JACKSON, Wyo. — Every now and then we stumble upon some sneaky gems here at Buckrail. A few weeks ago Arie Rotshtein, a Reddit user, posted some old photos of Jackson Hole long before it became a place of high-end ranch weddings and cowgirl themed bachelorettes.

A handful of the photo slides from Rotshtein, dated from October 1959 to September 1968. Photo: Hannah Trask // Buckrail

Rotshtein was kind enough to send Buckrail the photos, which arrived at the office as slides. The photos capture a moment in time that can feel long forgotten here.

Downtown Jackson in October 1959. The hill appears to be Crystal Butte. Photo provided by Arie Rotshtein

Many of the sites and businesses still remain in Jackson to this day, although sometimes with different names or new ownership. Parking spaces abound, and only one lone traffic light is evident in some of the older photos.

Powderhorn Mountaineering, a business local to Jackson in 1968. The shop was purchased from John Horn in 1971 by Chuck Schaap, and is now known as Teton Mountaineering. Photo provided by Arie Rotshtein

The entrances to the national parks were also slightly less busy.

The West Yellowstone entrance to Yellowstone National Park in 1969. Photo provided by Arie Rotshtein

It can seem like things are growing and changing quickly here in Jackson, as many express concern over the exponential growth and record numbers in visitation. Some comfort can be taken in the fact that history has, in some ways, been preserved.

The open highway in 1968. There seemed to be a little less traffic back then. Photo provided by Arie Rotshtein

Hannah is a Buckrail Staff Reporter and freelance web developer and designer who has called Jackson home since 2015. When she’s not outside, you can probably find her eating a good meal, playing cribbage, or at one of the local yoga studios. She’s interested in what makes this community tick, both from the individual and collective perspective.