For the week of November 20 - 26, 2002

Historical society president embraces region’s history

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By GREG STAHL
Express Staff Writer

The Ketchum-Sun Valley Historical Society’s new president said this week she is excited and enthusiastic about preserving local historic buildings and about the opportunity to share local history with others.

Anne Lapeyre Zauner 

 

The nine-member historical society board of directors appointed 51-year-old Wood River Valley resident Anne Lapeyre Zauner as the organization’s president on Nov. 13.

"This is a springboard opportunity to get the museum and the society a lot more involved, particularly in historic preservation," Zauner said.

Zauner said recent construction in Ketchum has been ravaging the town’s historic character, not only because of the demolition of historic buildings but also because new buildings do not conform to local historic staples.

"By preserving historic buildings, we can bring the present to the past and give people a connection to the area’s roots," she said. "I don’t think there’s a person here who wants to see this town ‘block city,’ blocks of tall buildings. We need some variety."

Zauner said she would like to preserve the city’s few remaining historic structures, including the Bald Mountain Lodge.

"We’d love to preserve the lot and the whole building, but if we can’t preserve the site, we will hope to save the building."

She said she also hopes to work on finding a new home for the city’s old Congregational Church, most recently called Louie’s, which was built in the 1880s.

History, Zauner said, is important for several reasons.

"It provides a foundation, from which we can grow and hopefully improve, and learn from the mistakes of the past," she said. "It adds character, personality, value. It helps us see things in better perspective."

 

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