Library Blog

By Olivia Terry, Regional History Museum Librarian

Pictured here in this turn of the century studio portrait from the Mary Lemon Brown Collection, is Gertrude Edna Lewis Gates (1867-1945). Gertrude was the daughter of Isaac Ives Lewis, one of Ketchum’s most influential men during the silver mining boom.

When Gertrude was thirteen, she and her family moved to Ketchum and built a house near where Sun Valley is currently located. Shortly after, Issac Lewis monopolized business, purchasing the weekly Ketchum Keystone newspaper and the lucrative Elkhorn Mine. He also opened the First National Bank of Ketchum.

Gertrude married a few years later and spent her time in and out of Ketchum. She was said to be a deeply religious woman. Gertrude was no doubt a woman of privilege in the Wood River Valley and her status is underscored by her hat in this portrait. While it appears that Gertrude has everything and the kitchen sink on her head, her hat was extremely fashionable for the second half of the 1890s. Gertrude’s hat appears to feature an entire bird, silk hydrangeas, crushed ribbon, and a mystery element that adds drama through height.  

While it appears that Gertrude has everything and the kitchen sink on her head, her hat was extremely fashionable for the second half of the 1890s.

Nineteenth century milliners not only added feathers to their creations, but it became one of the biggest fashion crazes of the century to place an entire bird onto women’s hats. Leading Parisian designs were disseminated across the world and were copied by local American and European dressmakers for their clients. The practice of decorating hats with birds and giant feather plumes continued into the 20th century, coming to a climax during the Edwardian era with the introduction of the enormous and theatrical “Merry Widow” hat. Shortly after, it fell out of fashion when birds, especially the Great Egret, were becoming increasingly extinct from over-hunting. It is unknown when or where Gertrude acquired this hat, but it’s clear that Gertrude was aware of and had access to the latest fashion of the day. 

Peter Matschek, Gold Mine Processing Associate, recommends Madhouse at the End of the Earth by Julian Sancton.

This book is the true story about the experiences of the crew of the Belgica in their attempt to be the first ship to reach the magnetic South Pole. The captain, Adrien de Gerlache, was from an aristocratic family of Belgium; one of his ancestors was one of the founders of the Belgian nation. His brother, father, grandfather, and a long line of de Gerlache men all had careers in the military, but he had no interest in a military career.

Instead, de Gerlache had dreams of sailing the seas, which he had harbored since he was a child. When he was 28, he was able to put together an expedition under the guise that it would be a scientific endeavor, when in fact it was more for glory for Belgium as well as himself. 

This expedition was beset by problems from the start, so by the time they finally left Argentina, they were over a month behind schedule. de Gerlache had hoped to reach the magnetic South Pole and return to Argentina before the sea froze over.

“…when the time came to either abandon the trip and head back north, or continue, [the captain] decided to forge ahead so he could obtain the fame he sought…”

However, when the time came to either abandon the trip and head back north or continue, he decided to forge ahead so he could obtain the fame he sought (he lied to the crew about this).  As luck would have it, they became stuck in the ice before reaching their goal and had to endure an entire winter trapped in the cold and dark. 

The book details the decline of the crew’s physical as well as mental health as a result of the isolation, boredom, and lack of good nutrition. To make things worse, when the sun did finally return, the ice didn’t let the ship go, and it looked like it would remain that way through the next winter.  The hopes of the crew were dashed and one became insane and another one died. 

I liked this book since it went into detail of the dynamics between the captain and the crew. Usually the captain’s decisions are law, but when his health declined, some of the crew went ahead with their own ideas of survival.

“To make things worse, when the sun did finally return, the ice didn’t let the ship go, and it looked like it would remain that way through the next winter.”

The doctor played a pivotal role in the survival of the crew.  He was helped by a man named Roald Amundson, who would go on to become one of the world’s most accomplished polar explorers (he was the first to reach the South Pole). He used this trip to test ideas of exploration and survival in polar climates. 

This book was written based on the journals and notes from the crew and the ship’s logbook and is used as an example of what happens to humans in complete isolation.  In fact, NASA uses it for research on isolation for future trips to Mars.

Find Madhouse at the End of the Earth here.

Gold Mine Processing Associate, Brenda Cook, recommends Running with Sherman by Christopher McDougall.

The book, Running with Sherman: The Donkey With the Heart of a Hero, is based on a true story, and will appeal to many.  After taking in an abused donkey, the author, Christopher McDougall, is determined to compete in a grueling 10-mile burro race. While your donkey is tethered to you much like a dog on a leash,  you must endure the challenge up and down a mountainside in Colorado. 

The journey not only heals Sherman but everyone who connects with him, especially Zeke. Zeke suffered from depression so severely, he tried to take his own life. The bond created between Sherman, the donkey and Zeke gives an understanding of the impact animals can have on individuals.

Living in Pennsylvania, the team against all odds succeed in their journey to Colorado and the race of their dreams. 

This is a very relaxing read that encourages inspiration, determination, and gratitude. I highly recommend this book, it will leave you feeling good. 

Find it in print here.

Review by Gold Mine Processing Associate Eric Brown

Educated is a memoir by the American author Tara Westover. Tara recounts overcoming her survivalist Mormon family in order to go to college, and emphasizes the importance of education in enlarging her world.

She explores her struggle to reconcile her desire to learn with the world she inhabited with her father.

Tara details her journey from her isolated life in the mountains of Idaho to completing a PhD program in history at Cambridge University. She started college at the age of 17 having had no formal education. She explores her struggle to reconcile her desire to learn with the world she inhabited with her father.

Having grown up in rural southern Idaho, reading this memoir was more relatable and tangible than other memoirs I have read. Her story of resiliency, courage, and hope is inspiring for me, as well as many others.

Find it in print, ebook, eaudiobook, and CD here.

by Ali Hazelwood 

Reviewed by Sara Zagorski, Gold Mine Thrift Store Retail Manager

Now, I’m not generally one to (admit that I) like romance books or anything of the genre, but after the holidays I most definitely needed a bit of lighter fanfare than my usual sort. During the last bit of the year my stress level is generally at an all-time high and whatever book I find myself reading has no business adding to it. Queue: Love on the Brain. 

Two mortal nemeses find themselves paired together on a project for NASA that will either make or break Dr. Bee Königswasser’s career. Bee has devoted herself to neuroengineering and the simple question: What would Marie Curie do? From the very beginning the pushback from said nemesis, Levi Ward, is apparent and disheartening. The two had previously met in grad school where Ward made his feelings rather obnoxiously known—that life would be a heck of a lot easier if they stayed galaxies far, far away. (There’s a lot of Star Wars references sprinkled throughout, both a treat and an all-too-typical nerd trope. I digress.)  Bee is determined to overcome this and prove to Ward that, not only is she the best fit academically for the new technology they’re seeking to implement, but also a more than capable scientist overall.  

…life would be a heck of a lot easier if they stayed galaxies far, far away.

In addition to her workplace drama, she also finds herself the secret owner of a Twitter account that’s reached accidental fame, partially due to its questioning of the systems set into place concerning traditional testing and acceptance of new students into doctorate programs. She takes her real-life fight and that of her internet crusade on with an ardor that’s both admirable and exhausting to consider.  

My final thoughts are as follows. Entertaining? Certainly. Light-hearted? Yes, as long as you don’t actually sit and dwell on the practices and (still somehow) modern thoughts about women in science. Would I read it again? Probably, ask me around January 5^th next year. 

Find the ebook on Libby here.

By Kelley Moulton

The Sun Valley Ski Patrol has been a part of the Sun Valley story since the resort opened its doors in 1936. The image here shows a training drill from 1953 where the members of the ski patrol are practicing what they would do in the event of a plane crash. The seven visible members are being pulled across the snow by a CAT, ladened with various pieces of equipment. This drill included scaling a mountain and then possibly bringing down the plane crash victims.

The Sun Valley Ski Patrol has been a leader in the industry. Members of the Patrol would train the U.S. Army’s 10^th Mountain Division during World War II, and one of the original directors, Nelson Bennett, would help to revolutionize safety with his invention of the Sun Valley Ski Patrol Rescue Toboggan. The toboggan would become widely used by other Ski Patrols across the country and the technology would continue to be used to this day.

Today’s Ski Patrol features over 60 highly trained members, human and canine, who work to keep recreationists at Sun Valley out of harm’s way. To name just a few of their duties, the Sun Valley Ski Patrol arrange avalanche mitigation, rescue services, and share their invaluable knowledge with our community. Today, the Ski Patrol continues to provide world class service and safety to all who enjoy the mountains around Sun Valley.