- The Hemingway Memorial is located one mile east of the Sun Valley Lodge on Trail Creek Rd.
- The Memorial is accessible year round and there is no fee to visit the site.
- In 1939, Hemingway made his first trip to the area.
- Hemingway took his own life in his Ketchum home in 1961.
Overview
Ernest Hemingway took his own life in 1961 and was buried in the Ketchum cemetery. In 1966, a memorial was erected by his family and friends. The bronze bust of Hemingway and accompanying plaque was dedicated on July 21, 1966, which would have been the famous author's 67th birthday. The inscription on the plaque reads:
Best of all he loved the fall
the leaves yellow on cottonwoods
leaves floating on trout streams
and above the hills
the high blue windless skies
…Now he will be a part of them forever.
Location/Directions
One mile east of the Sun Valley Lodge on Trail Creek Rd.
Hours/Seasons
The Hemingway Memorial is open and accessible year round.
Fees/Cost
There is no cost or fee to visit the Memorial.
More Info
In 1939, Hemingway made his first trip to the area. Initially invited to the Sun Valley Resort as a part of the company's plan to use celebrities to lure tourists, Hemingway fell in love with the area. He worked on For Whom the Bells Tolls while staying in a luxury suite at the Sun Valley Lodge.
Twenty years later, Hemingway established a residence in the Wood River Valley. In his home, he worked on two more works – A Moveable Feast and The Garden of Eden. Hemingway was an avid hunter and enjoyed duck hunting with friends who came to visit him. The beauty of the Wood River Valley is thought to have provided inspiration to Hemingway.
