Wyoming History - So How Hot Was It?

 With today's temperature hanging around the century mark - I wondered. How hot is too hot in Wyoming? 

Where we live in Guernsey, an east central town with a population of a bit over 1,100  and at an altitude of 4368 feet, it gets hot. We average 41 days above 90 each year. The good news is that we are also much warmer in winter than most of the state.

Basin, located in north central Wyoming, holds the record for the hottest day in the Cowboy state - 115 on August 8, 1983. We, old-timers, refer to temperatures like that as warmish. 

We lived in Laramie for many years - there, if the temps got to the high 80s, we thought it was hot. Living at 7,200 feet does have its summertime advantages. 

Wyoming Trivia - (answers under the photo - no cheating)

1. How close did the 115 degrees at Basin come to the nation's all-time high?

2. What well-known Wyoming place was called Tso-aa (tree rock) by the Kiowa Tribe?

3. The Sioux name for "people of alien speech" is well known to everyone in Wyoming, but most are surprised that they know it. What is that name?

Trivia Answers

1. The hottest temperature recorded in the U.S. was 134 degrees in Death Valley, California, more than 100 years ago in 1913. Looks like we need another 20 degrees to set a record - pretty sure we will never get there.

2. Devils Tower

3. Cheyenne

All of today's photos are from Guernsey State Park.

Are More Visitors the Answer?

 Are More Visitors the Answer?

Each year, six million people visit Wyoming's best-known tourist sites, Yellowstone, Grand Teton, and Devils Tower. Those are impressive numbers and bring in more than a billion dollars. Interestingly about that, many folks visited Wyoming State Parks last year, bringing in close to another billion dollars. One big difference is that more than sixty percent of State Park visitors are Wyoming residents. Overall visitation to Wyoming State Parks was up over twenty percent last year. Great value for residents with a yearly park pass. Camping in state parks remains popular, with many parks full to overfull each weekend, and sometimes sites are hard to find mid-week – a nice dilemma.

The mining and extraction industries continue to drive the most revenue for the state. With doubts about the future of these industries, although most of the monies are likely safe for another decade or so, something else needs to move up. Tourism ranks second in revenue raised for the state and might be the best candidate for growth. Overall about 12% of jobs in Wyoming are part of the tourism industry. We need the tourists and probably need to do more to encourage growth in the industry.

Agriculture and manufacturing follow as the third and fourth essential money raisers for our state — each industry contributes about a billion dollars to the state coffers each year. With about 1.4 million cows (nearly three per person), Wyoming agriculture centers around the beef industry and remains strong. Wyoming does not have a lot of tillable land. Of all the farm and ranch land in the state, only about 10% is used for crops.

Manufacturing in the state is growing slowly because a big part of manufacturing in the state centers around the oil and gas industry, with refineries in five Wyoming communities facing an uncertain long-term future. Banking on manufacturing and or increasing it might not be sustainable as a goal for the long-term future.

What We Can't Do – We can't do much about the coming decline in the mineral extraction industry. We cannot create another National Park, and we will have a tough time increasing agriculture production in the state. Some might argue that the cattle and maybe sheep/goat industry has room for growth, but with the government controlling half of Wyoming – who knows what will or will not be allowed.

What We Can Do – Work on tourism!

Get people to stay longer. I thought it was a shame that the National Parks destroyed so many mountain goats in Teton Park in 2020. I would love to have seen some moved to state parklands. After all, the 12 Wyoming State Parks make up about 100,000 total acres; an additional park attraction would be a welcome addition. I know the arguments about disease and competition with Big Horn Sheep and local domestic sheep and goat herds. But, others have found a way – why not us. We were thrilled to see a mountain goat in the Black Hills a few years ago – it was a special treat.

Speaking of the Black Hills, I know of Wyoming people who go to Custer State Park to see wild horses and Burros and pay to drive through the park that also features a nice bison heard. Why not here?

We have bison at Hot Springs, and they seem to do well. The addition of bison, wild horses, and mountain goats could make some of our parks even more attractive.

We need to keep expanding for younger people and those new to the state parks scene. Additions, such as ziplines, sledding areas, remote camping areas, and more hiking and biking trails engage a wide range of citizens and visitors. I have noticed some additions recently to parks, like the archery range and hidden treasures in Guernsey, both great ideas.  

I also like the passport/prizes idea that some states use to increase tourist numbers. Any person could purchase a small passport-like book with places to stamp or have signed when visiting a park. Pretty simple - each passport holder gets one year, or half a year, to visit all 12 parks to enter the giveaway. The prizes would be sponsored and funded by private individuals or donors who would be recognized in the passport. (These passports would make terrific Christmas stocking stuffers). With this one, I am hoping that gas prices will not remain where they are now as I write this.

I have a lot more ideas. Some might even be good. Who knows?

What do you think?

My New Slogan for Wyoming

Wyoming

Wide-open spaces & not many people

Time to dream

Hike a trail

Climb a mountain

Breath deeply & look around

It's pretty special

Wyoming

It is time to quit being reactionary and become visionaries for our state.

Have a terrific week!

 

It Has Been Too Long

I let this site become inactive, or mostly so, almost a year ago. After a year of mothballs, I have decided to make a post, at least this will keep the site alive for a bit. If one post per year counts. 

To me and many others, there is nothing more enjoyable than reading about the past. When I started this blog, I was still an active Wyoming History teacher - now retired seven years; it seems I do not have as much to say. I have continued writing and am currently working on book 13, but my books fall into multiple genres.  

Did You Know? Speaking of being retired. Wyoming is still rated, according to something called Bankrate, as the number one state to retire. That might not be good news for young families, but for old codgers like us, it is an excellent fit. Many would think the weather and altitude of Wyoming would make it less than ideal for retiring people. What makes Wyoming the top state is our low, lowest in the country, tax rate.

Football - Tomorrow Jan and I will travel to, as we often do, Laramie, to watch the Cowboy Football Team beat up on Idaho. Sounds like it will be a perfect day for the game.

Photos - Today's photos are a few shots I have taken this September.

This year my goal will be to post more than once - that should be attainable.

For those who want to take a look at my books click this sentence to go to my Amazon page.  

My 12 Books

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

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

A Busy Summer

This has been a very busy summer – not sure why. I have spent precious little time researching the two nonfiction books I am working on, and too few hours out with my cameras.  Now with school back in session, and the summer winding down. it is time to get back in the groove.

This week I thought I might post a few Wyoming wildlife photos I have managed the past few weeks.

I spent some time at an event in Sunrise, Wyoming last weekend and will be heading back there this Saturday for another event. It is terrific to see this old place being brought back to life. It also gives me a chance to sell a few books and talk with many interesting people. 

Meanwhile, two of my Wyoming historical mysteries are selling at a record (for me) pace. If you have a chance take a look here at my Amazon author page and take a look at, Commitment, and The Ghost Dance, and read a free sample of Wyoming fiction.

And at the end of the day a wonderful sunset - this one from last evening in beautiful Guernsey State Park.

The Wyoming Eclipse

The big solar eclipse is only a few days away. I am doing a book signing at an event in Sunrise Wyoming on Sunday, the day before the eclipse, and then expect to stay home on the big day and watch the sun disappear as I sit on our back deck.

Wyoming is expecting as many as 600,000 people to see the sun disappear for a few minutes. The last big eclipse was more than 40 years ago and the last total one was in 1919.  That, nearly a century ago eclipse, lasted for nearly seven minutes, long enough for scientists to measure the bending of light from the stars as they passed near the sun. Those measurements proved true Einstein’s theory of general relativity, the theory which describes gravity as a warping of space-time.

Guernsey State Park is expecting a couple of thousand extra visitors this week-end
But at the end of the day, I expect the sun will set over the lake as normal

The above is likely the only science lesson that will ever be found on this site. Thanks for reading and wherever you are, enjoy the eclipse. 

By Wednesday Traffic will be back to normal

Maybe a few small Bison stoppages 

Wyoming State Slogan

Wyoming State Slogan

If you are like me, not a good deal, you may not know that Wyoming has a state slogan.  Stop roaming; try Wyoming, healthy, wealthy, growing Wyoming.  Not very catchy in today’s world, much too old fashioned.

The slogan was picked as the winner of a contest in the Wyoming State Tribune, and the winning slogan was announced on February 20, 1917. The winner was actually submitted by two people. The first part was by Harry McCraken of Casper, and the last part was submitted by George Stough of Cheyenne. I am not sure how the judges called the winner after changing the entries to make one they liked.

Much like our own holiday, Wyoming Day, December 10 each year, the state slogan has been, pretty much forgotten.

In today’s world we are still all about branding, not sure the state slogan would fit into today’s version of Wyoming.

Speaking of branding. In 1936, Wyoming trademarked the bucking bronco logo for license plates. But that logo of the famed bucker Steamboat goes all the way back to the time of the state slogan, 1918. One of the reasons that today we are the Cowboy State today, instead of the Sagebrush State or the Equality State of 100 years ago, is that famous logo seen on Wyoming license plates. 

The Holidays Are Here

As I write this post, Thanksgiving is tomorrow with Christmas soon to follow, then it will be a New Year, wow, 2017, I have barely got used to writing 2016. It seems like years go faster than they used to. I can remember as a kid how much I looked forward to this time of year and time away from school after the grind of three months with only Veterans Day off.

How Did It All Start?

Most people know that President Washington first proclaimed a day of Thanksgiving, but it was never official until October 3, 1863, when President Lincoln, elated with a Union victory at Gettysburg announced the first official Thanksgiving to be celebrated November 26, 1863. The short speech announcing the official holiday was written for Lincoln by his Secretary of State William Seward. The speech declared that hereafter the fourth Thursday of every November would be set aside as an official holiday – Thanksgiving.

Maybe It Should Be Moved

That fourth Thursday of November has been Thanksgiving in the United States every year since, except once. FDR, with hopes to help out the Depression, sieged American, moved it to the third Thursday in 1940, hoping it would encourage more shopping before Christmas. Must not have been very well received as Congress moved it back to the fourth Thursday before Thanksgiving in 1941.

Early Wyoming Thanksgivings

This time of year I often wonder what was on the table for Thanksgiving in early Wyoming homes. Rabbit, Pronghorn steaks, Duck, Goose, maybe something domesticated like beef, pork or chicken. How about sides, no cranberries out here, but may have been some nice strawberry or raspberry jam. Fresh baked bread, potatoes, and gravy, and likely a nice desert could round out the meal. Sounds pretty good.

Black Friday

Onward toward Black Friday, Cannot wait to get out shopping at five in the morning. Not really, I will be home, relaxing, I am not one for crowds, or for that matter, shopping. I may watch some of the crazy shoppers on the evening news. If I get the urge to shop, I might order something online.

Personal Note

My wife and I had a terrific time Monday evening in Chugwater, Wyoming, where I spoke to the local Historical Society about the Civilian Conservation Corps and the building of Guernsey State Park.

South Wing of the CCC built Museum at Guernsey State Park

Have a great Thanksgiving everyone and don’t overeat – just kidding, go ahead.

I Cold Weather Coming?

Been Away for Too Long.  It has been almost three weeks since my last post on this site.  We took a great trip south and now I am suffering from some arthritic pain/swelling that is making it difficult to type.  Hopefully, I will be back to normal in a week or so, by the way, not playing any golf is starting to get worrisome also.  Guess it is all just a part of being nearly 70, but that doesn’t make it better. This post I am doing a bit of typing and a little hunt and peck with my good, left hand.

On Vacation, I Snapped this Photo in a Lousiana Bayou

Winter Cannot Be Far Away - This time of year I often wonder or marvel at how much suffering winter caused to early settlers. Two years ago we went through temperatures around zero here and far below that in some parts of the state. This year we have been in the 60s and some days 70s. When I get cold, I turn up the heat, not so easy for early settlers. We often picture, at least I do, sitting in a rocker near a roaring fire with a good book, Ahh – the good old days. But they really were not that good. Houses lacked insulation, and someone had to cut/chop all the wood for winter. Lots and lots of hard work.

My Make Believe Cabin In The Mountains

So, How Cold Was It? - Wyoming’s all-time record low came in 1933 at -66 below, now that’s cold. Last winter, in this part of the state, we had only one night where the temperatures went to below zero. I also played golf, at least twice, every month of the year, and I will not play unless the temps are 45 or better. I’m never sure what constitutes a good winter, but for me, snow at Christmas and more in February and March along with no bitter cold sounds good.

It’s Cold Outside, but not Today - We read much about how settlers spent the winters but I would suspect they spent quite a bit of it grumbling about the weather, pacing the floor, and talking about spring and wondering if it would ever make it.

We stopped to look around, Old Town in Dodge City, Kansas on our trip.
The day we visited it was 90 degrees, unseasonably even in Kansas.

Meanwhile seems like a good day for a hike in the park.

A Few Wyoming Photos

Nice Buck Looking at Me

I have been on a bit of a writing break, or summer vacation the last couple of weeks. With that time off, I missed my post last week but never fear I am back, be it good or bad.

Here We Are, Spending Time in the Blackhills Last Week

When the weather is nice, I try to spend as much time as possible in the woods, forests, and mountains of Wyoming.

This One About Four Miles From Home

This week, doing some research for a project, I ran across the works of John Hector St. John. Although he never ventured farther west than New York State he had some profound things to say about what he viewed in the west or wilderness of early America. At the time and his writing it was the middle and late 1700s, well before even the first mountain men came west.

Mountain Man Camp at Fort Laramie

Crevecoeur was a Frenchmen who moved to America became a citizen/farmer and later writer. His volume of essays, Letters from an American Farmer, quickly became a best seller in Europe making him one of the first Americans to experience a best seller in Europe. His stories gave Europeans a first look at what one of their own thought of America.

Wonder if St. John Had Views Like This to Write About?

Today I thought I might share a few of my favorite photos from my time in the woods this summer. Not exactly the essays of St. John, but still nice.

Albino Mule Deer Peeking From Behind a Bush

I must tell you, that there is something in the proximity of the woods, which is very singular. It is with men as it is with the plants and animals that grow and live in the forests; they are entirely different from those that live in the plains.

J. Hector St. John Crevecoeur

Elk - I Snapped This Just At The End of Daylight

Enjoy, now it’s time for us to head out to Guernsey State Park and spend some time in the woods. 

Looking Good In Tall Grass