Neil Rafferty photograph collection, 1940s-1990s

Overview of the Collection

Title
Neil Rafferty photograph collection
Dates
1940s-1990s (inclusive)
Quantity
7 images
Collection Number
P1300
Summary
The Neil Rafferty photograph collection consist of images of Rafferty skiing in Wyoming.
Repository
University of Utah Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections, J. Willard Marriott Library
University of Utah
295 South 1500 East
Salt Lake City, UT
84112-0860

Telephone: 8015818863
special@library.utah.edu
Access Restrictions

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.

Languages
English

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

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.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The Neil Rafferty photograph collection consist of images of Rafferty skiing in Wyoming.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on 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.

Preferred Citation

Initial Citation: Neil Rafferty photograph collection, P1300, Box [ ]. Special Collections and Archives. University of Utah, J. Willard Marriott. Salt Lake City, Utah.

Following Citations: P1300.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Processing Note

Processed by Ashley Arave in 2006.

Acquisition Information

Donated by Fay A. Bisbee.

Related Materials

This collection forms part of the Utah Ski and Snowboard Archive, which is part of the S.J. Quinney Outdoor Recreation Archive

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Container(s) Description
Box Folder
1 1 Neil Rafferty
  • 1: Neil Rafferty, circa 1940s
  • 2: Neil Rafferty beside The Ski Jitney that was used to transport skiers from Leens Canyon on the backside of Snow King to the frontside, circa 1960s
  • 3: Neil Rafferty riding Wyoming's first chairlift at Snow King Mountain, Jackson, Wyoming, July 19, 1957
  • 4: Neil Rafferty boating at Grand Teton National Park, 1940s
  • 5: Neil Rafferty at the rope tow - he helped run operations on Togwotee Pass (Jackson to Casper) from the late 1950s to the early 1960s
  • 6: Neil Rafferty in his eighties, circa 1988
  • 7: Neil Rafferty and Bill Briggs ready to ski off the cornice at Snow King, Jackson, Wyoming, 1990

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Downhill skiing--United States--History--Photographs
  • Skis and skiing--United States--History--Photographs

Personal Names

  • Rafferty, Neil--Photographs

Form or Genre Terms

  • Digital photographs