Neil Rafferty photograph collection
Collection
Identifier: P1300
Scope and Contents
The Neil Rafferty photograph collection consist of images of Rafferty skiing in Wyoming.
Dates
- 1940s-1990s
Language of Materials
Collection materials are in English.
Conditions Governing Access
Twenty-four hour advanced notice encouraged. Materials must be used on-site. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.
Conditions Governing Use
The library does not claim to control copyright for all materials in the collection. An individual depicted in a reproduction has privacy rights as outlined in Title 45 CFR, part 46 (Protection of Human Subjects). For further information, please review the J. Willard Marriott Library’s Use Agreement and Reproduction Request forms.
Biographical Note
Neil Rafferty (1909 - 1995)
When Neil Rafferty arrived in Jackson Hole, Wyoming in 1930, his financial resources consisted of 10 cents. With an equal amount of technical knowledge and a lot of trial-and-error (“more error than trial,” he often admitted), he founded the Snow King Ski Area on the north side of Snow King Mountain in 1939. His fortitude and foresight in establishing and administering Wyoming’s first ski area served as an early-day guide to developing favorable working relationships between ski areas and the U.S. Forest Service.
His policies and procedures implemented for the development of the Snow King Ski Area helped lay the foundation for other ski developments in the Intermountain area. Neil also was a pioneer in the field of Ski Patrol, and patrolled at Snow King for many years. With Neil’s support, the Jackson Hole Ski Club was able to host numerous important ski races during the 1940’s, 50’s and 60’s. He established Snow King as a reliable venue for ski racing, a tradition that continues to this day.
During the 1950’s and early 60’s Neil also ran early season ski operations on Teton Pass and Togwotee Pass. His continual efforts to promote skiing in the area found Neil being named Citizen of the Year by the Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce in 1989, the 50th anniversary of Snow King Ski Area, which has a chairlift named in his honor. He was awarded the Pioneer Award from the Intermountain Ski Areas Association in 1988 and also received the University of Utah J. Willard Marriott Library Ski Archives Pioneer of Skiing Award in 1992.
Neil was inducted into the Intermountain Ski Hallof Fame in 2005. The above biograpical note is from that event.
When Neil Rafferty arrived in Jackson Hole, Wyoming in 1930, his financial resources consisted of 10 cents. With an equal amount of technical knowledge and a lot of trial-and-error (“more error than trial,” he often admitted), he founded the Snow King Ski Area on the north side of Snow King Mountain in 1939. His fortitude and foresight in establishing and administering Wyoming’s first ski area served as an early-day guide to developing favorable working relationships between ski areas and the U.S. Forest Service.
His policies and procedures implemented for the development of the Snow King Ski Area helped lay the foundation for other ski developments in the Intermountain area. Neil also was a pioneer in the field of Ski Patrol, and patrolled at Snow King for many years. With Neil’s support, the Jackson Hole Ski Club was able to host numerous important ski races during the 1940’s, 50’s and 60’s. He established Snow King as a reliable venue for ski racing, a tradition that continues to this day.
During the 1950’s and early 60’s Neil also ran early season ski operations on Teton Pass and Togwotee Pass. His continual efforts to promote skiing in the area found Neil being named Citizen of the Year by the Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce in 1989, the 50th anniversary of Snow King Ski Area, which has a chairlift named in his honor. He was awarded the Pioneer Award from the Intermountain Ski Areas Association in 1988 and also received the University of Utah J. Willard Marriott Library Ski Archives Pioneer of Skiing Award in 1992.
Neil was inducted into the Intermountain Ski Hallof Fame in 2005. The above biograpical note is from that event.
Extent
7 images
Abstract
The Neil Rafferty photograph collection consist of images of Rafferty skiing in Wyoming.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Donated by Fay A. Bisbee.
Processing Information
Processed by Ashley Arave in 2006.
- Title
- Guide to the Neil Rafferty photograph collection, 1940s-1990s
- Author
- Finding aid created by Ashley Arave
- Date
- © 2006 (last modifided: 2018)
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid encoded in English in Latin script.
Revision Statements
- 2022: Finding aid revised and re-encoded by Sara Davis.
Repository Details
Part of the J. Willard Marriott Library Special Collections Repository
Contact:
295 South 1500 East
Salt Lake City Utah 84112 United States
801-581-8863
special@library.utah.edu
295 South 1500 East
Salt Lake City Utah 84112 United States
801-581-8863
special@library.utah.edu