Jackson Hole History
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 Chruch 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.
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.
