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S2: Home Sweet Home in the Wood River Valley

In the second episode, we explore how sheep ranching helped shape the community of Ketchum. While sheep were not the first industry to bring people to the valley, ranching became deeply woven into the town’s identity and way of life. Through historical accounts and memories – including stories from Lane Mercantile – we hear how the sheep industry brought people together and helped build a community that continues to hold tightly to its roots and traditions.

Sheep Stories is a podcast from Boise State Public Radio made in partnership with the Trailing of the Sheep Festival and The Community Library's Jeanne Rodger Lane Center for Regional History in Ketchum. Evelyn Laila Holden is The Patricia Crandall Lane Trailing of the Sheep Festival Archives Summer Intern for 2026. "The Savvy Traveler" audio used in this episode is with permission of Minnesota Public Radio. All rights reserved. Additional recordings in this podcast were made by the Idaho Commission on the Arts. Music in this episode comes from Hal Canon and Leonard Coulson as part of the Deseret String Band.

A transcript of this episode is available.

I was born and raised in Seattle, Washington, and moved to Denver, Colorado, for university. I graduated with a dual degree in Anthropology and History from the University of Denver in Spring of 2025. A few months later, I moved to Ketchum, Idaho and in 2026, I became the Patricia Crandall Lane Trailing of the Sheep Festival Archive Intern, where I produced Season 2 of the podcast Sheep Stories.

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