It Has Been a While

After more than ten years and over 300 posts, I have gone missing in action on this site since September. I’m not sure if I became bored with it, or just ran out of things to say, I am going with the latter.  At times I had posts with more than one hundred reads. Lately, I was lucky to get half that many. There are a lot of good Wyoming sites that tell the great stories of our state, and I hope they are getting read. No, I’m not giving up and will continue to post when I find something of interest, just not sure how often. I first started this site to post many of the stories I used in class, teaching history for 42 years. I even wrote a short history of Wyoming, to give people a quick look at our state. But it has remained unpublished and buried somewhere in my laptop.

The North Bluff at Guernsey State Park

Meanwhile, I will continue to post four or more times a month on my writing site. That site gives me a chance to talk about my most recent writing projects and Wyoming too.

Civilian Conservation Corps - Powder House, circa 1935

Photo Posts - I will also continue to post photos and our hiking fun from the park on my Guernsey State Park site. 

Wyoming 

My Books - Thanks, once again to everyone who has purchased my books on Amazon. I am now taking in enough money on sales to make part of a pickup payment once-in-a-while.

More Pronghorn in Wyoming than in all of the rest of North America

Merry Christmas and a Happy 2018 - If you are a long time follower of my history blog, take a look at my other sites and thanks for reading.

We do get out of town on occasion
Here we are, a long way from Wyoming, on a recent historical trip
Vicksburg, Mississippi

Wyoming History - Kings of Wyoming

It was a long road to statehood for Wyoming. The area that today makes up Wyoming was first claimed by the Spanish, then the French, followed by Mexico, and the Lone Star Republic of Texas before it became a state.

Kings of Wyoming – Parts of Wyoming came under the rule of 12 Spanish Kings from 1479-1821. Ten French Kings also ruled over various parts of the state from 1515-1792. When France became a Republic, Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte sold the area known as the Louisiana Purchase, including a large area of today’s Wyoming, to the United States.

I love the line from the movie Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid when Butch keeps asking, “Who are those guys?” That said, here is a list of Kings that at one time ruled over all or part of what would one day become Wyoming.

Spanish Kings – Four named Charles, four Phillip’s and four Ferdinand’s

French Kings – Francis I and II, - Henry II, III and IV - Charles IX and a bunch of Kings named Louis, including Louis XIII, Louis XIV, Louis XV and Lewis XVI

Wyoming became a state in 1890 a mere, 127 years ago.

Wyoming was carved from an area passed up by all but native peoples for centuries. It was, for years, ruled by, or claimed by many entities. All areas surrounding Wyoming were established in some manner before Wyoming, causing some to refer to the cowboy state as the Leftover Territory.

In 1861, Wyoming, for the first time started to take shape. What happened in 1861 that caused this? The formation of Colorado Territory giving that state a northern border and Wyoming most of its southern border. Also in 1861 Nebraska Territory was divided with the Territory of Dakota created to the north and west. When Idaho Territory was created in 1863 the eastern state line was created. In 1864 the establishment of Montana created a northern border. At last, in 1865, Wyoming Territory was mentioned in Congress for the first time, and three years later, in 1868, it became a reality.

I wrote on this topic, with a few more specifics about the creation of Wyoming borders, a few years ago. If you would like to see that post click here.

Now that the kids are back in school it’s time for all of us to start doing some reading – take a look at all of my books on my Amazon Authors Page -  here. All books available as inexpensive eBooks (none more than $2.99) or soft cover. Check them out and read a free sample. Something for everyone, Historical Fiction, Westerns, Garden Humor, Kids Chapter books, and mysteries. Thanks for looking.