Ed Ranks Historical Events in Ketchum, Idaho

Ketchum

Look now here, folks. Ketchum, Idaho is probably not the most fascinating place in the world. It fact, it's probably pretty boring. But I can only work with what I've got to go with.  These are the ten most interesting things that ever happened in Ketchum. Which auto-correct desperately keeps wanting me to turn into "ketchup." No autocorrect, no! Mind your own ducking business, you piece of shirt!


10. A New Freight Line (1884) - The Ketchum Fast Freight Line opens, expediting the transfer of small freight in the area, carried by mules and wagons. This isn't that interesting at all, is it?

9. Festival Time (1958) - Ketchum holds is first "Wagon Days," an annual labor day carnival that features Old West wagons, a parade, and simulated gunfights. I guess that's cool, but this is less of a "historic event" and more of a sentimental look back to the days of yore.

8. A New Park (1973) - The Sawtooth Recreational Area opens up in the north, representing a move to make Ketchum a year-round tourist destination. Supposedly. I mean I haven't been there.

7. The Era of Gambling (1937 to 1954) - Gambling reaches its heights at Ketchum, likely driven by the new Sun Valley resort. That is, until its finally outlawed in 1954.

Clint playing... eh, himself. As usual.

6. Clint Films a Movie (1984) - Clint Eastwood films "Pale Rider" in the surrounding area of Ketchum (including the Sawtooth Mountains). The film would be released the following year.

5. Renamed (1880) - In the same year it was established, the post office, thinking "Leadville" is too common of a name (yep, that's right, in 1880 everyone was just CRAZY about naming their towns "Leadville"), decides to rename the town "Ketchum," after a local fur trapper who had staked a claim in the area the prior year.

4. Founding (1880) - The city is founded as "Leadville," a silver and lead smelting center in the Warm Springs Mining District. I guess being founded is a pretty important historical event, huh?


3.  Sun Valley (1935/1936) - The nearby resort of "Sun Valley" ski resort opens up, founded as an attraction by the Union Pacific Railroad. Which one of these two years is it? I'm not sure. The sources I looked at differ.  It becomes an immediate tourist attraction and summer home for rich celebrities like Gary Cooper who want to escape places like Los Angeles.

2. Largest Sheep Center in the US (1890's through 1920's) - In this era, Ketchum thrived as a local center for the sheep trade. With large grazing grounds, livestock corrals, and shipping centers - Idaho became the sheep zone! By 1918, Ketchum was the second largest sheep center in the world, second only to Sydney, Australia. Second biggest sheep trading post in the world and the largest in the US? Yeah, that's pretty awesome and interesting, Ketchum. If I were from Ketchum and had to tell somebody a fun fact about the city I came from - this would always be a good conversation starter.

Santa?

1. Ernest Hemingway and his Head are Separated (1961)

Ernest "Papa" Hemingway is famous for living it up in warm places like Key West and Cuba. But he also lived in Ketchum, Idaho. It was here in 1961 where he decided to take his shotgun, place it in his mouth, pull the trigger, and blow his cranial vault into a thousand little chunks. Honestly, this has got to be the most interesting this that ever happened in this sleepy town of 2,700-ish people.