Wyoming My 307

I’ve driven a lot of miles here in Wyoming, and have lots more to go! Driving in Wyoming is a little different from other parts of the country, for many reasons we go into in this episode. On this episode I had the pleasure of interviewing Aaron Turpen. He is a nationally recognized automotive journalist. Today’s Wyoming Wildlife segment is a three for one special! It will give you something to think about as you drive through the parts of Wyoming that feel like an endless sagebrush sea. The “Dot on the Map” is a charming little town at the edge of the Black Hills national forest that was named after Newcastle, England. 

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This episode I came to realize that the older I get, the more my house starts to feel like my own family history museum. That thought reminded me of a packrat, which is the Wyoming Wildlife featured in this episode. I turned to Sara Davis of the Wyoming State Archives for help on the “family treasures”. She gives us some great insights into the care and preservation of our own family heirlooms - things like this notebook, belonging to my great grandfather Alonzo Peterson. He was a miner for the Owl Creek Mining Company in Gebo WY, and before that in Cambria WY. Gebo is pretty close to Powell, which is this episode’s Dot on the Map.

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Have you ever wandered through a cemetery? Wondered about the life lived in that little dash between two dates? I visited a lot of local cemeteries for this episode, and today’s featured Wyoming wildlife kept me company. On this episode I was privileged to interview someone who shares my fascination with cemeteries, Jennifer Romanosky, of the Jim Gatchell Memorial Museum. Through her expertise, we decipher the symbolism engraved on headstones, and how they offer a unique peek into a person’s life. The dot on the map in this episode is Basin WY, an unassuming little town that was the stage for one of Wyoming’s most historically important court trials.

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Too often, the coal industry is boiled down to an argument of good or bad, for or against. I interviewed Dr. Holly Krutka of the University of Wyoming, who gave us a much more nuanced look at this critically important Wyoming industry. I was also lucky to find some really great oral histories at the Wyoming State Archives. We get to hear from two old timers who were born in coal camps, and I even shared a personal perspective of coal mining in my own family. Our dot on the map is Donkey Town - well, that’s what it was originally called but you’ll have to listen to the podcast for the full story. Lastly, I also had a chance to delve into our state bird, Sturnella Neglecta, commonly known as the Western Meadowlark.  

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Every time I go into a Wyoming bar, I’m pretty sure I’ll come out with a funny story. Did you hear the one about the coyote and badger that walked into a bar? No? I guess you’ll have to listen to the episode. Today features Julianne Couch, author of Jukeboxes and Jackalopes. We giggled a lot and got surprisingly philosophical - I promise we weren’t drinking! She guides us through a lot of Wyoming bars, mostly small town ones and we discussed what makes Wyoming bar culture unique. Hartville is the Dot on the Map - it’s Wyoming’s oldest continuously populated settler town, which features the oldest bar in Wyoming, the historic Miner’s and Stockmen’s Saloon.  

Check out the shownotes for more details!

Happy Holidays! To quote Owen Wister in A Journey in Search of Christmas, I have left this reboot episode "until the lastest day"! I hope I caught you while you’re still in the Christmas spirit, and that 2024 brings you health, happiness and peace.

In this second special Christmas episode of Wyoming My 307, the German influence of Christmas in Wyoming features strongly. From the first “decorated Christmas in Wyoming” (Wyoming Historical Society) through the early settler period, WWII, and more, Wyoming Christmas has reflected the people and historical events at that time.

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Wyoming’s treasures include turtles who can breathe underwater, a small town that moved across the river, and history makers such as Grant Ujifusa. He went from being a star on the high school football team to editor of a prestigious political best-seller in our nation’s capital. Grant convinced President Reagan to issue redress and an apology to Japanese Americans for their incarceration in WWII.  Grant’s accomplishments have resulted in recognition not only in the Worland Warrior Hall of Fame, but in receiving the Order of the Rising Sun award from the Emperor of Japan! This episode shares one complex story of growing up Japanese in Wyoming, and the personal impact of that experience.  

See the shownotes for links and more details!

Happy Holidays!  I’ve been collecting stories and anecdotes about Christmas in Wyoming - these stories highlight the uniqueness of celebrating the holidays during our harsh winters. From Portugee Phillips’ Christmas Eve ride to secure reinforcements for Fort Fetterman, to ordinary citizens and their determination to celebrate despite winter’s hardships, Christmas in Wyoming is not for the faint of heart!  

See the shownotes for links and more details!