Uncovering Wyoming’s Hidden History: How One UW Student Revealed the Truth About an Indigenous Boarding School

When Ava Olson first walked into the American Heritage Center’s reading room, she had no idea she was about to unearth a history that had remained largely untold for nearly a century. Today, we’re proud to announce Ava as the recipient of our 2025 Undergraduate Research Award for her groundbreaking paper, “St. Michael’s Mission: A Supposed Sanctuary.”

Behind the picturesque circular layout of St. Michael’s Episcopal boarding school in Ethete, Wyoming – which operated from 1917 to 1956 – lay a troubling reality that Ava meticulously pieced together through primary sources in our collections

Diving Into the Archives: A Detective Story

Working under the guidance of Professor Samantha Vandermeade in a course on Wyoming, Race, and the Archive (itself developed through an AHC Teaching & Research Grant), Ava examined multiple collections to investigate the school’s complex history.

Yellowed letters in the Episcopal Church Diocese of Wyoming records revealed the school’s initial optimistic intentions. Faded blueprints showed how the buildings were deliberately arranged in a circular pattern inspired by Arapaho traditions.

But as Ava examined oral histories and administrative documents, a different narrative emerged. The documents revealed a story of contradiction: while St. Michael’s founders claimed to respect Indigenous culture and create a new model of education, the everyday practices mirrored the assimilationist policies seen across North America.

Bishop Nathaniel S. Thomas (1867-1937), founder of St. Michael’s Mission (1917) for Northern Arapaho students in Wyoming. As the “Indian Tuskegee,” St. Michael’s featured a circular layout inspired by Arapaho traditions while providing vocational training. Portrait from Samuel Hart, *The House of Bishops*, 1913. Courtesy HathiTrust. Public domain.

Records and oral histories documented how students had their hair cut upon arrival and were doused with kerosene. School policies enforced English-only rules in classrooms and dining halls, implemented military-style drills, and imposed punishments for speaking the native Arapaho language. The stark contrast between the school’s stated philosophy and its actual practices became evident through Ava’s careful analysis of these primary sources.

Arapaho students and instructors. The Rev. Sherman Coolidge (Arapaho Episcopal priest) stands at far left, while Rev. John Roberts (Episcopal missionary) sits at far right with hat on leg. Both men were instrumental in early Episcopal mission work with the Arapaho people, preceding St. Michael’s Mission in Ethete. Photo File: Indian – Tribe – Arapahoe, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.

Bringing Hidden Truths to Light

What makes Ava’s research so valuable is that it illuminates a significant blind spot in Wyoming’s historical record. As Professor Vandermeade noted in her nomination letter, “scholarly and/or secondary sources addressing St. Michael’s role in the forced assimilation of Indigenous children were almost nonexistent.”

By examining internal correspondence, photographs, and firsthand accounts, Ava revealed how this small Episcopal mission school participated in what is now recognized as a nationwide effort of cultural erasure. Her research shows how St. Michael’s, despite its intentions to be different, required students to conform to white Victorian standards of appearance, enforced English-speaking requirements, emphasized vocational training over academics, and maintained military-style routines and discipline.

Translation of the Lord’s Prayer into the Arapaho language, part of a larger effort to translate portions of the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer. This work was prepared by Rev. John Roberts (1853-1949), who served as an Episcopal missionary on the Wind River Reservation for 69 years, in collaboration with Fremont Arthur (d. 1901), an Arapaho translator. Box 1, John Roberts papers, Coll. No. 37, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.

The Power of Undergraduate Research

Ava’s achievement demonstrates why we’re passionate about getting primary sources into the hands of young researchers. With fresh perspectives and rigorous methodology, undergraduate scholars can challenge established narratives and recover histories that might otherwise remain buried in archival boxes.

The $500 award recognizes not just the excellence of Ava’s scholarship, but also her contribution to our understanding of this difficult chapter in Wyoming’s past. Her paper stands as a testament to how primary source research can illuminate complex historical truths and bring marginalized voices back into our collective memory.

The AHC extends our warmest congratulations to Ava on this well-deserved recognition. Her thorough research and thoughtful analysis exemplify the highest standards of undergraduate scholarship. We look forward to seeing where her academic journey takes her next. We also wish to express our sincere gratitude to Dr. Samantha Vandermeade for nominating Ava’s work and for her dedication to teaching archival research methods. By guiding students to explore challenging aspects of our shared history through primary sources, professors like Dr. Vandermeade help fulfill the AHC’s mission of enabling historical research and interpretation across disciplines.

The AHC Undergraduate Research Award will continue to recognize excellence in undergraduate research using our collections. We encourage all University of Wyoming faculty members to consider nominating outstanding student work for next year’s award.

Supporting Wyoming’s Indian Education for All

This research into Wyoming’s indigenous boarding school history, along with the AHC’s K-5 Teaching Resources – Indigenous Tribes of Wyoming exhibit and the Center’s extensive archival holdings, serve as valuable resources for educators implementing Wyoming’s Indian Education for All mandate.

These primary source materials—including photographs, documents, manuscripts, and more related to Wyoming’s Northern Arapaho and Eastern Shoshone tribes—are available through digitized resources, online exhibits, and with assistance from Reference Department staff to help teachers educate students about the cultural heritage, history, and contributions of Wyoming’s tribal nations while supporting Wyoming Social Studies Standards.

For more information about using the Center’s resources, contact the AHC’s Reference Department at ahcref@uwyo.edu.