feeling is timeless—patriotism, community, and the excitement of Independence Day. This is one of many images captured by Martyn Mallory, one of the Wood River Valley’s early photographers. His remarkable collection, which consists of thousands of … [Read more...] about Faces of the Fourth
The Bald Mountain Hot Springs
Kristine Bretall, Wood River Museum Community Engagement Manager School’s out for summer! For many across the country, swimming only happened in the summer time, but here in Ketchum, Bald Mountain Hot Springs was a year-round fixture on the south end of Main Street in Ketchum from 1927 until the late 1990s. Hot springs were the very first tourist attraction in the Wood River Valley and in the late 1880s in Ketchum, near the Warm Springs base of Baldy, Guyer Hot Springs was built and … [Read more...] about The Bald Mountain Hot Springs
Flying in the 1970s
Mary Tyson, Director of the Center for Regional History In the cockpit of the plane is Betty Bell. By 1970, she had been flying for six years. Bell trained on a J-3 Piper Cub. Her instructor was Lawrence Johnson who managed the Friedman Memorial Airport and taught many to fly. According to Betty’s oral history, Lawrence’s teaching style was to not say a word and let his students make mistakes and figure out as much as possible on their own while he sat next to them. It was hard to talk … [Read more...] about Flying in the 1970s
The Fabulous Vuarnettes
Ellie Norman, Wood River Museum Collections Specialist The Sun Valley après ski scene has seen many legendary acts, but none quite like The Fabulous Vuarnettes. This all-female cabaret group took the stage in 1981 and remained a beloved fixture for 30 years, captivating audiences with a dynamic blend of singing, dancing, and irreverent comedy. Performing at venues such as Silver Creek Saloon, Elkhorn Saloon, Whiskey Jacques, Creekside Bar & Grill, and the Boiler Room, The Fabulous … [Read more...] about The Fabulous Vuarnettes
The Flowers Sawmill
Liam Guthrie, Regional History Librarian Adams Gulch is well known today for its popular hiking and biking trails, but the gulch’s history is deeply intertwined with the lumber industry and the Flowers Sawmill, which inhabited it for decades. This 1911 photo shows the sawmill that once stood at the mouth of Adams Gulch, along with wagons and sleds used to haul lumber. The gulch’s first sawmill was built much further up the gulch, near the confluence with Eve Gulch, by Abijah Adams, for … [Read more...] about The Flowers Sawmill
The Challenger Inn
Kristine Bretall, Wood River Museum Community Engagement Manager Here, we look back on an old image of kids on skis approaching the Challenger Inn from the pond near the Sun Valley Opera House in about 1955. The shot was taken for publicity purposes by the Union Pacific Railroad, which owned Sun Valley Resort at the time. From the start of the resort in December 1936, Union Pacific’s goal was to get travelers to arrive by train and stay at the resort for all their needs. The Sun Valley … [Read more...] about The Challenger Inn
