|
The Hole Story
Archeologist
deduce people have been visiting the valley as long as 12,000
years ago. Artifacts of hunter-gatherers have been found
dating from 500 to 5,000 years ago. During pre-historic times,
no one tribe claimed ownership to Jackson Hole, but Blackfeet,
Crow, Gros Ventre, Shoshone and other Native Americans living
on surrounding lands used this neutral valley during the warm
months. Severe winters prevented habitation
^back to top
While
historians credit John Colter as the first white man in the
Jackson Hole in the winter of 1807, it is fellow fur trapper
Davey Jackson for whom Jackson Hole is named.
In the spring of 1822, David E.
Jackson responded to an ad in the St. Louis Enquirer which
read:
Wanted
100 enterprising young men to ascend the Missouri River to
the Rocky Mountains, there to be employed as hunters. As
compensation to each man fit for such business, $200 per
annum to be given for his services.
Jackson signed on with William
Ashley's fur company and was truly enterprising. In 1826, he
and two other fur trappers, Jedediah Smith and William
Sublette, bought out Ashley. In 1830, having made a sizable
profit in only four years, these partners sold the company.
To mountain men, a low-lying
valley surrounded by mountains was called a "hole." Because
mountain rivers and streams that ran through holes created
good habitat for beaver and other fur-bearing animals,
trappers worked in these areas. Often a trapper assumed
unwritten rights to trapping areas, and many places were
named for the men who worked there most frequently. Sublette
named the valley "Jackson's Hole" for his partner in 1829.
Eventually the possessive was
dropped because it was the, errr, butt of too many jokes.
^back to top
For
three decades between 1810 and 1840, this area was a
crossroads for the six main trapper trails that converged in
Jackson Hole. Mountain men had the run of the valley where,
from 1824 to 1840, they held annual summer rendezvous, the
equivalent of modern day trade shows. Here, they sold their
furs or traded them with companies like the Hudson Bay Company
and the Astoria Fur Company for winter supplies. These
gatherings also allowed the trail-weary mountain men a chance
to eat, drink and be merry with other trappers, as well as
test their ability in contests of skill.
By 1845, the fur trade had ended
as the fashion of men's beaver hats back East gave way to
silk hats. For the next four decades, Jackson Hole remained
unsettled because of its relative isolation and was visited
only by wandering tribes and government expeditions.
The most memorable of these
expeditions was the Hayden expedition in 1871. Pictures
taken of Yellowstone by expedition photographer William
Henry Jackson helped persuade the federal government to
designate it the nation's first national park 1872, 18 years
before Wyoming became a state.
^back to top
 Jackson Hole
didn't see settlers until 1883, when John and Millie Carnes
and John Holland became the first unofficial citizens of
Jackson Hole. They crossed via an old Native American trail,
clearing trees for the wagon as they went.
By the mid-1890s, settlers
dotted the valley around villages named Kelly, Wilson and
Moran. The historic buildings at Menor's Ferry near Grand
Teton National Park headquarters in the town of Moose
survive from this era. The town site of Jackson was laid out
in 1897 where Cache and Flat Creek meet - a location central
to many ranches of that time in the valley.
Soon a bank, stores, churches
and a park (the Town Square is now bordered by four elk horn
arches, one at each corner) sprouted to complete the
beginning of the town. Some of the structures surrounding
the town square were the first buildings. Streets to the
south contain houses that have been there since the early
days.
^back to top
As Jackson
Hole's beef industry grew, large elk herds that roamed the
mountains and valleys began to compete with cattle for hay
supplies. To help
ranchers, Congress began a federal feed program for the
Jackson elk herd. A few years later in 1910, the federal
government bought the 24,600 acres just north of town, now
the National Elk Refuge, to help keep the herd from starving
in the winter and to preserve the ranching lifestyle in
Jackson Hole. Nearly
3,000 elk summer in Grand Teton National Park. Free ranging
and migratory, elk spend all summer gaining weight to
sustain them through the coming winter. The first few inches
of snow trigger migration to the National Elk Refuge
immediately south of the park.
Approximately 7,000 elk (over
half the Jackson herd) spend their winter on the Refuge.
Visitors enjoy elk hunting and trout fishing on Flat Creek
on the Refuge during certain seasons. In winter, sleigh
rides bring visitors among the herd.
^back to top
After
1900, some settlers realized that "dudes winter better than
cows." Helped by its proximity to two future national parks (GTNP
and Yellowstone), the valley began to become famous for big
game hunting. Ranchers often took guests and offered guide
services, providing a base for "dude ranching." These old
cattle operations became new vacation destinations for fly
fishermen, hunters and horseback riders.
Tourism started to replaced
cattle ranching as Jackson Hole's economic base. This was
facilitated when the land around the Tetons was designated
as a national monument in 1929. After years of debate,
Congress added further acreage and created Grand Teton
National Park in 1950.
The town of Jackson also brought nationwide recognition to
Wyoming by helping it become known as the Equality State. In
1920, an all-female town council was elected - the first of
its kind in the country.
^back to top
 The many
movies made in Jackson Hole have added to the valley's fame,
beginning with an early version of "Nanette of the North" in
1921. The famous "Shane" was filmed north of Kelly on Antelope
Flats, north of Moose and on the National Elk Refuge. When
Henry Fonda and Maureen O'Hara made "Spencer's Mountain" in
1963, and some 200 local people appeared as extras; the little
log building of St. John Episcopal Church was the setting for
some of the scenes. Rosalind Russell in "The Unexpected Mrs.
Polifax" did most of her outdoor filming on top of Rendezvous
Peak above Teton Village, arriving there via the aerial tram.
Countless nature specials and
outdoor commercials have also made use of the spectacular
scenery. Vacationers enjoy visiting the sites of all these
movies, as well as all the other scenic and historic places
in the area. There are
galleries too that have grown up around a number of
well-known artists who make their home here. Local artisans
abound and exhibit their products at a half-dozen craft
fairs every year. Add to these attractions the recreation
available - such as fishing, river rafting on the wild
waters and calmer stretches of the Snake River, horseback
riding, hiking, golfing and tennis - and the result is a
great vacation. In the evenings, there are rodeos, live
musical comedy shows and even a full symphony orchestra in
the summer. In the winter, ski deep powder, get away from it
all on a snowmobile or view the elk herds from a horse-drawn
sleigh.
^back to top
Today,
Jackson Hole is a winter and summer playground for outdoor
enthusiasts from all over the world. Skiing, snowboarding,
hiking, rock climbing, mountain biking and kayaking are just
some of the activities. "The Last and the Best of the Old
West," Jackson Hole's culture is unique, blending its western
heritage with that of a destination resort. On the board
sidewalks of Jackson, cowboys with hats and spurs are often
juxtaposed against snowboarders with dreadlocks and nose
rings. Prehistoric
visitors came to feed the body. Today's visitors nourish the
spirit. Management of Grand Teton National Park honors the
mandate to protect the natural systems that produce the
scenery and wildlife for the enjoyment of future
generations.
^back to top
| 
