Category Archives: Western history

The “Peculiar Vibrations” of the Sweetwater County Seat

Posted on November 14, 2022 by ahcadmin

Were some of Sweetwater County’s earliest records stolen from the new county seat and lost in the desert way back in the 1870s? This is a popular story around Green River, the current Sweetwater County seat. It turns out, there … Continue reading →

Posted in Local history, mining history, Scandals, Uncategorized, Western history, Wyoming history | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Wrangling the Western Metaphor: Charles Belden’s Wyoming Imagery

Posted on August 15, 2022 by ahcadmin

Reaching the Pitchfork Ranch in the 1920s wasn’t easy. In fact, it was arduous. Imagine yourself on the trek. After transferring at the Billings, Montana, branch line to the end of the rails in Cody, Wyoming, a light horse-drawn stage … Continue reading →

Posted in Digital collections, outdoor recreation, Photographic collections, Ranch history, Tourism, Uncategorized, Western history, Wyoming history | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Wyoming Statesman Alan K. Simpson

Posted on August 1, 2022 by ahcadmin

Al Simpson is pillar of Wyoming politics, a well-known name across the country, and a benefactor of the American Heritage Center. Simpson enjoyed a long political career spanning the years 1964 to 1997. He is both a politician and a … Continue reading →

Posted in Biography and profiles, Heart Mountain Relocation Center, Immigration Policy, Interns' projects, Uncategorized, Western history, western politics and leadership, Wyoming history | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

No Room at the Inn: Owen Wister Encounters Wyoming, July – August 1885

Posted on July 18, 2022 by ahcadmin

In July 1885, Owen Wister visited Medicine Bow in Wyoming Territory as part of his tour of the region, only to discover there were no rooms available in town to sleep. Instead of moving on when he arrived on July … Continue reading →

Posted in 19th century, Authors and literature, Biography and profiles, Book history, Uncategorized, Western fiction, Western history, Wyoming history | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Hanna, Wyoming’s 1903 “Frightful Disaster”

Posted on June 27, 2022 by ahcadmin

It was a normal Tuesday morning in the Union Pacific Coal Company mining town of Hanna, Wyoming, when disaster struck on June 30, 1903. It was about 10:30 in the morning when coal gas in the Hanna No. 1 mine caught … Continue reading →

Posted in Coal industry, Mine disasters, mining history, Uncategorized, Western history, Wyoming history, Wyoming History Day | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Reclaiming the Colorado: The Differing Visions of the Bureau of Reclamation and the Chemehuevi

Posted on June 13, 2022 by ahcadmin

In 1931, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California praised plans to build the Parker Aqueduct, which would redirect water from the Colorado River to the rapidly growing Los Angeles metropole. To the engineers and planners of the Metropolitan Water … Continue reading →

Posted in environmental history, Environmental policy, Hydroelectric power, Indigenous Peoples, Natural resources, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation history, Uncategorized, water resources, Western history | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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, Biography and profiles, Film History, Hollywood history, Motion picture actors and actresses, Pop Culture, popular culture, television history, Uncategorized, Western Films, Western history | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Your Loving Frank: Romance on the Transcontinental Railroad

Posted on May 9, 2022 by ahcadmin

It might surprise you to find romance amid the story of the back-breaking and dangerous labor involved in building the transcontinental railroad. But we have one for you. We’re commemorating the anniversary of the joining of the Central Pacific and … Continue reading →

Posted in 19th century, Biography and profiles, Railroad History, Uncategorized, Western history, Westward migration, women's history, Wyoming history | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Posted on May 1, 2022 by ahcadmin

The month of May is a time to celebrate the history, traditions, cultures, and contributions of all Asian American and Pacific Islander immigrants and citizens in the United States. This month was chosen because it commemorates the immigration of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Asian American history, Immigration, Japanese internment, Racism, Uncategorized, Western history, World War II, Wyoming history | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Frontier Life Chronicles: The Legacy of Mable Wyoming Cheney Moudy

Posted on April 11, 2022 by ahcadmin

Mable Wyoming Cheney was born on May 2, 1878, in Atlantic City, near South Pass, Wyoming. Her father, Ervin F. Cheney (1844-1922), came west to Fort Sanders as a soldier after the Civil War. He helped survey the town of … Continue reading →

Posted in Biography and profiles, Laramie, Uncategorized, University of Wyoming history, Western history, women's history, Wyoming history | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments