Category Archives: Wyoming history

‘Plopped Down in the Middle of That’: Indian Boarding School Life Documented in the Warm Valley Historical Project

The Warm Valley Historical Project, funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, was conducted from 1990 to 1991 in coordination with the Shoshone Episcopal Mission to interview residents about Wind River Reservation life during the early … Continue reading

Posted in American Indian history, Arapaho, Cultural assimilation, Eastern Shoshone, Indigenous Peoples, Uncategorized, women's history, Wyoming history | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Buffalo Bill Dam – Discover the Story of Wyoming’s Tallest Dam

The Buffalo Bill Dam was designed by engineer Daniel Webster Cole and built between 1905 and 1910. It was one of the first projects undertaken by the U.S. Reclamation Service (later known as the Bureau of Reclamation). The dam sits … Continue reading

Posted in Agricultural history, Construction, Heart Mountain Relocation Center, Immigration, Irrigation, Shoshone Dam, Uncategorized, water resources, Wyoming history | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Roped In: Sara Hagel and Horsehair Rope Making

What is simple work? In a fast-paced society, we often overlook jobs which require a lot of time, skill, and mistake making to master. Many jobs today are considered “simple,” “easy,” or “low-skill” despite requiring specific skills and a great … Continue reading

Posted in Agricultural history, Agriculture, Artists, Folklife, Interns' projects, Livestock industry, Uncategorized, women's history, Wyoming history | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Celebrating Archives Month (Hint: It’s actually bigger than just a month)

October is American Archives Month! To celebrate, we’re highlighting ways in which archives are staying involved in current events around the world, featuring the American Heritage Center’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Wyoming. Archives like the AHC assist communities … Continue reading

Posted in American Archives Month, COVID-19, Digital collections, Local history, Uncategorized, University of Wyoming history, Wyoming history | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Art of the Hunt: Jake Korell’s Story

Jacob “Trapper Jake” Korell (1914-2013) was a legendary Wyomingite who had a bright personality and a passion for trapping. He was skillful and thoughtful in his work and held great respect for the animals he caught. He began trapping when … Continue reading

Posted in Digital collections, oral histories, Uncategorized, Wyoming history | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Powell Tribune’s La Pagina Español

National Hispanic Heritage Month, which spans the period from September 15 to October 15, was first observed as a heritage week under President Lyndon Johnson in 1968 then became a federally recognized heritage month under President Ronald Regan in 1988. … Continue reading

Posted in Agricultural history, community collections, Digital collections, Hispanic Heritage Month, Immigration, Immigration Policy, Mexican-American history, Racial bias, Uncategorized, Wyoming history | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Wyoming’s Nuclear Response to Project Plowshare

Vice President Richard Nixon delivered these words in October 1960 to a Toledo, Ohio, fraternity group: “Our plan to develop peaceful constructive uses of nuclear explosives has been given the name of Project Plowshare, because it is literally an attempt … Continue reading

Posted in Cold War, energy resources, environmental history, Nuclear energy, Political history, Uncategorized, Wyoming history | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Wrangling the Western Metaphor: Charles Belden’s Wyoming Imagery

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

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 Heart Mountain Relocation Center, Immigration Policy, Interns' projects, Uncategorized, Western history, western politics and leadership, Wyoming history | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

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

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, Book history, Uncategorized, Western fiction, Western history, Wyoming history | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment