Vail Area History

: Santa Claus aka Dan Allard and Erin Stege; Artist and longtime local, Dan Allard, is a perfect Santa Claus. (His wonderful beard and mustache are real!) He is pictured here with Erin Stege, Vail Public Library's wonderful Children's Library Associate, near the Gore Creek Promenade in Vail Village.

: Santa Claus aka Dan Allard at Vail Public Library; Artist and longtime local, Dan Allard, is a perfect Santa Claus. (His wonderful beard and mustache are real!) Santa visited Vail Public Library (VPL) during the library's "Family Fireside Holiday Party" on 12 December 2023. The photo was captured by Laurin Megna-Davis, VPL Children's Library Associate.

: Santa Claus aka Dan Allard with Fitz Van Dyke; Artist and longtime local, Dan Allard, is a perfect Santa Claus. (His wonderful beard and mustache are real!) Santa visited Vail Public Library (VPL) during the library's "Family Fireside Holiday Party." The photo features Fitz Van Dyke and Pam, his caregiver.

: Santa Claus aka Lou Meskimen and Ken Hoeve; Lou, alias the "Masked Man," Meskimen is pictured clowning around with Ken Hoeve. Meskimen, who played Santa Claus for many years in the Vail area, was also known for the beautiful Holiday Season outdoor lighting that his company, Masked Man Services, provided. Hoeve is an Emergency Medical Technician, water sports enthusiast, and was a Weather Anchor for TV8 Vail until 2020. The photograph was supplied by Hoeve.

: Summervail Art Workshop - "The A-Frame" and Raku Kiln; Summervail Art Workshop (SAW) held many programs in "The A-Frame," a former Town of Vail Public Works facility. Debbie Bolon-Feeney reports that the structure in the left-front is a raku kiln.

: Summervail Art Workshop - "The A-Frame" in Winter; During the 1960s and into the 1970s, the Town of Vail had a Public Works building that was called "The A-Frame." From 1973 to 1978, "The A-Frame" was the primary site of Summervail Art Workshop (SAW). Randy Milhoan, Dan Telleen and Jim Cotter were the founders of Summervail Art Workshop. The program ran from 1971 to 1984 and became one of the most prestigious art workshops in the United States. In June 2021, SAW celebrated the 50th anniversary of its founding. This image was shared by Ramsey Cotter, who is the daughter of SAW founder and artist Jim Cotter, and the nonprofit entity Summervail Art Workshop Legacy Project (SAWLP).

: Terry Minger - Outlaw Trail photo; This 1975 image of Vail's first Town Manager, Terry Minger, was captured by Jonathan Blair during a horse-packing trip along the historic Outlaw Trail. Minger was invited to participate by Robert Redford. The two were close associates during the 1970s Vail Symposia. Sponsored by National Geographic, the trip traversed the American West from El Paso, Texas to northern Montana. The photograph is found on page 57 of the publication Redford wrote to commemorate the trip: Redford, Robert. The Outlaw Trail: A Journey Through Time. New York: Grosset & Dunlap, 1978.

: The Ski Trooper Bronze Sculpture - 2023 Photograph; "The Ski Trooper" bronze sculpture concept was inspired by 10th Mountain Division veteran Donald E. Traynor. Based upon the bronze sculpture by Victor Issa, “The Ski Trooper” was created by Colorado artist Scott Stearman. The 12 ½ feet tall, 7000-pound Ski Trooper sculpture is found near the Covered Bridge in the Slifer Plaza located at the heart of Vail Village. The artwork is curated by the Town of Vail's Art in Public Places collection coordinator Molly Eppard. The sculpture honors World War II troops from the 10th Mountain Division who trained in winter warfare at Camp Hale in Eagle County, Colorado. Several 10th Mountain Division veterans were instrumental in shaping skiing history and ski area development of North America. This image was captured by Ricki Shaw Sherlin, Regent of the Vail-based 10th Mountain Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR). Placing holiday wreaths on veteran's memorials or gravestones is one of this chapter’s service activities.

: The Ski Trooper: Commemorative Sculpture Narrative; This image depicts the narrative portion of The Ski Trooper 1941 - 1946 commemorative memorial. In 1998, artists Scott Stearman and Victor Issa created The Ski Trooper bronze sculpture. The Ski Trooper sculpture and accompanying narrative commemoration comprise the Tenth Mountain Division Memorial located near the Covered Bridge in Slifer Square of Vail Village. In 2023, commemorative wreaths were placed by the Eagle County, Colorado based 10th Mountain Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR). This image was captured by Ricki Shaw Sherlin, Regent of the 10th Mountain Chapter of the NSDAR.

: Two Elk Fires - Vail Mountain 1998; This poignant image was captured by Vail Fire Lieutenant, Mark Mobley, on 19 October 1998. The image is provided courtesy of Vail Fire Department and found in a Vail Daily article by Ed Stoner on 9 May 2007. John Duran was the Vail Fire Chief, while John Gulick served as Assistant Fire Chief. Also involved were Vail firefighters Mike Vaughan, Dave Eich and Craig Davis.

: Two Elk Fires - Vail Mountain 1998 (no. 2); This image of Two Elk Lodge was captured by Retired Vail Fire Lieutenant, Mark W. Mobley, on 19 October 1998.

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