May is Historic Preservation Month

Wyoming’s Historic Preservation Month is a time for communities across the state to show why historic preservation matters.

This May celebrate Wyoming’s history with the Alliance for Historic Wyoming and Wyoming Main Street with tours, events, and more throughout the state’s historic downtowns, parks, and sites. Events will include in-person open houses at historic properties, tours, workshops, and community service projects, as well as virtual sweepstakes, featured videos, and campaigns for attendees to experience Wyoming’s state-wide history from home.

Your Support Matters!

2021’s Wyoming’s Historic Preservation Month Celebration has been such an amazing experience! We are so honored that we had the chance to collaborate with so many new organizations and businesses across the state this year.

From 12 participants in 2019 to 30 participants in 2021, it’s been such an amazing journey. We want to make Historic Preservation Month 2022 even bigger and better, with more organizations and more events, but we can only do that with your help.

Donate $5 a month and help us make next year’s Historic Preservation Month a celebration to remember! Your tax-deductible contribution ensures we can showcase Wyoming’s historic communities, organizations, and businesses.

2021 Event Schedule:

See details on May’s state-wide events listed below. Click the → Learn More text for further details from the hosting organization.

May 1st 

• Sheridan: The Downtown Kentucky Derby Presented by The Welcome Market Hall · 3 PM → Learn More

• Casper: The Last One Standing – Open House Celebration at Grant St. Grocery · 11 AM – 4 PM → Learn More

May 3rd 

• Sheridan [Online]: “Where in Sheridan County?” Sweepstakes hosted by Sheridan Co. Historic Preservation Board and The Sheridan Press → Learn More

May 5th

• Cheyenne [Online]: #WyoWednesday Social Media Feature hosted by Cheyenne Downtown Development Authority → Learn More

• Riverton [In-Person or Online]: “Is Your House Historic?” Presentation with the Riverton Museum · 6 PM → Learn More

May 6th 

• Sheridan [Online]: Big Goose Creek Virtual Tour · 5:30 PM hosted by Sheridan Community Land Trust → Learn More

• Riverton [In-Person or Online]: “Is Your House Historic?” Presentation with the Riverton Museum · 6 PM → Learn More

• Historic Preservation Lunch & Learn [Online] · 12 PM hosted by Wyoming Main Street, featuring National Main Street Center’s Lindsey Wallace and Place Economics’ Donovan Rypkema → Register Here

May 7th 

• Gillette: Gillette Historic Bender · 5:30 PM at Frontier Auto Museum hosted by Gillette Historic Preservation Commission & Gillette Main Street → Learn More

May 8th 

• Thermopolis: Thermopolis Clean-Up hosted by Friends of Hot Springs State Park and Legend Rock · 10 AM at Legend Rock Petroglyphs → Learn More

• Cheyenne: Tea and Talk · 2 PM at the Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum → Learn More

May 10th

• Wheatland (Online): – Historic Wells Fargo Bank Building hosted by Wheatland Historic Preservation Board → Learn More

• Sheridan [Online]: “Where in Sheridan County?” Sweepstakes hosted by Sheridan Co. Historic Preservation Board and The Sheridan Press → Learn More

May 12th

• Laramie: Featured Story: Wyoming Territorial Prison Hosted by Wyoming State Parks and Territorial Prison State Historic Site → Learn More

May 13th

• Casper: Bishop Home Open House Hosted by the Historic Bishop Home · 2 – 5 PM → Learn More

• Historic Preservation Lunch & Learn [Online] · 12 PM hosted by Wyoming Main Street, featuring National Main Street Center’s Lindsey Wallace and Place Economics’ Donovan Rypkema → Register Here

May 14th

• Unita County: Featured Story: Fort Bridger Hosted by Wyoming State Parks and Fort Bridger State Historic Sites → Learn More

May 15th 

• Newcastle: Tour & Presentation at the Craig Chevrolet Building · 1:30 PM, hosted by Newcastle Historic Preservation Board & Weston County Historical Society → Learn More

May 17th

• Cheyenne: Featured Story: Oregon Trail Loop by Visit Cheyenne → Learn More

• Sheridan [Online]: “Where in Sheridan County?” Sweepstakes hosted by Sheridan Co. Historic Preservation Board and The Sheridan Press → Learn More

May 18th

• Rock Springs: Guided Historic Preservation Tour beginning from Rock Springs Historical Museum · 4 PM → Learn More

May 19th

• Guernsey: Featured Video: Guernsey State Park hosted by Guernsey State Park → Learn More

May 20th

• Historic Preservation Lunch & Learn [Online] · 12 PM hosted by Wyoming Main Street, featuring National Main Street Center’s Lindsey Wallace and Place Economics’ Donovan Rypkema → Register Here

May 21st 

• Cheyenne: Cheyenne Depot Museum Reduced Admission → Learn More

May 22nd

• Riverton: Riverton Museum Adventure Trek · 2 PM → Learn More

• Powell: Bighorn Basin Barracks Count Workshop · 2 – 5 PM at Heart Mountain Interpretive Center

• Laramie: Paredes Hablando – Walls that Speak Presentation · 2:30 – 5:30 PM Laramie Plains Civic Center Hosted by Albany County Historic Preservation Board

• Cheyenne: Preservation After Destruction Presentation · TBD Hosted by Quebec 01 State Historic Site

• Sheridan: Free Admission at Museum at the Bighorns hosted by Museum at the Bighorns.

May 23rd 

• Cheyenne: Cheyenne Depot Museum Reduced Admission → Learn More

May 24th 

• Wind River Reservation: Arapaho Ranch Field Station- online content → Learn More

• Sheridan [Online]: “Where in Sheridan County?” Sweepstakes hosted by Sheridan Co. Historic Preservation Board and The Sheridan Press → Learn More

May 27th

• Cheyenne (Online): These Walls Can Talk: Researching Your Historic Property Presentation hosted by Wyoming State Archives · 10 AM

• Historic Preservation Lunch & Learn [Online] · 12 PM hosted by Wyoming Main Street, featuring National Main Street Center’s Lindsey Wallace and Place Economics’ Donovan Rypkema → Register Here

May 28th 

• Douglas (Online): Preserving Immigrant Trail Swales hosted by Douglas Historic Preservation Commission → Learn More

• Cody: Opening Day at Cody Heritage Museum → Learn More

May 29th 

• Casper: Talk with the State Archeologist & Trail Trek: Avenue of Rocks – County Roads 308/319 · 1 PM at National Historic Trails Interpretive Center

• Rawlins: Tour of the Prison Guards’ Quarters · 11 AM at Wyoming Frontier Prison

May 31st: Memorial Day

• Sheridan [Online]: “Where in Sheridan County?” Sweepstakes hosted by Sheridan Co. Historic Preservation Board and The Sheridan Press → Learn More

TravelStorys Tuesdays:

See a new feature story from our partners at TravelStory each Tuesday in the month of May!

Thank you to our generous sponsors!

“Historic preservation is the foundation of the Main Street economic development methodology. The Main Street Approach was started by the National Trust for Historic Preservation to show how historically preserved commercial buildings and businesses can be financially successful and provide a sense of place and history in the downtown districts.”

– Wyoming Main Street Program Director Linda Klinck

What is Historic Preservation Month?

Established in 1973 by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the event is co-sponsored by local preservation groups, State historical societies, business and civic organizations across the country. During the month of May many events are planned to promote historic places for the purpose of instilling national and community pride, promoting heritage tourism, and showing the social and economic benefits of historic preservation. Thousands of people participate annually in Preservation Month celebrations. Read more here.

Help us Preserve WY Communities!

Your donations help us preserve historic buildings in Wyoming, and historic buildings give us continuity, memories, and community. Make your tax-deductible donation using the form or contact The Alliance for Historic Wyoming at 307-333-3508 or [email protected] to make arrangements for your gift.

More Historic Places and Spaces

See more Wyoming stories in the Historic Preservation Month Archives!