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a m e r i c a n l o c a l h i s t o r y n e t w o r k w y o m i n g w e b s i t e
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WRITINGS ABOUT WYOMING
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The ALHN-Wyoming website contains a number of exclusives: history articles, essays and stories that can't be found anywhere else on the Web. A few other wonderful pieces are reproduced on this site courtesy of their original website owners. If you have a piece you would like to contribute, please contact ALHN-Wyo.
Better and Happier Class of People: Farmers and Ranchers in Sheridan and Johnson Counties In the summer of 1905, two Sheridan Post reporters took separate road trips into the countryside, recording their impressions of the state of the county. Published in the Sheridan Post in 1905. ALHN-WYO EXCLUSIVE
Bill Booth, Notorious Slayer A desperado of the first degree, multiple murderer Bill Booth met his end in northern Wyoming in 1886, hung by famed Johnson County Sheriff Frank Canton. This eye-witness version was written by James Enochs; no date. ALHN-WYO EXCLUSIVE
Dead Man's Trail Although rancher T. F. Carr's account of the 1886 murder of a horseless, unarmed cowboy known only as "Pushroot Jim" names suspects and witnesses, no one was ever charged with the crime. Recorded by J Elmer Brock in 1945. ALHN-WYO EXCLUSIVE
Early Day Dayton Home of the Susan Wissler, first woman mayor of Wyoming (and possibly the nation), Dayton, Wyoming, is a small town with a mighty history filled with cattle ranchers, gold fever, timber operations and Eastern dudes. Written by Arthur & Bly Dixon; no date. ALHN-WYO EXCLUSIVE
Early Days in Buffalo Retold In his presentation to the Johnson County Historical Society in 1922, long-time Buffalo resident W. J. Thom brought up tales of outlaws, saloons, forts and settlers. By W. J. Thom; reprinted in The Sheridan Press, 24 December 1922. ALHN-WYO EXCLUSIVE
Fred Sutton, Mail Carrier When interviewed in 1956, long-time mail carrier Fred Sutton could still remember the earliest days of Hulett. He arrived in 1900; the town's streets weren't laid out until 1904! Written by Lois Miller; published in the Sheridan Press in 1956. ALHN-WYO EXCLUSIVE
Gillette Flourishing As proven in this missive, written about a trip from Buffalo to the railhead in Gillette, it was hard to get around the region prior to the construction of real roads ... and the installation of road signs! Written by an unidentified correspondent; published in the Buffalo Bulletin in 1891. ALHN-WYO EXCLUSIVE
Hardships of the First Colony This first-hand account of Sheridan's founding includes stories about the town's earliest families and the first winter's last food! Written by Sheridan founder John D Loucks; no date. ALHN-WYO EXCLUSIVE
Kaycee A Wild and Wooly Town Long visited by wolfers, ranchers and rustlers, Kaycee is one of the most colorful communities in Wyoming. Written by Thelma Gatchell Condit; published in the Buffalo Bulletin, 16 August 1956. ALHN-WYO EXCLUSIVE
Letter From Lida Mock In this lengthy 1953 letter to a younger brother, pioneer Lida Mock describes her family's overland trip to Wyoming, the death of their mother in childbirth, and the hardships of early homesteading in northern Sheridan County, Wyoming. Reproduced here courtesy of Marci Mock. ALHN-WYO EXCLUSIVE
One Mile Above Sea Located at the highest spot on the Burlington line, 1910 Parkman (named for famed explorer Francis Parkman) had a school, a water system, and a bright future ... at least they hoped so! Author unidentified; published in the Sheridan Post in 1910.
Origin and Naming of Sheridan This first-hand account focuses on the very first days of the northern Wyoming community that would come to be known as Sheridan, named in honor of Civil War General Phil Sheridan. Written by Sheridan founder John D Loucks; no date. ALHN-WYO EXCLUSIVE
Sheridan Elks Lodge Souvenir Program Not only does this program provide a history of the national and local Elks organizations, it lists all the local members, including charter members and deceased brothers. Published by Sheridan Elks Lodge No. 520 in 1903; transcribed by Cynde Georgen in 2003. (Also available at Sheridan County GenWeb)
Sheridan Woman a Spy The story of Austrian-born Louise Bliss is the stuff Hollywood movies are made of. Disguised as a boy, "Lew" joined the Union Army, served as a spy behind enemy lines, married a fellow soldier, and was even wounded at Vicksburg. From an article published in the Sheridan Enterprise in 1911. ALHN-WYO EXCLUSIVE
Something Special: 40 Years of Basque Radio in Buffalo, Wyoming A celebration of the people instrumental in starting and maintaining Buffalo's Euskaldun Ordua or "Basque Hour," broadcast exclusively on Johnson County's KBBS radio starting in 1956. (Courtesy North American Basque Organizations)
Subjects of the Mikado: Japanese Community of Sheridan County, 1900-1930 This article provides insight into the lives of the Japanese who came to Sheridan to work, first on the railroads and later at the coal mines. Written by Cynde Georgen in 2001; published in 2003 in the Annals of Wyoming; reprinted with permission of the author. ALHN-WYO EXCLUSIVE
Trabing Trading Post Located south of present-day Buffalo in Johnson County, the Trabing Trading Post was a frequent stop for emigrants, outlaws, cowboys and soldiers from 1878 to its demise eighteen months later. Written by Burton S Hill; published in the Buffalo Bulletin; no date. ALHN-WYO EXCLUSIVE
Americans Through It All: The Relocation of the Japanese During World War II Has Significance Today An examination of the the rights and responsibilities of citizenship in post-911 America. Written for the Wyoming History Day Competition by Krista Geary; reproduced here with her permission. ALHN-WYO EXCLUSIVE
Arland, Wyoming: From Metropolis to Graveyard Madams, madness and murder; the tiny Park County community of Arland had it all during its brief existence (1884-1896). Written by an unidentified author; published in the Cody Enterprise in 1938. ALHN-WYO EXCLUSIVE
Big Horn Canyon: Heretofore Supposed to be Be Impassable In 1893, four Sheridan men built a flat-bottomed boat and floated down the perilous Big Horn Canyon in northwestern Wyoming, a feat rarely, if ever, accomplished up to that time. Written by J. W. Newell; published in the Sheridan Post in 1893,
Big Horn Canyon: Sheridan Men Win Gamble With Death in Canyon Trip Nearly thirty years after the event, one of the participants in the abovementioned 1893 journey down the Big Horn Canyon recalled the most adventurous episode of his life. Written by J. W. Newell; published in the Sheridan Press in 1922. ALHN-WYO EXCLUSIVE
Big Horn Hot Springs With hot water, cold water, mineral water and river water, the Big Horn Hot Springs had something for everyone in the 1890s. Author unidentified; originally published in the Leader; reprinted in the Sheridan Post in 1893. ALHN-WYO EXCLUSIVE
Elmer "Chatty" Chatfield Arriving in Wyoming in 1893, Chatty worked with sheep and cattle in the southern Bighorn Basin for sixty years. His story is one of excitement and danger. Written by Chatfield's great-grandson Steve Sproul; reproduced here with his permission. ALHN-WYO EXCLUSIVE
Mormons in Big Horn Basin Starting in 1900, members of the Church of Latter-Day Saints -- the Mormons -- began settling in northwest Wyoming's Big Horn Basin. This article chronicles their efforts to improve the region with roads and canals. Written by Charles Welch; published in the Basin Republican in 1908. ALHN-WYO EXCLUSIVE
Trip to Hot Springs, 1890 This journal tells the fascinating tale of a two month vacation trip to Hot Springs (near Thermopolis), taken by seven men, women and children from the Laramie Peak area. Of special interest is the time spent camping at the Hot Springs. Written by Mary Ferguson; no date. ALHN-WYO EXCLUSIVE
Trip to Yellowstone, 1905 One hundred years ago, a visit to Yellowstone National Park was still unusual enough that those who made the journey frequently wrote of their experiences for the folks back home. Written by James Klindt; published in the Sheridan Post in 1905. ALHN-WYO EXCLUSIVE
Doc Middleton, Road Agent and Bandit Add "murderer, horse thief and saloonkeeper" to "road agent and bandit," and you get a more complete picture of the character of James Riley, aka "Doc Middleton." This outlaw out of Texas wreaked havoc in Wyoming from the 1870s until his death in 1914. Author unidentified; no date. ALHN-WYO EXCLUSIVE
Keeline Family Starting with a couple thousand head of Texas cattle in 1874, the Keeline outfit had grown to over 10,000 head by the time it moved from Nebraska to Niobrara County in 1877. Unpublished manuscript written by "an unidentified member of the Keeline family;" no date. ALHN-WYO EXCLUSIVE
Naming of the Kirtley Post Office Located in Niobrara County, Kirtley (originally Pleasant Ridge) was one of dozens of small post offices that popped up in Wyoming in the 1890s and, later, quietly disappeared. Written by U O Kirtley; no date. ALHN-WYO EXCLUSIVE
Wicked Past of Lusk Revealed From "promiscuous shootings" to "soiled doves," these snippets from back issues of the Lusk Herald show how lively times could be in a frontier town! Compiled by Russell Thorpe; published in the Enterprise; no date. ALHN-WYO EXCLUSIVE
Wyoming Bandit Gang's Yell Same as Western Doughboy's Battle Slogan Various stories have been told about the origins of the phrase "Powder River, Let 'Er Buck." This one gives credit to Kid Curry and his gang of Hole in the Wall outlaws. Written by Powder River Bill; published in the Sheridan Post in 1922. ALHN-WYO EXCLUSIVE
Across the Laramie Plains In a Boat This is the story of an adventurous turn-of-the-century (1899-1900) float trip down Wyoming's Big Laramie River in a custom-made wooden boat. Written by "The Woman;" published in the Laramie Boomerang in 1900. ALHN-WYO EXCLUSIVE
Cheyenne Road, 1867 Written weeks prior to the arrival of the Union Pacific railroad, this short letter to the editor chronicles the development of roads and businesses in the Cheyenne area. Written by "F;" published by the Rocky Mountain News in 1867. ALHN-WYO EXCLUSIVE
Yoder, Wyoming Organized in 1921 by the Goshen Townsite Development Company, the original town of Yoder was put together from buildings moved from two other small towns, Springer and Lacey Corners, and named for the pioneer Yoder family. Written by David Luthey; no date. (courtesy Yoder Newsletter)
Bryan, One-Time Terminal of the U. P. Railroad One of the "roaring" towns along the Union Pacific line in southern Wyoming, Bryan appeared in 1868 only to disappear four years later. Written by Margaret Chrisman in 1931. ALHN-WYO EXCLUSIVE
Chinese Riot and Massacre of September 1885 Many tales have been told of the racially-charged labor disputes of southern Wyoming in the 1880s. The version reproduced here is from a handwritten transcription of a single chapter of History of Union Pacific Coal Mines, 1868-1940; originally published by the Union Pacific Railroad in 1940. ALHN-WYO EXCLUSIVE
Elinore Pruitt Stewart Homestead Many people will recognize this Sweetwater County homesteader's story from the movie Heartland, based on her book, Letters From a Woman Homesteader. Her abandoned homestead still stands near the community of Burntfork, Wyoming. (Courtesy Sweetwater County Historical Museum)
Granger Stage Station Though small in size, this stone building looms large in the transportation history of Wyoming due to its location at the junction of the Oregon/California Trail and the Overland Trail. It was also a stop along the Pony Express route. (Courtesy Sweetwater County Historical Museum)
Rock Springs City Hall Built of native sandstone, this fabulous Richardsonian Romanesque structure has graced downtown Rock Springs since 1895. It now serves as home to the Rock Springs Historical Museum. (Courtesy Sweetwater County Historical Museum)
Silver Creek Sheep Raid Like the famous Spring Creek Raid which occurred hundreds of miles north in Washakie County, Sweetwater County's Silver Creek Sheep Raid of 1903 resulted in death to both sheep and shepherd. Written by Adrian Reynolds; published in the Daily Reminder in 1936. ALHN-WYO EXCLUSIVE
About Wyoming In 1889, community business leaders across the state were trying to get settlers to come to Wyoming by printing glowing reports about life in the rural state, far from the evils of eastern society. Author unidentified; originally published in the Lusk Herald; reprinted in the Sheridan Press in 1889. ALHN-WYO EXCLUSIVE
Wyoming Women Possessors of Distinction as Result of Aid in Building State Several Wyoming women were being considered for inclusion in a national woman's hall of fame, proposed for Washington D. C. From an article published in The Sheridan Post in 1923. ALHN-WYO FEATURE
Black Diamonds of Sheridan (Index) In the early 1900s, a dozen underground coal mines and towns dotted the map in northern Sheridan County. By the middle of the century, nearly all were gone. This book chronicles their brief history. Written by Stanley Kuzara in 1977; indexed by Cynde Georgen in 1998. (Also available at Sheridan County GenWeb)
In the World War: Sheridan County Service Members, 1917-1919 (Index) This book is a "pictorial record of the gallant and courageous men from Sheridan County" who served in the First World War, plus those involved in local war work. Published by Mills Printing in 1919; indexed by Cynde Georgen in 2005. ALHN-WYO FEATURE
Japanese Residents of Sheridan County (Abstracted List) Compiled from a variety of sources: city directories, censuses, birth, marriage, death, funeral home and cemetery records, obituaries and family histories. Spans nine decades. Compiled, abstracted and indexed by Cynde Georgen in 2003. ALHN-WYO EXCLUSIVE
Mount Hope Cemetery, 1890-1908 (Abstracted List) Located on a hill overlooking Sheridan, Mount Hope was originally a private subscription cemetery. Its handwritten record books contain a wealth of information on early area residents. Abstracted and indexed by Cynde Georgen in 2001. ALHN-WYO EXCLUSIVE
Old Settlers Club Members of Sheridan County (Abstracted List) Between 1925 and 1929, dozens of Sheridan County pioneers completed applications for membership in the Old Settlers Club. Represented are cowboys, businessmen, politicians and more. Abstracted and indexed by Cynde Georgen in 2001. ALHN-WYO EXCLUSIVE
Sheridan and the Sheridan Country (Index) Called "A Pen and Picture Description of a Wonderfully Fertile Section With Great and Varied Natural Resources," this slim booklet contains references to local businesses and businessmen. Published by the Sheridan Chamber of Commerce in 1903; indexed by Cynde Georgen in 2002. ALHN-WYO EXCLUSIVE
