Did You Know This About Wyoming

 It has been nearly a year since I posted on this site. 

Not too long ago, it seemed that more and more blogs with Wyoming history seemed to be popping up. Since many were funded, I decided they could do the job much better than I could from my easy chair.  After more than 300 posts (all are still up) I bowed out. A few months ago, a student said, “Oh, you write the Wyoming stuff. We use it all the time when we are writing papers in class.”

That was enough to, at least, get me thinking about kick-starting the old blog. I think I will. Not sure how often, probably not weekly, but likely monthly. 

Did You Know?  A few facts to get up and running.

Wyoming has been at the bottom of a sea – many times throughout its history. Hard to believe, considering the number of feet we are above sea level.

We have been around for a long time. The rock making up the base of faults and mountains in Wyoming are at least five hundred million years old and possibly as old as two billion years. (even before I was born)

Only Wyoming and Colorado have four straight-sided borders.

Wyoming rivers drain water in all directions. South into Utah and Colorado, North through the Big Horn and Powder River, East through the North Platte, about a quarter of a mile from where I sit writing this, and west through the Snake River into Idaho.

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 . .

Wyoming’s Great Arrow

West of Meeteetse in the Greybull River Valley lies a magnificent arrow made of meticulously laid rocks. It is fifty-eight feet long and about five feet wide. Much like the Medicine Wheel that it points to, the arrow is of unknown origin. 

The Medicine Wheel, in the Big Horn Mountains, 100 miles away is built in a similar form of piled rock. Although only speculation, it is believed to have been built to show the way for ancient tribes to the Medicine Wheel.  The great arrow is not the only such arrow in the Big Horn’s but it is by far the largest and most impressive.

The Great Arrow

 Early Indians of Wyoming left an impressive amount of their history and culture behind. From arrow and spearheads to tepee rings, medicine wheels and pointing arrows there is still much to be discovered as to the what and why. Fun to speculate.

Medicine Wheel of the Big Horns

It has been too long since I posted Wyoming Trivia. Here today, are three questions dealing with some of the first Indians who inhabited the state. 

Answers under the photo

1.     What tribe was known as the Snakes?

2.     Who was the Sioux war chief that led the Fetterman Massacre

3.     What incredible Wyoming landmark was called “Tso-as,” by the early Kiowa of Wyoming

-Answers to Today’s Trivia-

1.     Shoshones – Because their name in sign looked like someone portraying a snake moving through the grass

2.     Red Cloud

3.     Devil’s Tower – “Tso-as,” meant Tree Rock in Kiowa