Searching for something new to listen to the other day I stumbled upon a podcast about my home town in Wyoming, Jackson.
The Jackson Hole Connection is an interview style podcast by Stephan Abrams. Released every Thursday, with 42 episodes as of this writing, you will hear the voices of those who live, work and love the town and area known as Jackson Hole.
Jackson, is surrounded by national parks, national forests and wilderness, and is home to outdoor enthusiasts, ranchers, business leaders, artists and other creative types. Winter and summer this little town of about 10,000 plays host to the world. Here you can be fed, sheltered, sold souvenirs, entertained and sent on your way to explore Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. Behind the scenes is a "Forever West" Wyoming town that loves its local music, restaurants, brew pubs and farmers markets. Nonprofits are very active here from those that focus on and support the local hospital, child care, the arts and conservation groups.
The people Stephan interviews on his podcast touch all these parts of life in this not so typical mountain town. He talks to natives as well as transplants who felt called to stay or come back to make a life in this special place.
Tim Harland is a very good example of a transplant who found his place here. From the show notes of Episode 1 - Putting Down New Roots with Tim Harland.
For the first episode of the Jackson Hole Connection, Stephan sat down with Tim Harland, the Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Grand Teton Distillery, a husband, father, volunteer fire fighter and chamber board chairman.
An Oregon native, Tim rode into Jackson Hole on his motorcycle site unseen back in 1993 and never looked back. Stephan and Tim dive into the importance of volunteering, what it was like growing up with exchange students, having kids in Jackson and building a Jackson Hole family.
Episode 6 - A Climber's Perspective: The Evolution of Jackson Hole with Bill Johnson has seen this area change over 50 years with some fascinating insight.
In this week’s episode of the Jackson Hole Connection, Stephan sits down with Bill Johnson. Bill began writing his story about Jackson Hole in 1961 when he arrived for a two week climbing trip. When Bill first started coming to the valley, the local economy only provided for summer employment. Jackson Hole Mountain Resort had not opened, winter tourism did not exist, and only the old time locals would remain through the winter. Bill used the winter off season to venture back to California to work for his friend Yvon Chouinard, surf and sail. In this episode Bill talks about how Jackson has changed in 50 years, helping build Teton Village and how to have the ultimate work/life balance.
Bill does not have email or other gadgets, just an old fashioned flip phone.
A Jackson native is interviewed in Episode 10 - Six Generations of a Jackson Hole Family with Betty Karns Terrill
In this episode of The Jackson Hole Connection, Stephan visits with Betty Karns Terrill, a Jackson Hole native, born in 1934 in a log cabin at the base of Leeks Canyon. At the age of 84, Betty is still very active in the community. Betty plays the saxophone in the Jackson Hole Community Band and is part of the Jackson Hole Quilt Guild. As Betty likes to say, “that cabin is still standing and so am I”.
Betty is a 29 year member of the Rotary club, former president of the Chamber of Commerce and a former employee of the original Jackson Drug (making 50 cents an hour!). Betty is part of the 3rd generation family with the 6th generation living in the valley today. Betty’s grandfather was the first family member to homestead in Jackson as a hunting guide in 1897.
Stephan and Betty talk about what it was like growing up in Jackson, how the valley has changed from the 30s up until now, the cutter races on the town square, owning one of the first motels in Jackson and why Betty never felt the need to leave our beautiful mountain town.
Above is just a quick sample of three interviews and there are so many more from a film maker, an artist, a buffalo rancher, local politicians, doctors, architects and .......
.........well just subscribe or go to
the website already and listen for yourself.
The background noise of my days comes from podcasts. The music I sleep to comes from a podcast. I use an app called Podcast Addict to listen to all of these things. I know there are more popular apps to use but I like and recommend this one. It has lots of sorting and organizing options that I use to listen to whatever I am in the mood for as well as to keep me informed on the news of the day without needing to be stuck to whatever room the tv is playing in. Podcasts can be downloaded and that means I always have something to listen to and learn from whenever I go for a walk too. Between Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and my subscriptions on Podcast Addict I get to be in control of the when how what and why of the entertainment I choose to spend my time on and I like that very much.
Do you have a favorite podcast?
What about a podcast about where you live that you would recommend?
I like to learn about new places, please share!
Back with more again soon.
Take care and stay cozy!
This post is a personal recommendation but you should know that pictures linking to the bag are affiliates. If you click and purchase it costs you nothing and I may get a few pennies for yarn.
