Harrison R. Crandall: Artist, Pioneer and Patron of Grand Teton National Park

Abstract

Harrison R. Crandall (or "Hank" as he preferred; Fig. 1) is best known for his paintings and photographs of the Teton Range, and ranch scenes of Jackson Hole, Wyoming. However, Hank 's multi-faceted life, which spanned the period from 1887-1970, was far more interesting and important than is generally recognized. He was the first artist and commercial photographer to operate a studio in the Jackson Hole area, but he was also a valley homesteader, an important supporter and patron in the establishment of the Grand Teton National Park, and a pioneer concessionaire of the National Park art and souvenirs before the advent of mass tourism. Hank's natural artistic talent was accompanied by a complex personality - a mixture of the spirited individualism required of a mountain adventureer and dry-land homesteader, a loving and dedicated family man who promoted shared labor and leisure, and an environmentally attuned visionary who helped many to interpret the meaning of the Grand Teton National Park experience.