Railroad Ties

Tracking the History of Sun Valley

This exhibit celebrates the arrival of the railroad into Ketchum, Idaho, in 1884. Railroad Ties: Tracking the History of Sun Valley, opened July 10, 2014. The economic, social, and cultural impacts of the railroad shaped the Wood River Valley.

As you travel chronologically through the exhibit, from the time span of early peoples to the Sun Valley resort, you see how the railroad is the thread that connects the history. The railroad theme shows how Sun Valley’s unique history began from the building of the Oregon Short Line during the silver mining boom years.

This exhibit was made possible by the generous support of the Wattis Dumke Foundation and the Idaho State Historical Society.