We feel like we’re on the Overland Trail after reading last weeks post about the Points of Rock Stage Station. We’re coming down to our last to post by Greg Rasanen as he starts to near the end of the Wyoming portion of the Lincoln Highway. This week we stop in Greg’s hometown, Green River!
Though it continues to be sad that only pieces of Fort Steele remain, we had a blast reading Greg’s thoughts and history about what the site was and became. This week Greg stops by Points of Rock Stage Station.
Last week’s stop on Greg’s Lincoln Highway Adventure was the Ames Monument. Last summer we celebrated the site becoming a National Historic Landmark, making it Wyoming’s twenty-sixth National Historic Landmark! This week we leave Albany county and head to Fort Steele.
Who doesn’t love Buford, Wyoming? We hope a new owner comes in to keep Wyoming’s smallest “town” running, the town is important both historically and for drivers on I-80 who might need to stop for gas or due to the weather. This week’s stop is only a few miles from the small town of Buford- the Ames Monument!
We hope you enjoyed the beginning of Greg Rasanen’s adventure crossing the Wyoming Lincoln Highway, we sure did! We especially like the part about Frontier Days, it’s always a great event that brings communities and families from all over the country together. Our next stop on this journey is Buford, Wyoming, let’s find out what Greg has to say about this small “town.”
This week we get to hear about the first stop on Greg’s tour of the Lincoln Highway. And what better place to start the trip than to stop in the state capital, Cheyenne. If you missed last week’s post, we are excited to be highlighting Greg Rasanen’s Blog about his trip across the Lincoln Highway for the next month.
The Silver Star Camp located in Thayne, Wyoming was built in 1909 was built by the Ladies LDS Relief Society. In 2017, the DUP was awarded a Historic Architecture Assistance Fund grant which matched them with Dubbe-Moulder to create a rehabilitation plan for the property.
The Old Johnson school, which is currently being occupied by Destiny Church and Academy, was built on the South Side of Cheyenne in 1923. Following an unfortunate accident in 2016 which compromised a load bearing wall on the west side of the school, Destiny Church and Academy was awarded a Historic Architecture Assistance Fund grant in 2016, which connected them to TDSi in Cheyenne.
Rock Springs’ Slovenski Dom has served as the social and cultural heart of Rock Springs’ Slovenian community for over 100 years. This building is a great representation of the preservation of immigrant history within the state, and an important example of repurposing and using old buildings not leaving them dormant.
Located in West Laramie off of Highway 130 stands the 1910 wood frame Corthell Dairy Barn. Owner Candace Pisciotti was awarded a Historic Architecture Assistance Fund grant in 2016 to assess the barn’s condition. She hopes to develop a plan to preserve the building for future use.
In September 1940 the new Skyline Theater opened in Pinedale, Wyoming and operated as a theater until the 1980s. The Skyline Theater is located in Pinedale’s locally designated historic district, and was awarded a Historic Architecture Assistance Fund grant in 2017.
The Historic Dayton Mercantile is an amazing look into the rich history of Sheridan County and the beginning of the town of Dayton. The majestic old west look of the two-story building beckons people to look inside and is the subject of thousands of tourists’ photographs each year.
While many Wyoming towns only have one train depot, Rock Springs has two historic depots, reflecting the importance of the railroad for the community and the surrounding area.
The Wyoming National Bank in downtown Casper celebrated its 50th anniversary in 1964 with a modern building complex unlike any in Wyoming. The bank was designed by Denver architect Charles Deaton, who also designed the so-called “Jetson House” west of Denver, which was featured in Woody Allen’s 1973 movie Sleeper.
On the western edge of the University of Wyoming campus stands a largely forgotten monument to a former Cowboy. The Lowell O’Bryan monument is an unassuming stone drinking fountain located directly west of Old Main. It bears a plaque that reads “He gave himself to insure the safety of others.”
The first library in Cheyenne was located in Central School in a relatively small room. As the town grew and its needs multiplied, a committee to build a new library was established in 1900, and two years later, Cheyenne had a Carnegie Library.
Hynds Lodge, built by Cheyenne businessman Harry P. Hynds in 1922 for $25,000, was constructed as a lodge at the recreation camp for the Boy Scouts of America. Hynds came to Cheyenne in 1882 and worked as a blacksmith for the Cheyenne-Deadwood Stage Line before acquiring several gambling saloons and making a fortune.
Chinese workers who lived in Chinatown in Rock Springs were attacked in 1885 and the neighborhood was destroyed. Unlike the buildings, the history and stories of their community was not lost.
Mt. Sinai synagogue has provided a space for the Jewish community since 1915, when the original cornerstone was laid on Pioneer avenue and 20th Street.
The First Scandinavian Evangelical Lutheran Church on August 13th, 1884, conducting services in Scandinavian languages. Newly arriving immigrants who were experiencing the same cultural changes were able to support each other in the shared space of the church.
The Casper Artists’ Guild’s renovation of the former Pacific Produce building for their new location is a great example of how abandoned historic buildings can transition from a public burden to local gem and destination place with strong community support.