Category Archives: popular culture

Happy Birthday Hoppy!

Posted on June 5, 2022 by ahcadmin

William Lawrence Boyd, known throughout the world as “Hopalong Cassidy”, was born June 5, 1895 in Hendrysburg, Ohio, to Charles William Boyd, and his wife, the former Lida Wilkens (aka Lyda). Following his father’s death, Boyd moved to California to … Continue reading →

Posted in Animal actors, Hollywood history, Motion picture actors and actresses, popular culture, television history, Uncategorized, Western history | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Comic Books: A Continuing Work in Progress

Posted on September 20, 2021 by ahcadmin

Although comic books depict the exploits of characters who possess “powers and abilities far beyond those of ordinary mortals” the medium itself stems from very humble beginnings.  Comics as a print medium have existed in the United States since the … Continue reading →

Posted in Artists, Comic book history, Fantasy, popular culture, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Joseph S. Palen: Cheyenne Frontier Days Chronicler

Posted on July 24, 2021 by ahcadmin

If you’re interested in the history of Cheyenne Frontier Days (CFD), a great place to start is the J. S. Palen papers at the American Heritage Center. Born in 1912 in Salina, Kansas, Palen became fascinated with cowboy culture at … Continue reading →

Posted in Agricultural history, Current events, popular culture, Ranch history, Rodeo history, Uncategorized, Western history, Wyoming history | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Plainclothes Irishman Michael O’Shea

Posted on March 15, 2021 by ahcadmin

It seems only right to send to commemorate the life of actor Edward Francis Michael Patrick Joseph O’Shea on St. Patrick’s Day. Not only was he Irish American, he was born on March 17 in 1906. He went by the … Continue reading →

Posted in Current events, Holidays, Motion picture actors and actresses, motion picture history, popular culture, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Traveling with Cole Porter

Posted on March 8, 2021 by ahcadmin

Actress and photographer Jean Howard was a great favorite of Cole Porter, the urbane composer and songwriter known for scoring such successful productions as Kiss Me Kate (1948) and High Society (1956). His numerous hit songs include Begin the Beguine, … Continue reading →

Posted in Composers, Hollywood history, Motion picture actors and actresses, Photographic collections, popular culture, Uncategorized, women's history | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Aloha Wanderwell – A Well-Wandered Woman

Posted on March 1, 2021 by ahcadmin

To commemorate March as Women’s History Month, the AHC would like to feature the life of adventurer Idris Galcia Hall (1906-1996) who christened herself “Aloha Wanderwell.” In 1922 at age 16, she answered an ad calling for “a good-looking brainy … Continue reading →

Posted in aviation history, Explorers, popular culture, Uncategorized, women's history, World exploration | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Marguerite Shepherd: Assistant to “Ace of Aces” Eddie Rickenbacker

Posted on January 11, 2021 by ahcadmin

Marguerite “Sheppy” Shepherd (1894-1983) was the longtime personal assistant to ‘Ace of Aces’ Eddie Rickenbacker (1890-1973), a World War I fighter pilot, race car driver, automotive designer, government consultant in military matters, air transport pioneer, and longtime head of Eastern Air … Continue reading →

Posted in aviation history, popular culture, World War I | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Superman’s Pal – Mort Weisinger

Posted on November 30, 2020 by ahcadmin

After World War II, superhero comics, which had been a welcome diversion for American servicemen, stalwart champions of War Bonds, and other support for the home front during the conflict, largely lost their audience and were gradually replaced by comics … Continue reading →

Posted in Comic book history, commercial art, Fantasy, Hollywood history, popular culture | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

William Beaudine, Bela Lugosi, and Horror Films Out West

Posted on October 26, 2020 by ahcadmin

For Halloween 2018 and 2019, we brought you blog posts on The Killer Shrews and The Giant Gila Monster, two low-budget horror movies financed by Texas radio pioneer Gordon McLendon. This year, we shine a spotlight on the career of … Continue reading →

Posted in Holidays, Hollywood history, Horror, Motion picture actors and actresses, motion picture history, popular culture, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Living Through a Pandemic: Eight Months of Donations to the American Heritage Center’s COVID-19 Collection Project

Posted on September 30, 2020 by ahcadmin

The AHC COVID-19 Collection Project began in April 2020 as an effort to collect stories, photographs, poems, and other creative works that show the impact coronavirus has had on our community. Not just the University of Wyoming employees, students, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Coronavirus outbreak, Current events, Local history, Pandemics, popular culture, Uncategorized | 1 Comment