Not Much Has Changed in 70 Years

Velma Linford’s textbook, Wyoming Frontier State published in 1947 ends with words that seem as appropriate today as they were when written more than 70 years ago. Linford ends here textbook with these sentiments.

Legislative interim committees are busy studying the revision of educational laws, the revision of election laws, and new sources of income for the state. Members on the committees are men who are aware of the needs of the state as well as of the state’s potentialities. They expect to have definite recommendations for the 1949 legislature.

Faced by problems which will determine Wyoming Tomorrow, the state must necessarily emerge from its frontier status or face a future as the playground of the nation.

Maybe that is where we are still heading, 70 years later, a playground, tourist destination, for the nation. Everything from our spectacular views, to wildlife, and even our low population, seem to attract visitors. With that in mind, possibly we should be spending more, not less, on advertising our state. It also might be a time to promote, expand, and update tourist attractions and activities in the eastern and central parts of the state. By doing this, we might be able to slow visitors as they dash across the state to visit Yellowstone, The Black Hills, Glacier National Park, or Rocky Mountain National Park, depending on which direction they travel.

I love our state parks, and now might be the time to take a long look at what else we can do with our State Parks and Historical Sites and some of our state land to attract more tourism. We might start by looking at the family entertainment venues in places like the Black Hills to see what keeps people there for more than a quick drive through. As much as some hate to look at what others are doing, we might also look at the multitude of programs available for kids and families in the Nebraska State Parks system.

Just my thoughts!

All Photos are from the Castle at Guernsey State Park

Thoughts on a Warm March Day

Interesting to see the big storm in the east when here in Wyoming I spent three hours sitting on the deck in a short sleeve shirt drinking iced tea. Hope all is well on the coast, and no one is injured by the storm, looks like a bad one.

We often get a bad rap for our terrible Wyoming weather, but not so bad today. In my little part of the state, the weather is our well-kept secret. With mountains a few miles to the west, we seem to live in a moderate climate, not much wind and much warmer than most non-Wyomingites would guess. I have played golf at least twice in 34 of the past 36 months. Today my tomato plants are eight days old and sitting in the sun on the deck. Enough bragging about the weather.

When I was researching my newest novel, I am waiting for the proof now.  I read through many pages of material about the closing of Fort Laramie, The Wounded Knee massacre and Wyoming statehood, all which took place in 1890.

Oddly of all the forts in Wyoming, the 41 years, that Fort Laramie existed was the longest of any fort in the state. It shows the short amount of years that passed with westward expansion, the 49ers, the Indian wars, the transcontinental railroad, the telegraph and the pony express. What a time in Wyoming and what a time in the west.

Cover of my new book - Photo from Fort Laramie
If the proof is good the book will  be available in a few days

  

For many years I had my students do a paper on, What time in history would you go back to, if time travel were possible? They could pick any time period in American history and surprisingly quite a few picked the 1950s and 1960s, my time – maybe I talked too much about my growing up years. Of course, many picked the Oregon Trail or 49ers time. A few always wanted early America and the founding fathers. I told them I wanted the 1820-1840 mountain man time, I always wanted to be a mountain man, but now looking at the time, 1849-1890 of Fort Laramie, that would have been historically fascinating.

Photo from last year at Fort Laramie - Fur Trade Days

Speaking of interesting times in history, in the photo below I am standing by, what I believe, is the only remaining cap house, built by the Civilian Conservation Corps, in America. This one is in great shape in Guernsey State Park. Oh, by the way, a cap house stored dynamite caps, far away from the dynamite.

This photo was taken early this week on a terrific day to be in the park.

So ends my thoughts on a beautiful Wyoming day. 

Wyoming Mule Deer

Oh What Can We Do

A little different slant on today’s posting. I seldom post anything, on any of my blogs, about political goings on. No, not the presidential race, actually no race at all, but instead the all-important money. In politics, money matters.

Wyoming as I am sure all readers of this blog know is going through some tough times, extremely tough. Natural gas prices are down, crude prices are low and for all practical purposes, it looks like the coal industry may be on its last legs. So what can we do?

I, like most, am not sure, but what I do feel strongly about is where we are cutting money. Now don’t take this wrong, we need to cut, what we once had may be gone forever. In the last day or two, I have read several articles about cuts, most talking of why every area needs to be cut.

Every area, really – WHY? This is turning into the equivalent of the modern-day idea that everyone is a winner. Which by the way, they are not. We do not need to keep everyone happy by cutting something from everyone. Cut where and what we must, but not everything.

Tourism

Yesterday I read of deep cuts to the tourism advertising budget. Tourism is fast becoming our number one industry and soon will be. Instead of cuts, this is the one area where we need to spend more, not less. Tourists and their money is Wyoming’s lifeline, and we need it now more than ever.

If we take money from tourism, especially from advertising, or from State Parks and Cultural Resources, we are giving up. Might as well just throw up our hands and ask Washington for money, like so many others.

Just my thoughts but remember the old saying – Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is? We talk about the importance of tourism and supporting our parks and cultural areas because they bring money into the state and reflect well on Wyoming. It is time to back it up.

Oh – Oh – Where Should We Go?

Nearly everyone has heard of Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Jackson Hole and Devils Tower, I have visited and love everyone, but we have more, so much more. How about a trip to see one of the following.·        Hot Springs State Park·        Buffalo, Wyoming and the area around·        Cody, the city, and Museum·        The Trails Center in Casper·        Cheyenne, the capital and Frontier Days·        Any and all of Wyoming’s National Forests and Mountain Ranges·        Fort Laramie – The fort that opened the West·        The incredible Civilian Conservation Corps Museum at Guernsey State Park·        Wild horses, Buffalo, Bears, Elk, Deer and other wildlife·      Hunting, Fishing, backpacking, camping, hiking, skiing, snowboarding, snow machining or how about a Cowboy or Cowgirl game in Laramie?

That is just ten quick things off the top of my rather worn out mind. I am sure there are many more, people, places and things that need to be visited in our great state. Things to do year round, summer, fall winter, spring. We need to keep this in the minds of tourists everywhere, it might be our lifeline to the future.

**All photos today are things I believe everyone enjoys about Wyoming

There you have it, Now if I can just get down from my pedestal . .

Old West Gamblers and Beer

Faro and Warm Beer

I’m not sure how many times, hundreds if not thousands, I have read or watched on TV or the movies, a poker game in an old west saloon. The problem is, for the most part, it is all fiction, not much fact. Faro was the game of choice in saloons throughout the American west. How about the cold beer the Cowboys so often dreamed of before getting to town. They may have found a beer, it wasn’t hard, but the cold part didn't happen, not in the old days of the west. One exception, winter time, both the beer and the saloon were cold. How about the famous batwing doors? If they had them, and most saloons did not, they were strictly for the hottest months. They do work well in the cinema but in real life, a single three-foot wide door would have opened into most saloons and other businesses.

Might be a Few in Wyoming Hunting For One of These Next Week with Predictions of 100+ Temperatures for several days - and in Modern Days, it's Cold

Playing Card Games

Fiction likely portrayed cowboys playing poker because it is a better-known game in modern times, but not in the days of the cowboy riding the range. Of all the famous old west gamblers Doc Holliday may be the most well known. His game of choice, Faro, of course. He even carried his own table painted with the 13 cards (1suit) needed to play the very simple betting game. Most experts agree that Faro is as much about luck as any game of chance could be. The game is so random and so easy to play it is no wonder it was the game of choice in the old west. So easy that it created a new class of card cheats. Many dealers and players tried to develop ways to win that included cheating. Some were pretty good at it, others were caught or ran out of town.

Faro Table With 13 Cards and a High and Low Card to bet on.

The First Saloon

The American Southwest is often thought of as the first cowboy country, but the first saloon may have been in Wyoming or close to it. Down in the Brown’s Hole Country of Wyoming, Utah, and Colorado was what I believe, the first old west saloon. That saloon, where you could order a nice room temperature beer and play a bit of Faro opened in the early 1820s. That time period meant Mountain Men, Trappers, Long Hunters Explorers and those running from the law. 

Perfect clientele for a good game of chance. 

“Faro Anyone?”

Ahaaa - The Old West

On another note

On Friday, June 2, 1939, the Museum at Guernsey State Park opened. If my math is correct, that would make it 77 yesterday – Happy Birthday. Interesting and sad that the hard working Civilian Conservation Corps men, who built it, were all gone. The last CCC workers left Guernsey in August of 1938.

CCC Worker Statue Looking Toward the Museum Looks Great at 77

Things I Saw Today

All too often we forget how lucky we are to live in Wyoming. Sometimes we don’t take the time to look around enough. With the economy in a temporary tank now is the perfect time to see the good things.

Seagulls in the North Platte River

For me it doesn’t take much, just a short drive, about an hour, is all it takes. Today with the snow falling that is what we did, took a short drive. As usual, the sites were terrific. What a great place to live.

Trickle Falls in Guernsey State Park

I did, as I always do, took along my camera.

Turkey in the Snow

So today’s post is – stuff I saw in the park today.

Spring, even if it is Snowing

-Once again it is time for monthly Wyoming Trivia-

         1.  What was the dividing line for Wyoming’s first two counties?

          2.  How many counties did Wyoming have when it became a state?

       3. The time of the mountain men was an interesting and colorful part of Wyoming history and the great event of the year for any mountain man was the annual rendezvous. How many Rendezvous were held?

See Answers below photo – don’t peek.

 

Family Outing

1.     The Continental Divide

2.     13

3.     16

A Wyoming Picture - Horses in the Snow

Wyoming's Worst Fire

Fires are a big part of the news this time of year. The past few days our air has been filled with smoke, and we are hundreds of miles from the wildfires.

Smoke filled sunset this evening

Brings back sad memories of 2012 when a wildfire got within a mile and a half of our home. I feel for those who are going through the devastation of fire this summer and pray that rains will come.

Moon rising last summer over area devastated by 2012 fire

The Backwater forest fire, near Cody in 1937 was the most devastating in Wyoming fire History. Not in acres burned, but in loss of life.The fire was started by a lightning strike on August 18. When the fire quickly turned three days later firefighters were trapped, killing 15 and injuring an additional 38.

In my recent book on the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) I mentioned that during the CCC period in America fires were taken care of more efficiently than at any time before or since by the tremendous labor of the men of the CCC.  It is a sad reflection remembering that of the 15 who gave their lives fighting that fire, 12 were members of the CCC, all but one from the camp at Tensleep Wyoming.

Fires can happen anywhere and for most of the year – I hope we all are doing whatever we can to stop manmade fires.

Today In Wyoming History

Many thanks and a shout out to this great site for reminding me of that terrible day in Wyoming history.

l

New History of Guernsey State Park

My Wyoming History book is now complete. It took a lot longer than I expected but is now available. The book deals with the building of Guernsey State Park, centering on the work of the Civilian Conservation Corps in the Park.

 I like the book better than the ebook as the formatting changes on the ebook depending on what the reader is using. Normally this is not a problem, but with the nearly 200 photos in this book, the ebook, which is still fine, can be a bit odd looking in places.

Read a free preview or order a copy here.

All three of my books can be found here on my Amazon Author Page.

Vacation and Sandhills Crains

So where have I been the last week? Well, I have been on vacation. We went to Grand Island, Nebraska to see the Sandhill Crain migration.

Spectacular there were more than 200,000 birds, I would guess we saw three or four thousand.

We also went to the south-east corner of Nebraska to see family. I got to spend some time with brother, sister, brother-in-law, sister-in-laws and various others and had a thoroughly enjoyable time. Now I am back home writing and editing.

I am also excited about being part of a documentary for the Wyoming State Parks, Historical Sites and Cultural Resources. I have finished my book, still with a reader/editor, on the Civilian Conservation Corps and this is the subject of the new documentary. The CCC not my book.

This Evening in the Park

And, by the way, 85 degrees here in my part of Wyoming today.

Love these Old Nebraka Barns

Nonfiction Work Complete

Well, I have another one finished. This one is a nonfiction work on the Civilian Conservation Corps and their building of the state park in Guernsey, Wyoming.

 

 

I still have photo work and footnote work left to finish but the text is completed and one proofing also is complete.

 

 

This one I will self-publish, because it is for a small local market, but it has been both educational and fun. I wanted to hold it to 140-160 pages (both text and photos) looks like I will be close, still fitting photos to size I need.

Guernsey, Wyoming - 80 Years Ago With the CCC

Guernsey State Park is well known as a popular destination for water sports enthusiasts. But did you know that it is one of America’s best historical sites to take a close look at Civilian Conservation Corps History?

Dozens of projects undertaken by CCC workers in the 1930s are still in use in the park today. For those of you who dozed off in high school history class the CCC was part of Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal. The Civilian Conservation Corps was the government’s attempt to put young men back to work. Guernsey State Park was built by theses CCC workers, the park having two camps, one on each side of the lake.

Although the park abounds in wonderful reminders of the CCC and their work building the park, here are my five favorites.

1.     The Museum – The Museum is on the east side of the lake and was built by CCC camp Br-9, which was located down the deep valley south of the museum.

2.     Lakeshore Drive – Lakeshore Drive crosses the dam and follows the east shore. The drive leaves the park at Long Canyon and leads on into the town of Hartville. The drive from Guernsey to Hartville via Lakeshore Drive may be the most beautiful drive in all of eastern Wyoming.

3.     Sitting Bull Picnic Shelter- Located on Lakeshore Drive

4.     Skyview Drive – This is the main road on the west side, unlike Lakeshore Drive, it is not paved but the surface is well maintained, hard packed, gravel.

5.     The Castle- The Guernsey State Park Castle can be reached by taking Skyview Drive to its termination on the North Bluff. While there check out the, Million Dollar Biffy, the most ornate and overbuilt comfort station in all of Wyoming’s state park system. Skyview Drive, the Castle and the, Million Dollar Biffy were all projects of Camp BR-10 although the Castle was finished up by the men of    Camp BR-9.

For true history buffs, the Powderhouse at Camp BR-10 and the bridge on the Brimmer Point walking trail are musts. (Unfortunately the bridge on the Brimmer Point trail was burned in the terrible fire in the summer of 2012 but the terrific stone work is still in place)

The Powderhouse may be one of the least visited historical places in the park. To find the Powderhouse take Skyview Drive the road left from the park entrance pay station, (the road to sandy beach) after going up the mountain (May West Hill) and coming down you will find a turnoff to the left, south, at the bottom of the hill. This is across the road from the beginning of Tunnel Mountain Trail. The old Powderhouse is only about one-hundred yards northwest from this turn off. The turn off is steep but there is room to turn around at the bottom.

The Powderhouse has a small bright metal (unfortunately) interpretive sign. If you are adventurous many ruins from old camp BR-10 are in the area immediately west of the Powderhouse strung out for nearly a quarter of a mile.

On a final note - If you have taken a long drive to reach Guernsey State Park check out the hiking trails. Wonderful views with many great photo opportunities and great exercise also.

 

 

 

"The Worker," statue at the Museum