Afton's Main street in December in the 1930's
looking south possibly from the Valleon Hotel
This photo should cool off anyone sweltering in the late August heat. Just past the Christmas Tree is the show house marquee, so I'm guessing the Elk Horn Arch crosswalk would be just past that. The corner gas station on the right is now part of the city offices. On the left, a Maverick gas station now sits where the Sinclair station was.
Dad and I were preparing another book on the valley when he passed away. This photo is from that file. I'm guessing on the decade but the woman on the far right looks a little more like the 1940's.
It is certainly a bleak winter day. Sleigh riding and a little skiing were the only winter relief in those days, and the winters did seem to stretch out.
One piece of sage advice was to never go up the canyons after Christmas. The danger for avalanches was too great by then.
Snow machines came along in the '70's and changed the way we viewed winter. Overnight it became something to be anticipated rather than dreaded. Snow machines, or sleds as they are now called, also entice folks to ignore the old advice for safety in the canyons.
Dad and I were preparing another book on the valley when he passed away. This photo is from that file. I'm guessing on the decade but the woman on the far right looks a little more like the 1940's.
It is certainly a bleak winter day. Sleigh riding and a little skiing were the only winter relief in those days, and the winters did seem to stretch out.
One piece of sage advice was to never go up the canyons after Christmas. The danger for avalanches was too great by then.
Snow machines came along in the '70's and changed the way we viewed winter. Overnight it became something to be anticipated rather than dreaded. Snow machines, or sleds as they are now called, also entice folks to ignore the old advice for safety in the canyons.
