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When the mountain man brought the first mischievous mule into Wyoming he was unaware of the importance this stubborn, irritating critter would play in building the state. 

As we continue celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Yellowstone Highway through the Wind River Canyon, it would be a shame to overlook one of the hardest workers that helped bring in the modern age.

In between kicking up its heels and rolling in the mud, the mule helped build dams, railroads, highways and even brought electricity into the Wind River Canyon.

As a bonus, we share the story of one very mischievous mules named Gabriel who was saved from his antics by none other than Black Jack Pershing. His story was published in Wyoming papers in 1915. 

Special thanks to the Wyoming Department of Transportation who sponsored this series celebrating the Wind River Canyon Scenic By-Way and its rich history. Remember, Wyoming, to buckle up while enjoying your trip down this beautiful stretch of highway! 

Mule Train was sung by Frankie Laine in 1949. Johnny Curtis and the "Prairie Sons" was the muleskinner at the end. 

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16 skeletons, over an 80 year time span, were found along the banks of the Badwater Creek. 

Who were they and who murdered these people while Wyoming was still only a territory? 

Their stories were buried in old newspapers and were mysteries dating back to 1872. 

Three were found in a cave with bullet holes, twelve were soldiers found in an Aspen grove and the last was found in a burnt grave with five arrow heads. 

These mysteries may never be solved but I believe their stories should be remembered.

Step back into time when Wyoming was still a territory and it's citizens made horrifying discoveries along the bank of rural Badwater Creek.

One may even have returned to haunt the family who had disturbed her rest.

This episode was created in partnership with the Wyoming Department of Transportation reminding you to "Buckle up, Wyoming!" 

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Journey with us through the rich and adventurous history of the Yellowstone Highway through the Wind River Canyon, now a scenic by-way. From its rugged landscapes to the tales etched into its cliffs, this byway has seen it all.

We kick off with the Gold Rush era, exploring how the promise of fortune drew eager prospectors into the canyon, igniting a frenzy that transformed the region. As gold seekers braved the treacherous terrain, we share stories of their triumphs and tragedies, revealing the dangerous stakes involved in the quest for riches.

Next, we delve into the role of stagecoaches, the lifelines of communication and commerce during the 19th century. Listen in as we recount thrilling tales of daring robberies, where bandits lurked in the shadows, waiting for their moment to strike. These heists not only added to the canyon's lore but also shaped the lives of those who traveled its path.

But it's not all peril and robbery! We also uncover the lighter side of history, featuring mischievous pranks played by local residents on unsuspecting travelers. These stories add a layer of humanity and humor to the canyon’s rugged narrative.

Join us as we weave together these threads of danger, adventure, and a touch of whimsy, painting a vivid picture of the Wind River Canyon Scenic Byway’s storied past. Tune in to discover how this breathtaking landscape has shaped both history and the people who have called it home.

“Supported in part by a grant from the Wyoming Cultural Trust Fund, a program of the Department of State Parks and Cultural Resources.”

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Sheriff Virgil Rice was tough-as-nails and respected throughout Wyoming. He was known to "get his man" and tracked down horse thieves across the Cowboy State in the 1890's.  

It is believed by residents and historians that he was one of many cowboys that helped inspire America's most beloved cowboy heroes, the Virginian. 

When You Call Me That – Smile!

 It was now the Virginian's turn to bet, or leave the game, and he did not speak at once. 

Therefore, Trampas spoke. “Your bet, you son-of-a—.” 

The Virginian's pistol came out, and his hand lay on the table, holding it unaimed. And with a voice as gentle as ever, the voice that sounded almost like a caress, but drawling a very little more than usual, so that there was almost a space between each word, he issued his orders to the man Trampas: “When you call me that, SMILE.” And he looked at Trampas across the table. 

The infamous words were spoken low and found their mark. That day, there was no gunplay as Trampas backed now. In some versions, he laughed and said, “With a gun against my belly, I always smile.”

Over the years, this incident was written many times over in western movies and made it into Wyoming lore. It was first penned by Owen Wister who frequented the Owl Creek region in the late 1880’s and kept a journal of his adventures.

The young tourist based this scene in his best-selling novel, The Virginian, on a story circulating around cowboy fires on the range. Wister claimed that he did not know the origin of this story, however, the people of old Thermopolis said they knew the man who uttered those words. 

They said it was none other than Virgil Rule Rice, a young cowboy and the first Sheriff of the Big Horn Basin. 

Recommended reading would be Tim McCoy Remembers the West by Tim McCoy. He interviewed Sheriff Rice's outlaw friend, Walt Punteney. 

The stories of our pioneers were brought to you by our partners, Hot Springs County Pioneer Association.  Descendants of Thermopolis, Wyoming can learn how to join their organization by sending us a text! Also send us a text if you have a story you would like featured on the podcast! 

 This episode would not be possible without the support of the Wyoming Humanities. www.thinkwy.org 

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The strike of a rattlesnake, the danger of stampede, the whistling of cowboys, the swish of a lasso and the sting of the hot sun. 

 The cowboys on round-up are a true pioneer of Wyoming. 

Welcome to another episode of "Pioneers of Outlaw Country," where we delve into fascinating stories from Wyoming’s past that often go unnoticed. I am your host, Jackie Dorothy, and today we are traveling on a round-up with one of our favorite tourists, Owen Wister. 

His observations led him to write "The Viriginian" which became the most famous western romances in the world. He introduced an entire generation to the noble cowboy and a strange new world on the western frontier. 

It is the year 1885 and Owen Wister, the young tourist – and future novelist – has been invited to join a round-up with the Wolcott cowboys. He had been on the ranch for a month and was more comfortable in a saddle but still very much a greenhorn.  His journals capture the adventure he experienced on his very first cattle round-up.

 This episode has been brought to you in partnership with the Hot Springs County Pioneer Association and would not be possible without the support of the Wyoming Humanities. www.thinkwy.org 

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The Harvard student of law bent over his journal, writing in camp light and by kerosene. He was capturing the words that he would one day use to write the most popular Western fiction in the world.  

In 1885, a young tourist arrived in Wyoming and went by stage to Medicine Bow. He was a 24 year old Owen Wister who faithfully recorded in his journal all that he saw - and he wasn't very impressed!  Years later, these jottings were the experiences of the Tenderfoot and the opening scene to his most famous book, The Virginian, Horseman of the Plains. 

In this episode, we compare two scenes Wister observed in his journal of the small town of Medicine Bow with the fiction scenes he wrote nearly 20 years later in his western romance. Step back into time and hear the distant train as a young Owen Wister explores a dusty western town on the edge of civilization!

The stories of our pioneers were brought to you by our partners, Hot Springs County Pioneer Association.  Descendants of Thermopolis, Wyoming can learn how to join their organization by sending us a text! Also send us a text if you have a story you would like featured on the podcast! 

 This episode would not be possible without the support of the Wyoming Humanities. www.thinkwy.org 

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Be sure to subscribe to “Pioneers of Outlaw Country” so you don’t miss a single episode of this historic series.

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When we think of the early visitors of Wyoming, we think of the cowboys, homesteaders, miners and others coming to the West to make their fortune. There was another group of young men who came west on the trains and stagecoaches. These were young, rich men looking for an adventure and relaxation. They were not in Wyoming to find their fortune but here to vacation.

Among these young tourists was a Harvard student of law, Owen Wister. His journals kept a record of his first arrival to Wyoming. As a world traveler, he was not easily awed but Wyoming caught his imagination and pulled him back for visits over the next 15 years. 

Join Wister on his first weeks in Wyoming, a broken young man who had traveled to Wyoming as part of his 'camp cure' and left with the beginnings of the great American novel, The Virginian. 

Thank you for listening to Outlaws of Pioneer Country. Be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss a single episode of this historic series. The stories of our pioneers were brought to you by Hot Springs County Pioneer Association.  

The stories of our pioneers were brought to you by our partners, Hot Springs County Pioneer Association.  Descendants of Thermopolis, Wyoming can learn how to join their organization by sending us a text! Also send us a text if you have a story you would like featured on the podcast! 

 This episode would not be possible without the support of the Wyoming Humanities. www.thinkwy.org 

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Be sure to subscribe to “Pioneers of Outlaw Country” so you don’t miss a single episode of this historic series.

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The faded pencil script spelled out rough poems, descriptions of sunsets and hangings, saloon scenes, cowboy tall tales, the wide-open prairie and the sharp retort of the gun. 

 From Owen Wister’s pen, the cowboy myth was born and became a true relic of Wyoming’s rich past. 

For over 65 years, Owen Wister's journals lay forgotten - until a stubborn librarian from the University of Wyoming insisted they existed. Today, thanks to his persistence, the journals have been found and now reside at the American Heritage Center in Laramie, Wyoming for future generations! 

The stories of our pioneers were brought to you by our partners, Hot Springs County Pioneer Association.  Descendants of Thermopolis, Wyoming can learn how to join their organization by sending us a text! Also send us a text if you have a story you would like featured on the podcast! 

 This episode would not be possible without the support of the Wyoming Humanities. www.thinkwy.org 

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The most famous cowboy prank in Wyoming... may never have happened. 

Or did it? 

In his novel, The Virginian, Owen Wister tells of a baby swapping prank that happened at a rural dance. It was common practice in those days to pile the babies under chairs and tables to sleep while the parents danced the night away.   According to Wister, two cowboys took advantage of this situation to pull a legendary stunt! 

After his novel was published, residents of Thermopolis and other western towns claimed that the incident was real. According to homesteaders of Owl Creek, Bridger Creek, Lost Cabin and Thermopolis - that person was a young French cowboy named David Picard. 

Follow along on this adventure that made its way even to Hollywood and determine for yourself.... Is it a tall tale or did a mischievous cowboy really pull the ultimate joke on unsuspecting parents? 

The stories of our pioneers were brought to you by our partners, Hot Springs County Pioneer Association.  Descendants of Thermopolis, Wyoming can learn how to join their organization by sending us a text! Also send us a text if you have a story you would like featured on the podcast! 

 This episode would not be possible without the support of the Wyoming Humanities. www.thinkwy.org 

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 David Picard, Cowboy Prankster was a production of Legend Rock Media with your host, Jackie Dorothy.

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When Owen Wister brought his family to Wyoming in 1912, they brought along a special friend: Peeshee, the waltzing mouse. The inclusion of this tiny tourist in their family gives us insight into the Wister family dynamics and their love of nature in all forms.

The Waltzing Mouse, once as common as goldfish as pets for children, was a puzzle to the scientists who studied them. These tiny creatures would whirl in circles rather than walk in straight lines and were more docile than their cousins. 
Peeshee spent the summer waltzing in Jackson Hole, Wyoming to the delight of the four Wister children.

The next year, tragedy struck when their mother died in childbirth and, unknown to them, this was the last summer they would spend in their beloved Wyoming. 
Peeshee the Waltzing Mouse was a delight to all and a fun memory of their time in Wyoming.

The stories of our pioneers were brought to you by our partners, Hot Springs County Pioneer Association.  Descendants of Thermopolis, Wyoming can learn how to join their organization by sending us a text! Also send us a text if you have a story you would like featured on the podcast! 

 This episode would not be possible without the support of the Wyoming Humanities. www.thinkwy.org 

Support the show

Be sure to subscribe to “Pioneers of Outlaw Country” so you don’t miss a single episode of this historic series.

Your hosts are Jackie Dorothy and Dean King and you can find us at (20+) Pioneers of Outlaw Country | Facebook

This is a production of Legend Rock Media Productions.