JACKSON, Wyo. – Join the Jackson Hole History Museum on Thursday, August 6, at 5:30 to 7 p.m. for an Opening Reception for the new exhibition “Jackson Hole 1955: Kodachrome Images by Orson L. Arvin.”
The exhibition captures a fascinating moment in Jackson Hole’s history, when Jackson Hole had one foot in its agrarian and ranching past and another foot in a future tourist economy. Orson Arvin’s brilliantly colored images show the valley during the post–World War II auto tourism boom, yet before the ski resort and rapid development began transforming the community in the 1960s.
“The 1950s in Jackson Hole was the beginning of so many activities and traditions we now enjoy including the town’s elk antler arches, scenic float trips on the Snake, and boating from Colter Bay on Jackson Lake,” said Exhibits and Communications Director Kirsten Corbett.
Exhibit photographer Orson Arvin arrived with his wife Bettye in the valley in 1955 in their red-and-black 1955 Buick Super Coupe after leaving Los Angeles, where he had been working at Twentieth Century Fox. A conversation on a film set with actor Chuck Connors planted the seed when Connors told him, “It’s too hot here. I’m headed to Jackson Hole.” Soon after, Orson followed that same path and came to Wyoming to help build roads in the Jackson Hole valley.
The exhibition will pair Orson’s large-format, saturated-color images with interpretive text about the couples’ personal experiences joining the local community, as well as the broader story of Jackson Hole at mid-20th century. Artifacts including Orson’s camera, camera bag, Kodachrome slide film, and light table will be on display.
The History Museum collaborated and co-curated the exhibition with the Arvin Family, who also generously loaned all the photographs and artifacts in the show.
“These photographs have been part of our family’s story for decades,” Tim Arvin, Orson’s son, said. “Seeing them return to Jackson Hole, where my father first captured them, is both deeply meaningful and a wonderful tribute to his love for this remarkable place.”
Orson’s granddaughter, Emma Arvin, added: “I never had the opportunity to know my grandfather, but through these photographs I’ve come to know the world that shaped him – and, in many ways, myself. Standing in the same places nearly 70 years later, I was struck by the same sense of awe and discovery that captivated him. The spirit of Jackson Hole he captured remains untouched by time. My hope is that everyone who visits this exhibit leaves not only with a deeper appreciation for Jackson Hole’s history but with a renewed curiosity about the people and stories that have shaped their own lives.”
Guests at the free opening reception will enjoy sweet and savory camp snacks, a bug juice cocktail, and NA drinks while supplies last.
The project also is made possible by the generous support of History Jackson Hole Members, Treadwell – a leading fine art insurer, and Wyoming Humanities.
The exhibition will be on display during regular Museum hours through January 4, 2027. For more information visit jacksonholehistory.org or call (307) 733-2414.
