Category Archives: Wyoming history

Logbook of a Legend: Jack Knight and the Birth of All-Weather Airmail

Aviation in the 1920s was unpredictable. Pilots flew routes that few had successfully flown before, with untested technologies and in all weather conditions. These risks went hand in hand with being a pilot for the airmail service. None embody this … Continue reading

Posted in 1920s America, aviation history, Postal Service History, Transportation history, Uncategorized, Wyoming history | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Franklin Statue: Wyoming’s Bronze Founding Father and a Touch of Controversy

Welcome back to our ongoing series “Designing the University of Wyoming,” which explores the stories behind the campus’s architecture, landmarks, and artistic features that have shaped the university’s identity over the decades. Standing proudly on the lawn south of the … Continue reading

Posted in Campus Heritage, Uncategorized, University of Wyoming history, Wyoming history | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Territory Girl, Statehood Pioneer: Mary Godat Bellamy’s Wyoming Story

Imagine hearing the actual voice of someone who watched Civil War soldiers march past her childhood home, then lived to see the atomic age. That’s exactly what you can experience with Mary Godat Bellamy’s 1947 recordings—a remarkable audio document from … Continue reading

Posted in Collections Highlights, Oral history, Uncategorized, Women in History, Wyoming history | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

From “Caucasians Only” to Hall of Fame: The Remarkable Journey of Wayman Wing

Did you know the University of Wyoming College of Engineering and Applied Science has a Hall of Fame? Among its distinguished members is Wayman Chung Wing (1923-2020), whose journey from facing discrimination to international acclaim exemplifies resilience, innovation, and barrier-breaking … Continue reading

Posted in Asian American history, Biography and profiles, Chinese Americans, Uncategorized, University of Wyoming Alumni, Wyoming history | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Felicia Gizycka and Cissy Patterson: The Relationship that Defined a 20th Century Life

Felicia Gizycka was born in 1905 to Count Josef Gizycki and his wife, Countess Eleanor “Cissy” Patterson. Her early years were colored by her father’s kidnapping of her and her mother’s aloofness. Her adult life was one of “international flapper,” … Continue reading

Posted in 1920s America, American history, American Social History, Biography and profiles, Journalism, Uncategorized, women's history, Wyoming history | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Wyoming Quilt Project: Preserving History Through Quilts

In 1994, a small but dedicated group of Wyoming women came together to start documenting the state’s quilts. The Wyoming Quilt Project was created with a mission of photographing and recording details about Wyoming’s quilts—those that were made in the … Continue reading

Posted in American Heritage Center, Culture and heritage, Oral history, Textile Arts, Uncategorized, women's history, Wyoming history | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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 … Continue reading

Posted in awards, Indigenous Peoples, Student projects, Uncategorized, undergraduate students, Wyoming history | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Video Series Brings Union Pacific Railroad Stories to Life

When you think of the Union Pacific Railroad, you might picture massive locomotives or endless stretches of track crossing the plains. But for a recent American Heritage Center oral history project, it’s the people and their stories that take center … Continue reading

Posted in American Heritage Center, American history, Community Stories, Labor History, Oral history, Railroad History, Transportation history, Uncategorized, Union Pacific Railroad, women's history, Wyoming history | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Remembering Al: A Friend Who Just Happened to Be a Senator

On March 14, we lost Al Simpson. My heart feels heavy as I write these words. At the American Heritage Center, we knew him like so many others did—as a benefactor, yes, but more importantly, as a friend. I’ve been … Continue reading

Posted in Alan K. Simpson Institute for Western Politics and Leadership, American Heritage Center, Memorial Tributes, Political history, Uncategorized, Wyoming history | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Tall Tales and Other Oddities – The Fabulous Jackalope of Wyoming

On 307 Day – March 7 – we invite you to consider the jackalope. Many are the visitors to Wyoming who have been taken in by the legend of the jackalope. Mounted specimens of the elusive creature can be found … Continue reading

Posted in Local Folklore, Uncategorized, Western Americana, Wyoming Culture, Wyoming history | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment