Author Archives: ahcadmin

Excavating Fear: The Emotional History of the American West

“PRAY FOR ME. I AM ALONE.” When Reverend Cyrus Byington penned these words in all capital letters from Indian Territory in 1841, he captured something often overlooked in the grand narrative of American westward expansion: terror. Surrounded by strangers, listening … Continue reading

Posted in American Heritage Center, Research grants, Uncategorized, Western history | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Walter J. Levy and the 1953 Iranian Oil Crisis: How an Oil Economist Shaped a Global Turning Point

The 1953 Iranian oil crisis is often remembered for its political intrigue and Cold War implications. Yet one of the most influential figures shaping Western thinking about the crisis was not a statesman or intelligence officer, but a petroleum economist: … Continue reading

Posted in International relations, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Legacy 101: How Wyoming Remembers Nellie Tayloe Ross

On December 20, 1977, The Wyoming Eagle marked Nellie Tayloe Ross’ death with a simple but powerful headline: “Nellie Tayloe Ross Dies at 101.” Beneath it, the paper summarized her lifetime of public service and listed her achievements as first … Continue reading

Posted in Biography and profiles, Political history, Uncategorized, women's history, Wyoming history | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

What I Learned Digitizing 100-Year-Old Negatives

The American Heritage Center offers internships for University of Wyoming students in various areas. One example is the opportunity to work with Grace Derby, the Center’s Photography Lab Supervisor. Students learn procedures for preserving historic photographic materials. Here, Gabby Castro … Continue reading

Posted in behind the scenes, Interns' projects, Preservation, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

“I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas”: The Enduring Appeal of a Holiday Hit

As we enter the holiday season, it’s nearly impossible to escape the sounds of holiday standards warbling through PA systems and speakers wherever you go. Holiday music is an incredibly lucrative industry with a wide-ranging and enduring appeal, and many … Continue reading

Posted in Collections Highlights, Holidays, Music History, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

AHC and Grand Encampment Museum Unite to Share Lora Webb Nichols’s Remarkable Wyoming Archive

Lora Webb Nichols (1883-1962) was a prolific diarist and photographer who lived most of her life in southcentral Wyoming. She accumulated more than 24,000 negatives, representing the many shades of life in the frontier mining town of Encampment. Today, the … Continue reading

Posted in Collections Highlights, Photography, Uncategorized, Wyoming history | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Carroll Baker – More Than a Sex Symbol of the Silver Screen

With her large blue eyes and lithe figure, Carroll Baker was a Hollywood sensation. Papers of the day described her as “a little like Marilyn Monroe, a little like Jean Harlow, and altogether a platinum blonde.” She earned millions from … Continue reading

Posted in Biography and profiles, Collections Highlights, Film History, Hollywood history, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

AHC Archivists coauthor book about the history of the Western Research Institute and Bureau of Mines

American Heritage Center archivists, Erin Shadrick and John Waggener, recently coauthored a book about the history of the Western Research Institute and its predecessor Bureau of Mines. The 73-page book, One Hundred Years on the High Plains of Technology, tells … Continue reading

Posted in Authors, Uncategorized, University of Wyoming | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

From Turkey to Timbales: Thanksgiving Traditions in the Toppan Rare Book Library

As Thanksgiving approaches, here a look at some culinary treasures at the Toppan Rare Book Library—two cookbooks that show how Americans have celebrated the holiday across different eras. A Child’s Party Paradise Let’s start with the more playful of our … Continue reading

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Finding Nigeria in Indigenous American Archives

When I first opened the lid of the gray archival box at the American Heritage Center, I was both exhilarated and apprehensive, the kind of feeling you get when you encounter something that is both fragile and alive. In it, … Continue reading

Posted in Colonial Studies, Cross-Cultural Analysis, Indigenous Peoples, International Perspectives, Student projects, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment