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WRITINGS ABOUT WYOMING
| Articles & Essays
| Indexes & Abstracts |
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Northwest |
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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.
ARTICLES, ESSAYS &
STORIES
Northeastern Wyoming
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
Northwestern Wyoming
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
Central Wyoming
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
Southeastern Wyoming
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)
Southwestern Wyoming
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
General
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
INDEXES & ABSTRACTS
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