Alliance Utterings

Sunrise Mine Presentation

2010-08-16T14:02:00.000-07:00

The Osher Lifelong Learning Center at Casper College will be hosting a presentation on the historic Sunrise Mine and its community. The presentation, by AHW's Mary Humstone and former Sunrise resident, Sophia Beck, will focus on economic and social issues regarding the mine itself and the company town that surrounded it. The presentation will take place from 2-3:30PM in EL100.

Support the Historic Preservation Fund

2010-07-14T11:55:00.000-07:00

As the cornerstone of the federal historic preservation program, the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) provides grants to states, tribes, and local governments to use for activities like education, preparation of National Register nominations, and development of comprehensive preservation plans. The HPF also provides critical bricks and mortar grants to historic sites and collection through the Save America’s Treasures program.

While federal law authorizes up to $150 million annually for the HPF, for decades, core historic preservation programs have only received one third to one half of that authorized annual amount, which hampers all our efforts to achieve the lofty goals set out in the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

On Wednesday, July 14th, the House Committee on Natural Resources will consider H.R. 3534 – the Consolidated Land, Energy, and Aquatic Resources (CLEAR) Act of 2009. The discussion draft of the bill includes language that would fully fund the Historic Preservation Fund.

Members of the Natural Resources Committee need to hear from the preservation community. Please contact your member today and ask them to include language for fully funding the HPF in the final version of the House Bill.

BLM to host open houses on scenic values

2010-07-12T14:53:00.000-07:00

The Bureau of Land Management is hosting five open houses to discuss the scenic values of our public lands and to help them understand which lands the public especially prizes for their scenic values. Of course, all lands have a certain scenic value but we all know that some are more important than others. For history buffs, the historic trails have their own special needs when it comes to protecting scenic values. You may be able to stand in the ruts of the old trails but if there is a wind turbine ten feet from you, dominating the view, you're not going to have the same experience that you will if the landscape is virtually undisturbed. This is usually referred to as the "viewshed" and it is something that AHW works hard to protect. Natural landmarks often require an undisturbed landscape to properly appreciate. And, of course, there are simply lands that are so breathtaking, none of us would want to see them trampled by industrialization.

The BLM Rock Springs and Rawlins Offices will use these public meetings to gather information for their Visual Resource Management System which assists the BLM in quantifying existing values, establishing goals and objectives and utilizing that information to determine whether a proposed activity conforms to the established goals and objectives. The BLM will be looking to the public at these meetings for input on what the public wants from their scenic lands across the southern tier of the state. All together, the Rock Springs and Rawlins BLM offices manage more than 7 million acres of lands in Carbon, Albany, Laramie, Sweetwater, Uinta, Lincoln, Fremont, and Sublette Counties.

We strongly encourage you to attend these open houses and let your voice be heard about the scenic values that you cherish on these public lands. The meetings will be held from 4-7:30PM at the following locations:

Monday, July 12, Baggs, Little Snake River Valley Ed Center, 360 Whipporwill
Tuesday, July 13, Rawlins, Jeffrey Memorial Community Center, 315 East Pine
Wednesday, July 14, Rock Springs, Western Wyoming Community College, 2500 College Drive, Room 1302
Monday, July 19, Saratoga, Platte Valley Community Center, 210 Elm Street
Tuesday, July 20, Laramie, Albany County Library, 310 South 8th St.

For more information, contact Sherry Roche, Project Manager for the BLM, at (307) 775-6484

Job Opening with AHW

2010-07-06T15:22:00.001-07:00

JOB ANNOUNCEMENT - EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Alliance for Historic Wyoming, a leading voice for the protection of Wyoming's built environment and cultural landscapes, seeks a part-time Executive Director to implement its strategic goals and objectives. We seek an intelligent, self-motivated individual with a familiarity with historic preservation, whose critical analysis, fundraising, and grassroots organizing will advance our mission and build our organization. If you want meaningful, challenging work exercising your leadership and education to save our cultural heritage, this job is for you!

DESCRIPTION

The Executive Director will work with the Board of Directors to fulfill its governance function and AHW's annual objectives. This position will start at 20 hours per week at $17 per hour and will be the first employee of the organization. This role is intended to increase over time with the successful applicant. Location anywhere in the state of Wyoming is acceptable; extensive travel throughout the state is required. Must be able to work from a home office initially; successful fundraising may later make an office available.

DUTIES

Supporting operation of Board by advising and informing board members and attending quarterly Board meetings either in person or by phone.
Overseeing design and execution of programs and services, including evaluating and critiquing projects on public lands which may impact Wyoming historic sites or cultural landscapes; working cooperatively with other groups to build coalitions and further preservation efforts; educating stakeholders and energizing the grassroots to take action to protect priority endangered sites; responding to requests for assistance with preservation projects in accordance with AHW’s intervention policy.
Recommending annual budget to the board for approval and prudently overseeing AHW resources within budget guidelines and the law.
Managing grants.
Managing volunteers and any future employees in accordance with policy and the law.
Assuring that AHW, its mission, program and services are consistently presented in a strong, positive light to all its current and potential stakeholders, including serving as a media spokesperson for AHW, writing press releases and opinion-editorial pieces, and performing interviews.
Overseeing fundraising planning and implementation, including identifying needs, developing a fundraising plan for the board, researching funding sources, establishing strategies to approach current and potential funders, submitting grant proposals, developing membership, carefully stewarding resources, and administering records.
Maintaining files and performing clerical duties as necessary.
Traveling to meetings and conferences.

DESIRED QUALITIES

The successful applicant will have a suite of important qualities including some combination of the following:

ability to create and execute a work plan from idea to fruition with little supervision
confidence in commenting on federal projects that impact historic resources
experience with grassroots activism in small towns and rural communities
personal commitment to saving sites of cultural and historic import
quality writing and research skills
strong intellect, creativity, drive and initiative
ability to track and meet multiple deadlines and responsibilities
proficiency with technology, including database, power point, online research, basic general computer maintenance, and word processing
flexible schedule and willingness to travel

DIRECTION

This position reports to the Board of directors.

APPLICATION PROCEDURES

Submit a cover letter, writing sample, resume and three professional references to Sarah Egolf, sarah (dot) egolf (at) gmail (dot) com, Alliance for Historic Wyoming, 1036 Monte Vista Drive, Casper, WY 82601 by September 1, 2010 Email submissions preferred.

Barn Lecture in Jackson, June 21, 6PM

2010-06-17T10:57:00.001-07:00

OCTA-AHW at South Pass

2010-06-17T10:56:00.001-07:00

AHW board members Barbara Dobos and Tom Rea spent the afternoon of Monday, June 14, at South Pass with stalwarts from the national Oregon-California Trails Association. The OCTA people were on hand to scout locations from which to shoot footage that will be used in promotional videos; Dobos and Rea talked at length with them about ways OCTA, the alliance, and other conservation and history-minded groups might collaborate in the coming months as the Bureau of Land Management revises its Resource Management Plan for the Lander, Wyoming Field Office. This BLM field office contains the most historic and scenic stretch of the Oregon-California-Mormon Trail anywhere. All agreed that the more people the agency hears from who value the trail, the better.

We drove to the top of Pacific Butte, which afforded spectacular views of the whole South Pass area, from Oregon Buttes to the top of the Wind Rivers, and from Pacific Springs as far east as Burnt Ranch.

Clockwise from top right: OCTA Director Travis Boley; Dobos; Elk on Pacific Butte; the Wind River Range; Rea; Salt Lake City historian and Oregon Trail scholar Will Bagley; and, at the monument Ezra Meeker erected at South Pass in 1906, national OCTA board member John Krizek, of Prescott, AZ.

Community Meetings for Tourism Master Plan

2010-04-26T09:28:00.000-07:00

Wyoming Travel & Tourism, Wyoming Game and Fish and Wyoming State Parks and Cultural Resources are collaborating on creating a comprehensive statewide Tourism Master Plan for Wyoming. In an effort to garner as much input from as many residents and stakeholders as possible, they will host seven community meetings across the state. Many of you will want to attend the meeting scheduled to be held in your area. The public's input will be important in helping to make this plan as thorough as possible. We would also encourage you to pass this information on to others who may be interested in taking part in these meetings.

The meeting dates and locations are as follows. Each meeting will be held from 10 am to 3 pm and include a working lunch.

May 3rd— Cody, Buffalo Bill Historical Center, 720 Sheridan Ave.
May 4th— Riverton, Sundowner Station, 1616 Federal Blvd
May 5th— Jackson, Teton Science Building, 700 Coyote Canyon Rd
May 6th— Rock Springs, BLM Field Office, 280 N. Hwy 191
May 19th— Laramie, Hilton Garden Inn, 2229 Grand Ave
May 20th— Douglas, Eastern Wyoming College, 203 N. 6th St.
May 21st— Gillette, Campbell County Rec Center, 250 Shoshone Ave

The Master Plan website is available here. The website is a great resource to bring you up to speed on the purpose and goals of the master plan. On the community meeting page of this site, there is also a link to an agenda that will be used for each meeting.

If you would like to RSVP for one of the meetings above, please contact Vicki Morris by email or call 307-777-2828. You can also call Vicki if you have questions.

Email notification originally distributed by:

Alan Dubberley, Deputy Director
Wyoming Travel & Tourism
Office: 307-777-8561
Mobile: 307-214-1530
Alan.dubberley@visitwyo.gov

Help Save LaPrele Guard Station

2010-04-20T15:33:00.000-07:00

Help Us Save the Historic La Prele Guard Station!

Who? We need volunteers like you for a one-week interior rebilitation project to restore the dwelling for continued use as a rental facility available to the recreating public.

What? A volunteer-based project led by HistoriCorps instructors designed to optimise preservation trades learning opportunties. Participants will learn to repair and install tile, repair and refinish historic woodwork, and replace kitchen and bathroom flooring.

Where? The La Prele Work Center is located in the La Prele Creek drainage on the southwestern slopes of the Laramie Range in southern Wyoming. The site is accessible by passenger vehicle. The address is: La Prele Guard Station (WY) 2250 E. RICHARDS, Douglas WY 82366.

When? 9am May 24, 2010 – 12noon May 28, 2010

Why? Because learning preservation trades in scenic Wyoming sounds like fun to me!

How much does it cost? Nothing! This project is free to all participants. Additionally, meals, tools, and safety equipment will be provided.

Additional Information: The project will be managed and supervised an experienced Western Wyoming outfitter, Dirk Jenkins, with a HistoriCorps instructor assisting the leadership. The construction team will include between six and eight members. Previous construction experience is not required. Tools, safety equipment, meals, and lodging at the La Prele Guard House will be provided by HistoriCorps but transportation to and from the project is the responsibility of the participant. All crew members must be physically fit and be willing to work long days in variable weather.

Contact info@historicorps.org or visit www.historicorps.org for additional information.

Wind Energy Conversation

2010-04-15T18:01:00.000-07:00

CHEYENNE, Wyo. – Wind projects and power transmission lines are the topics for a question and answer session in Douglas with Governor Dave Freudenthal later this month. The “community conversation” on wind development and electrical transmission line siting will begin at 6 p.m. on Tuesday evening, April 27, 2010, at the Douglas High School Auditorium.

“I’ll be there to hear from people and to answer questions,” Freudenthal said. “There is a lot happening with wind development in Wyoming, and I want to hear what people have to say.”

“These are complicated subjects, and folks are entitled to a straightforward conversation on what we can all agree are difficult, sometimes polarizing issues, related to wind development opportunities and electrical transmission line siting,” Freudenthal said. “People need to know where the State stands on a whole range of issues relating to wind power and electrical transmission, ranging from sage grouse to property rights.”

Some developers say Wyoming is “anti-wind,” Freudenthal said. On the other hand, some property owners are concerned about private property rights in the face of wind-related development.

“Let’s get together and talk about it,” Freudenthal said. “Maybe we can ask the lobbyists and hired guns to take a seat in the back row, and let the other folks have their say.”
The Douglas “community conversation” is the first of several that the governor is expected to host this year. Other local meetings on wind development and power line siting issues are being planned for later this spring and summer.

Contact: Press Secretary Leigh Anne G. Manlove
Phone: 307.777.7437
Mobile: 307.421.0197
E-mail: lmanlo@state.wy.us

WY State Historical Society Award Programs

2010-04-15T16:18:00.000-07:00

The Wyoming State Historical Society (WSHS) seeks nominations for two prestigious awards in honor of historic preservation activities in your community. The first is the Maurine Carley Memorial Award made to an organization or an individual in recognition of an outstanding project in the field of historic preservation. A historic preservation project may span many years, and people are encouraged to submit projects that may represent Wyoming’s diverse cultural heritage. Projects may be underway or shall have been completed within the last two years of being nominated. Possible nominations may include residential, commercial, public, religious, industrial or institutional buildings, historic sites, trails, cemeteries, archaeological sites and other places significant to Wyoming history.

Second is the Outstanding Preservation Project Award that goes to an organization or an individual in recognition of an outstanding project in the field of historic preservation that does not focus on the physical preservation of an historic building or site. Projects eligible for the OPPA are those that focus on the preservation of objects or items such as photographs, documents, films or books significant to Wyoming history. For example, the preservation of historic photographic plates may qualify for this award. On the other hand, the preservation of equipment or tools may also qualify for the award, such as the restoration of an historic wagon.

Applications can be obtained by calling John Waggener at 307-766-2563, via e-mail waggener@uwyo.edu, or by logging onto the Society’s website at www.wyshs.org and clicking the link titled “Awards.” Nominations for these two awards go directly to John Waggener, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming, 1000 E. University Ave. Dept. 3924, Laramie, WY 82071 and must be received by April 30th.

Scoping Meeting on Bates Hole Travel Management

2010-04-02T11:11:00.000-07:00

On April 15, 2010, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Casper Field Office is hosting a public scoping meeting on the Bates Hole Travel Management Plan. The meeting is from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Casper Field Office, 2987 Prospector Drive.

The plan will address off-highway vehicle use and the designation of roads and trails within the Bates Hole travel management area which is located 15 miles southwest of Casper and south of Wyoming Highway 220.

The scoping meeting is a starting point for the public to identify issues that BLM will address in the environmental assessment. Issues already identified include mitigating impacts to vegetation, sensitive soils, and wildlife habitats from off-road motorized use. The BLM recognizes the need to maintain valid and existing rights for minerals and rights-of way
owners. In the past, the public had expressed the need for additional transportation routes and motorized and non-motorized recreational use.

BLM will accept public comments through May 17, 2010. Please address questions, comments, or concerns to the Casper Field Office, Bureau of Land Management, Attn: Kathleen Lacko, 2987 Prospector Drive, Casper, Wyo., 82604; by facsimile (fax) to (307)261-7587; or send e-mail comments to the attention of Kathleen Lacko at casper_wymail@blm.gov. Please include “Bates Hole” in the subject line. To make comments on the plan itself, please go to the Bates Hole Travel Management Plan on the internet.

For more information contact Kathleen Lacko at 307-261-7682.

Job Opportunity

2010-03-29T11:55:00.000-07:00

Program Associate, Public Lands Policy
Posted March 22, 2010

Position Details

Type: Full Time
Offered By: National Trust for Historic Preservation, Office of Public Policy, Washington, DC
Salary: Exemp

For More Information
50459-CS-815@nthp.hrmdirect.com

Coordinate federal public lands policy agenda to protect and fund historic and cultural resources on lands managed by the federal land managing agencies with an emphasis on the Bureau of Land Management and the National Landscape Conservation System. Work closely with Program Manager for Public Lands Policy in Washington, DC and with the Mountains/Plains regional office and the Law Department. The position is located in the Public Policy Office, reports to the Program Manager for Public Lands Policy and coordinates all Congressional work with the Director of Congressional Affairs.

This is a full time, grant funded position eligible for benefits. Filling of this position will be subject to receipt of the initial grant, and then continuation of the position will be contingent upon annual renewal of funding.

Duties

Educate Congress and the Administration on the need to preserve and fund historic and cultural resources on lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management with an emphasis on the National Landscape Conservation System.
Advocate for expansion, improved management and increased funding (including budget clarity) of the National Landscape Conservation System. Work closely with other organizations supporting the National Landscape Conservation System and co-lead efforts to increase funding for the Conservation System.
Work with National Trust's Public Lands Team to continue the cultivation and support of the Cultural Resources Preservation Coalition, and provide general support for overall Public Lands Team goals as assigned.

Qualifications

Minimum of two years of Congressional legislative or advocacy experience.
Ability to work well with a team and with a diverse network of organizations.
Strong written and public communications skills required.
Willingness and flexibility to travel.
Experience with and knowledge of public lands issues strongly preferred.

How to Apply

To apply please include your cover letter in the body of a message and email your resume as a Word of PDF attachment to 50459-CS-815@nthp.hrmdirect.com

Looking for Old Barns

2010-03-24T10:08:00.000-07:00

American History magazine has a back-page department entitled "Save This Old Barn." The feature is used to showcase historic American barns in need of saving -- barns that may otherwise fall down, be torn down, etc. The owner of these old barns must be willing to donate them to someone willing to move and restore them. The page itself has a photo of the barn, historic details, the barn's location, the $1 asking price and the owner's contact information. Interested parties would then contact the owner directly.

The Alliance for Historic Wyoming has been asked to distribute this information to any barn owners who might be interested in participating in this project. If you have such a barn or know someone who might, please get in touch with the contact information below. This is an on-going project of American History magazine so no deadline.

For more info, contact:
Lora Homeyer
American History magazine
Weider History Group
703-779-8370

Ames Monument Talk

2010-03-24T09:36:00.000-07:00

WESTERNERS INTERNATIONAL, CHEYENNE CORRAL
Thursday, April 15, 2010

“The Lonely Pyramid on Sherman Hill"
ANNA LEE AMES FROHLICH

This is a look at the 60-foot-high Ames Monument located in what was once Sherman, WY. This slideshow will explore the history of the monument itself, the area where it is located, and the family history of Oakes and Oliver Ames to whom it is dedicated. Their stories tell of a great construction project that shaped the future history of our country, the transcontinental railroad. Oliver Ames was the president of the Union Pacific Railroad from 1866 to 1871; Oakes Ames was a strong advocate for the Union Pacific in Congress from 1863 to 1873. Their combined efforts culminated in the driving of the Golden Spike at Promontory Point, Utah in 1869.

Anna Lee Ames Frohlich, the Great-great-great-granddaughter of Oakes Ames, is loving her recently found role as a researcher. She has been encouraged and helped by friends in Denver Westerners, railroad aficionados from Wyoming, and the many other history buffs that she has met along the way. Access to the Ames Collection in the Industrial Department at Stonehill College, North Easton, MA has been of special help.

The dinner and program will be held at HOLIDAY INN, CHEYENNE I-80. From the junction of I-80 and I-25 in Cheyenne, WY take I-80W to the EAST toward Omaha, take Exit #362 (Central Ave.) make Right, then Right on Fox Farm Road. Hotel on Right. 1-307-638-4466.

COST - $20.00
6:00 P.M. - SOCIAL HOUR & COCKTAILS
6:30 - DINNER
7:20 - PROGRAM

RSVP by Mon., April 12

To make RESERVATIONS call Anna Lee at 303-989-2339 (answering machine o.k.) or email her at annaleeames@comcast.net. Specify whether you would like TROUT ALMANDINE or MEAT LASAGNA for dinner. Or you can email Peg Kolstrud at bear100@bresnan.net and specify that you are Anna Lee's guest.

Lander BLM to host RMP Open House

2010-03-23T21:51:00.000-07:00

BLM Hosts Open House for Lander
Resource Management Plan

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Lander Field Office will host an open house on Wednesday, March 31, from 4-7 p.m., at the Carnegie Room in the Fremont County Library in Lander.

The open house will provide the public an opportunity to meet the BLM employees who are working with cooperating state and local agencies to develop a revised Resource Management Plan (RMP) for public lands in the Lander Field Office area. This RMP will govern how the Greater South Pass Historic Landscape is managed for years to come.

BLM and cooperating agencies have been working together on this project for the past two years. Public input, provided at meetings and through written comments, has been integral to the process. To keep the public informed, the field office website is updated with reports and summaries produced throughout the RMP process.

The Fremont County Library is located at 200 Amoretti Street in Lander. For more information, please contact RMP Project Lead Kristin Yannone at 307-332-8400. Visit the Lander website for the most current RMP information.

Conservation easements

2010-03-08T07:47:00.001-08:00

One of my students posted this on our course website. Note the "project sponsors" at the end of the article. I assume this was a mitigation project, although they don't come out and say it. Is anyone familiar with the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative? Is this the state chapter of the national initiative that we're involved in?

Diamond H Ranch donates easement
By JEFF GEARINO - Southwest Wyoming bureau | Posted: Thursday, February 25, 2010

GREEN RIVER -- A portion of a century-old cattle ranch in southwest Wyoming will be preserved under a conservation easement, according to Wyoming Game and Fish Department officials.

Green River Regional Office spokeswoman Lucy Wold said the department worked with a variety of partners to secure a 2,400-acre conservation easement with the Diamond H Ranch located near Kemmerer in Lincoln County. The commercial Hereford cattle ranch is owned by Myles, Corby, Michael and Rachel McGinnis.

The Diamond H Ranch dates back to 1886 and includes 7,200 deeded acres and 110,000 acres of leases on Bureau of Land Management and National Forest lands.
Game and Fish habitat biologist Ron Lockwood said discussions with the ranch owners about the easement had been ongoing since 2008.

He said the easement -- which holds several permanent streams that support populations of various fish species including Colorado River cutthroat trout -- should protect multiple wildlife habitats and will benefit many wildlife species.
"The Diamond H has important conservation values with unique topographic formations and open scenic vistas of great importance to the local ranching community and the public," Lockwood said this week in a media release. The easement acreage includes crucial winter range and yearlong range for elk, deer, moose, sage grouse and antelope.

Lockwood said the agency has also documented antelope movement through the area to summer ranges to the north, making the easement an important migration corridor.
He said the easement is particularly important because lands directly adjacent to the property are being subdivided for other uses. "This conservation easement will secure long-term protection of these habitats from subdivision and will ensure a viable livestock operation and wildlife habitat in the future," he said.

Landowner award
Lockwood said the McGinnis family and the Diamond H Ranch were the recipients of the Game and Fish's 2009 Landowner of the Year Award for the Green River region.
He said Corby McGinnis also serves as the chairperson for the Southwest Sage Grouse Working Group. "The McGinnises have a full understanding that conserving and enhancing all habitats benefit not only wildlife, but their ranching operation as well," Lockwood said. He noted although public access was not included in the conservation easement, which is generally the case for this type of easement, hunting and fishing on the Diamond H Ranch is allowed with landowner permission.

Other project partners include the Jonah Interagency Reclamation and Mitigation Office, the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, The Conservation Fund, the Wyoming Wildlife and Natural Resource Trust Fund, the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative, the Game and Fish Habitat Trust Fund, the Wyoming Governor's Big Game License Coalition, and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.

Women's History Month at Trails Center

2010-03-04T14:42:00.000-08:00

On March 9, the National Historic Trails Interpretive Center (NHTIC) will celebrate Women’s History month with the opening of a temporary exhibit,“In Pursuit of Equality,” on loan from the American Heritage Center.

This exhibit tells the story of three women who, through their actions as elected office holders, challenged and changed the conventional understanding of equality in Wyoming during the 20th century: Nellie Tayloe Ross, Thyra Thomson, and Elizabeth Byrd.

Wyoming is a state with a long history of equality. In 1869, Governor John Campbell signed into law a bill giving women the right to vote and hold elective office. The following year Esther Hobart Morris was appointed the first female Justice of the Peace in South Pass City. In 1894, Estelle Reel was the first woman in America elected to a statewide office, as Wyoming’s Superintendant of Public Instruction. By the turn of the century Wyoming was recognized as the Equality State due in large part to these and other important historical firsts.

The legacy continued in 1925 with the election of Nellie Tayloe Ross (featured in the exhibit) as Wyoming’s 13th governor and the first woman governor in the United States. She held office until being narrowly defeated in the election of 1926.

Nearly 40 years after the successful election of Mrs. Ross, Thrya Thomson ran for Wyoming’s Secretary of State. Mrs. Thompson was successfully reelected five times to office. While in office, Mrs. Thompson successfully pursued the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment in the Wyoming Senate in 1973.

The third influential woman featured in the exhibit, Elizabeth Byrd, was the first African-American to serve in the Wyoming Legislature. Mrs. Byrd worked diligently for Martin Luther King Jr. Day to be recognized, as well as aiding in the passing of laws to enforce child safety restraints, provide handicapped parking, and create social services for adults.

The exhibit will be on display from March 9, 2010 through early April 2010.

For further information please contact the NHTIC at (307) 261-7780.

A designation for history | Laramie Boomerang | Laramie, Wyoming

2010-02-20T09:36:00.000-08:00

A designation for history | Laramie Boomerang | Laramie, Wyoming

Pony Express Program

2010-02-16T15:27:00.001-08:00

On March 6, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) National Historic Trails
Interpretive Center (NHTIC) will present “The Pony Express: Truth vs.
Myth." The program will be held at the NHTIC beginning at 1 p.m. and is
free and open to the public.

Few events in U.S. western history have generated more myths and half
truths than the Pony Express. National Pony Express Association President
(NPEA) and rider Les Bennington will share and unravel some of these truths
from the myths. Bennington currently resides near Glenrock, Wyo.

The NPEA is also celebrating their sesquicentennial this year. Bennington
will share and elaborate on upcoming events associated with the 150th
anniversary of the Pony Express.

The Pony Express, a fast-moving mail service, operated from April 1860 to
November 1861. The Pony Express Trail crossed the North American continent
from Saint Joseph, Mo., to Sacramento, Calif.

Approximately 190 stations were placed between 10 and 12 miles apart along
the Pony Express Trail. The Pony Express operated a relay station at the
site of the Guinard Bridge and Trading Post, which later was established as
Platte Bridge Station, and then Fort Caspar.

For more information about the program, contact Jason Vlcan at the NHTIC,
(307) 261-7780.

Rock Springs BLM to hold open house

2010-02-15T14:18:00.000-08:00

The Bureau of Land Management, Rock Springs Field Office, will be holding two public meetings on Wednesday, February 24, to discuss the proposed White Mountain Wind Energy Project. The project, spearheaded by Tasco Engineering, proposes to construct up to 240 wind turbines on top of White Mountain as part of a 360-megawatt electrical generating facility. Project costs could reach $200 million. If costs exceed $170 million, review by the Wyoming Industrial Siting Council would be triggered.

White Mountain is a popular recreation area located near Rock Springs and Green River, just north of Interstate 80. The project area would impact a number of significant cultural resource sites, including the Overland Trail, the North Cherokee Trail, Pilot Butte which has guided thousands of travelers through centuries of migration, significant Native American cultural sites, and historic wagon roads from early settlement days. The BLM is currently examining whether the area qualifies for the National Register as either a Rural Historic Landscape or a Traditional Cultural Property. The mountain is also home to elk, deer, wild horses, sage grouse and other species. The area also includes the recently developed Wild Horse Loop which runs along the rim and slope of White Mountain. In all, the proposed project area includes approximately 13,165 acres includes about 8,527 acres of lands privately owned by Anadarko and the Rock Springs Grazing Association.

The public meetings will be held at the Young at Heart Senior Center, 2400 Reagan Ave. in Rock Springs, Wyo. Two sessions are scheduled, the first beginning at 4 p.m.; the second session at 6 p.m. Each session will include a short presentation on the proposal with the rest of the time being available for questions and public comments. Project team members will be available after 3:30 p.m. to answer questions.

The recently released Environmental Assessment (EA) can be reviewed online here. Public comments will be accepted on the proposal until March 10. People attending the public sessions can turn in their comments there. Otherwise, they can be sent via email or by surface mail to Bureau of Land Management, Rock Springs Field Office, Attn: White Mountain Wind Energy Project, 280 Highway 191 North, Rock Springs, WY 82901.

If we want jobs, try historic preservation

2010-02-14T11:30:00.000-08:00

In his “State of the State” address last week, Governor Freudenthal called on the legislature to provide more funds for new school construction, stating that it was “about the only thing that is going to generate jobs in this state for construction.” Unfortunately, the governor and other state officials do not seem to be aware of the fact that new construction generates far fewer jobs than rehabilitation of existing buildings. In our haste to build new schools, we have not only destroyed some treasured community landmarks – we have also lost an opportunity to create many more new jobs than with new construction, and have needlessly wasted resources and overloaded our landfills.

Look at a few of these statistics:

• One million dollars spent on rehabilitation, compared to the same amount spent on new construction yields between 5 and 9 more local construction jobs, creates 4.7 more new jobs elsewhere in the community and provides $107,000 more in community income. It also generates $34,000 more in retail sales. (Advisory Council on Historic Preservation)

• At the state level, one million spent on building rehabilitation created:
5 more jobs than $1 million manufacturing electronic equipment in California.
12 more jobs than $1 million manufacturing cars in Michigan.
29 more jobs than pumping $1 million worth of oil in Oklahoma.
22 more jobs than $1 million cutting timber in Oregon.
12 more jobs than $1 million processing steel in Pennsylvania.
8 more jobs than $1 million manufacturing textiles in South Carolina.
17 more jobs than $1 million in agriculture in South Dakota.
20 more jobs than $1 million mining coal in West Virginia.
(Donovan Rypkema, the Economics of Historic Preservation)

If we focused on rehabilitating our existing schools (and other public buildings), we would not only create more construction jobs, we would give our communities the stability that comes from shared experiences through generations.

Another Letter Supporting South Pass

2010-02-09T17:32:00.001-08:00

Good day everyone.

With the Lander BLM Field Office soon to release their proposed Resource Management Plan, I would like to voice the following as far as protecting the Greater South Pass Historic Landscape Area:

As we are all aware, during the mid-nineteenth century Wyoming’s South Pass was the only feasible passageway for hundreds of thousands of pioneers to all points west. Their diaries and journals are replete of perseverance, hope and hardship. It was a major conduit to the American Dream.

To this day there are still timeless, unspoiled wagon ruts with pristine viewsheds and it is all here in our own backyard to preserve for future generations. I believe we have reached a critical and defining moment for safeguarding the South Pass Historic Trails corridor.

Over the years my own personal experiences along the Sweetwater River Valley have been filled with wonderment. To walk in wagon ruts a hundred plus years old with unrivaled landform panoramas and without wind turbines, massive transmission lines, etc. gives one the sense of solitude and connection to the past.

To view emigrant inscriptions at Independence Rock, behold the anomaly of Devil’s Gate, stop at Split Rock or Ice Slough and feel the presence of early-day fur trappers and later the thousands of white covered wagons with the pioneers and their livestock slowly making their way west, to the sixth through ninth crossings of the Sweetwater River, and finally to stand at Ezra Meeker’s Oregon Trail Stone Marker at South Pass, one quickly gains a regard for this remote and extremely historic area.

Just as this one hundred mile corridor to South Pass joined east to west in the 1800’s, so too it must connect our past generations to future generations without unsightly intrusions. This is a time piece we should not slip away.

In summary, I deem it would be an embarrassment to our children and their children to exploit this most historic of all trails corridor.
“We walk in yesterday’s footprints just as future generations will walk in ours.”
Let’s make all generations proud.

Please consider supporting the Resource Protection Alternative.

Thank you.

William J. Higgins, III

Sample Letter Supporting South Pass

2010-02-09T17:30:00.000-08:00

Mr. Cagney,

Wyoming is blessed with the best remaining traces of the old Oregon Trail anywhere in our country. In particular, Wyoming is home to Greater South Pass, without which our country's iconic westward migration would have been impossible. Wyoming as a thoroughfare to the Pacific is a significant influence on the state's history. South Pass is of obvious significance to the establishment of the Oregon, California, and Mormon Trails. More than 300,000 people followed the Oregon Trail through South Pass, between 1840 and 1860 on their way to Utah, Oregon, and California.

The region of South Pass was also hunting grounds and home to Native Americans for approximately 10,000 years before white explorers and fur trappers came to the area. Known only to Native Peoples until 1812, this area is historically signifiant as well to Shoshone, Lakota, Cheyenne, Arapahoe, Pawnee, Crow, Blackfeet, and Ute tribes.

Fortunately, as a result of Wyoming's previous conservation efforts, the historic landscape of South Pass remains virtually unchanged from how it appeared in the mid-1800s. And it should remain so.

At present, the Lander BLM is working on a Resource Management Plan which could change all that. I am writing to urge you to use your influence to ensure that South Pass remain a pristine historic jewel of this state. I am not asking for anything new, simply that this unique landscape continue to be managed as it has been in the past.

This would include forbidding any energy development that compromises the historic trails and their related viewsheds. Wind energy development, the only energy resource in the area, should not be permitted to degrade historic trails, or view corridors. I would request a five-mile "no surface occupancy" buffer to protect from these types of developments. Beyond that, distance from the trails can be determined on a case-by-case basis depending on topography. Such a system will protect the historic trails and core sage grouse areas.

There will never be another South Pass. Once it is compromised, it can never be reclaimed or mitigated. People come from all over the world to experience this amazing resource. In so doing, they also feed Wyoming's economy. As a former employee of Community Services Collaborative, who prepared the South Pass City Historic Buildings Evaluation for the Wyoming Recreation Commission in 1990, I urge you use your influence to protect South Pass for future generations.

Sincerely,
Cheyanne Valenzuela
Apache-Comanche-Mestiza
Historic Preservation Specialist for Research and Grantsmanship
Dakota Resource Group

Greater South Pass Needs Your Letters

2010-02-09T17:25:00.000-08:00

We have received information that the Lander BLM is close to releasing their proposed Resource Management Plan. The proposal is likely to include three different alternatives, each of which would have different impacts for the Greater South Pass Historic Landscape:

Current Status; no change
Resource Protection
Resource Use

AHW will be supporting the resource protection or conservation alternative. Unsuprisingly, however, many of the influential policy-makers are pushing for the resource use alternative.
We are asking the BLM to consider managing the Greater South Pass Historic Landscape much as they have done in the past. We most certainly have no dispute with historic ranch uses in the area. As for mineral development, there is no gas or oil in the area. The biggest energy threat comes from potential wind energy projects. But even those have limited potential due to topography. We also believe that hard rock mining is incompatible with this area.

What we are asking is that the BLM adopt a five-mile "no surface occupancy" boundary around the trails. Beyond that, we believe that any project can and should be sited on a case-by-case basis depending on the landscape in the area. Adoption of these standards would also protect core sage grouse areas, an increasingly important issue in Wyoming.

We are asking that our supporters contact key decision-makers as soon as possible to make sure they understand the significance that the historic preservation community places on the Greater South Pass Historic Landscape. You can click here to go to our website where you will find a link under "Current Alerts" that will allow you to send a "one-click letter" to these decision-makers or use the contact information provided below to send surface mail.

TALKING POINTS

Wyoming is blessed with the most pristine historic emigrant trails anywhere in the country
The crown jewel of this system of trails is South Pass
Without South Pass, the iconic westward emigration would have been impossible
Thousands of people visit South Pass every year, pumping untold dollars into the local economy
Protecting South Pass for future generations is not a change in management; it's what our ancestors did for us; it's what we owe to our children
The RMP will guide management of the area for the next 15-20 years. It must reflect the interests of the future as much, if not more, than any short-term gain
The potential for mineral development is miniscule and trumped by the preservation imperative
Wind energy can be developed in other parts of the state, parts of the state that do not include a one-of-its-kind, internationally renowned cultural resource

CONTACT INFORMATION

Send your letters to:

Governor Dave Freudenthal
State Capitol, 200 West 24th Street
Cheyenne, WY 82002-0010
307-777-7434 (phone) 307-632-3909 (fax)

Don Simpson, BLM State Director
5353 Yellowstone Road
PO Box 1828, Cheyenne, Wyoming 82003-1828
307-775-6256 (phone) 307-775-6129 (fax)

Jim Cagney, Lander BLM Field Manager
1335 Main Street, PO Box 589
Lander, WY 82520-0589
307-332-8400 (phone) 307-332-8444 (fax)

Mary Hopkins, Interim SHPO
State Historic Preservation Office
Department 3431
1000 E. University Avenue
Laramie, Wyoming 82071
307-766-5323 (phone) 307-766-4262 (fax)

Reward for Information on Kane Cemetery Vandalism

2009-12-16T14:36:00.000-08:00

The National Park Service is offering $1,000 for information on vandalism of the Kane Cemetery, about 10 miles northwest of Lovell, in Bighorn Canyon NRA. The vandalism occurred sometime between Halloween and Nov. 13. Thirty-one headstones were toppled, broken, or spray-painted. Kane was abandoned after the Yellowtail Dam was built and the old townsite was flooded by the new reservoir. If you have any information, contact Pete Sawtell or Jessica Korhut at 307-548-5421

More on the Recluse Community Hall

2009-11-30T11:55:00.000-08:00

The following appeared in the Casper Star-Tribune this morning (Nov. 30):

Trust steps up plan to build new Recluse community hall
By KIM PHAGAN-HANSEL - Star-Tribune correspondent | Posted: Monday, November 30, 2009 12:00 am

GILLETTE -- Members of the Recluse Community Trust will meet again at 4 p.m. on Dec. 4 at the Recluse School to move forward with the plan to construct a new community building to replace the Recluse Community Hall built in 1934.

For the past five years, the Recluse Community Trust has worked to raise the money to restore the old building through grants and donations. But after several setbacks and rising construction costs, the group recently decided to move away from the restoration project and focus on constructing a new community building. That decision has caused debate among area residents, as some would like to maintain the community hall.

During a meeting Nov. 21, several committees reported to the Recluse Community Trust board regarding potential design plans for the new building, which will be adjacent to the community arena. In addition, another committee presented ideas for incorporating elements from the old building into the new structure. "We looked at a couple of different designs," Recluse Community Trust President Marilyn Mackey said.

When the group meets again in December, Mackey said it will focus on finalizing a design for the building so the group can move forward with the project. Included in that will be determining ways the old building can be incorporated into the new one -- from using the old flooring as a dance floor to incorporating the bar into the kitchen design. "We're looking at salvaging as much of the old building into the new to keep that history," Mackey said.

But one of the biggest projects at the most recent meeting was creating a new mission statement for the Recluse Community Trust and discussing ways to update the community on the new direction. Mackey said the group was successful in creating its mission statement: "The mission for the Recluse Community Trust shall be to utilize the assets of the trust for the public benefit and use of the Recluse community and the encouragement of historical, educational, charitable and literary activities."

While the Powder River Breaks Foundation has not yet formally contacted the Recluse Community Trust board with its desire to obtain the building and move forward with the original restoration plan, Mackey did say the Recluse Community Trust composed a letter asking members of the Powder River Breaks Foundation to continue working with the community. "We did approve a letter we sent to the Powder River Breaks Foundation and asked them to join us," Mackey said.

The Recluse Community Trust also received notification from the Wyoming Business Council that a grant originally obtained by the Recluse Community Trust for the restoration of the old hall would not be transferable to the Powder River Breaks Foundation, Mackey said.

Because the $300,000 grant will have to be forfeited, the Recluse Community Trust is going to have to return funds that have already been spent, as well as raise enough funding for the new building project. Mackey said a new fundraising committee will be created at the next meeting. Overall, Mackey said she is pleased with the direction things are going and hopes that the community will once again come together to create a new facility that will meet its needs. "I hope that we can come together and move past that," Mackey said.

Foundation moves forward

Even though the Powder River Breaks Foundation learned that the grant is not transferable, it is not giving up on its mission to save the Recluse Community Hall. "We knew it was a long shot ... but it was nonetheless a disappointment," said Sue Wallis, a member of the Recluse Community Trust who is helping establish the Powder River Breaks Foundation.

Wallis is pulling together paperwork to establish the foundation and move forward in the attempt to save the Recluse Community Hall. Now an affiliate of the Wyoming Community Foundation, the Powder River Breaks Foundation is applying for grants and loans that will enable the organization to purchase the hall and move it to another location, where it will be restored. "We're going to do our darnedest to keep this building intact and open to the public," Wallis said. "If we can do it, we're going to save this old hall."

However, the fate of the building rests with the Recluse Community Trust, which currently owns the building. In the near future the members of the Powder River Breaks Foundation will present its proposal to the trust in the hope that it will allow the foundation to continue with the original plan to restore the hall.

Also, AHW has teamed up with Public News Service to get this story out through radio outlets. Listen to it on AHW's website.

Buffalo BLM to host open houses

2009-11-24T13:22:00.000-08:00

The Buffalo BLM is hosting two open houses to discuss their Resource Management Plan revisions along with issues surrounding Fortification Creek and greater sage grouse management. The meetings, which will be informal open houses, will be held as follows:

Monday, Dec. 14, 3-7PM, Buffalo Field Office, 1425 Fort Street, Buffalo
Tuesday, Dec. 15, 3-7PM, University of WY Extension Office, 1000 S. Douglas Highway, Gillette

For more info, you can check our website under Government Watch/BLM.

Kane Cemetery Vandalized

2009-11-20T13:44:00.000-08:00

The following article appeared in the Billings Gazette:

Wyoming ghost town vandalized

The National Park Service is trying to find the culprits behind a Wyoming ghost town cemetery vandalism spree that damaged several historic tombstones.

Kane , about two miles from where Shoshone and Bighorn rivers meet in Big Horn County, was abandoned around 1965 when the Yellowtail Dam in Montana flooded the area surrounding the small town.

The cemetery, located on higher ground a few miles north of where the town stood, wasn’t inundated.

Park officials from the Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area, which straddles the Wyoming-Montana border, first noticed the vandalism on Nov. 4, then saw additional vandalism the evening of Nov. 13.

They said several headstones have been knocked down or broken and others have been painted with spray paint.

Inhabitants of the cemetery include Mormon settlers who came to the region a century ago.

Historic Recluse Hall

2009-11-17T12:48:00.000-08:00

Community Group Organizes to Save the Historic Recluse Hall

Last night, November 11, 2009, the existing Recluse Community Trust voted to abandon the historic preservation and renovation of the Recluse Community Hall in favor of building a metal pole building in a different location. Some members of the community, however, are still committed to the original purpose of the project, and are organizing as quickly as possible in an effort to keep the Hall from disappearing forever. Several multi-generational families in the community have come together, along with supporters from across the nation to see that this irreplaceable building remains a beautiful and functional gathering place for northern Campbell County for generations to come.

The Powder River Breaks Foundation has filed paperwork with the Wyoming Secretary of State today to become a Wyoming nonprofit corporation, and the Wyoming Community Foundation has agreed to serve as the fiscal sponsor and administer funds until the new nonprofit receives its own IRS 501(c)(3) status. The first initiative of the new Foundation will be preserving and maintaining the historic Recluse Hall.

The Powder River Breaks Foundation will offer all of the donors who contributed to the original project the opportunity to leave their generous donations with its original purpose. “We hope that it might be possible,” says Billee Hackett, lifelong member of the community, “to find a way to keep our old Hall.”

As the existing Recluse Community Trust finalizes their plans to move forward on the pole barn building, they will be contacting each donor to see if they would like to support a different purpose.

One of the consequences of the existing Trust voting to abandon the Hall, is that they forfeit a $300,000 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) which was granted to Campbell County by the Wyoming Business Council for the specific purpose of renovating the historic Hall and adding an addition that would include restrooms, a kitchen, and a library. One of the major advantages for the existing Recluse Community Trust, if they will agree to transfer the title to the building, and the responsibility for completing the CDBG supported project to the new Powder River Breaks Foundation, is that they would not be required to return the more than $34,000 of CDBG grant funds that have already been spent, nor be saddled with the responsibility of what to do with the old Hall. This should be a considerable financial advantage towards their new project.

For more information,
contact: Frank Wallis

Listen for AHW on your local radio stations!

2009-11-10T13:03:00.000-08:00

You may hear the Alliance for Historic Wyoming mentioned today on your local radio station. Tom Rea, a member of our board, did an interview earlier this week about the potential impact of wind power on the national historic trails:

LANDER, Wyo. - Wind power may be the star of Wyoming's new energy boom, though it also raises a potentially-touchy historic preservation issue. The American Wind Energy Association says the state is in the top five for new development - and power company Duke Energy recently announced plans for more wind towers.

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management in Lander is looking at wind-power potential in its latest management outline, and it could prove to be a tricky balancing act, according to Tom Rea with the Alliance for Historic Wyoming. His group has been working to preserve historic westward trails at South Pass and he thinks wind towers would clash with the snapshot of history the trails provide now.

"It's not like history is the only thing they're having to deal with; they're also having to deal with wildlife habitat, especially the sage grouse, and water, and all kinds of other things, too."

The Oregon, California, and Mormon Trails, and even-older Native American trails, all become one at South Pass. Most of the trail is on BLM land, though trail branches and sections are also on nearby private land.

A large ranch near South Pass was recently purchased by an out-of-stater who has big plans for wind energy development. Rea says they've met with the new landowner and discovered a shared appreciation for preserving the area's history.

"We have the best and most pristine stretch of the Oregon-California Trail. It looks very much like it did 150 years ago when the covered wagons were going across it."

Rea says they would like to see written guidelines from the BLM about preserving the trail viewshed.

Deb Courson, Public News Service - WY

You can listen to the audio clip here. Let us know if you hear this broadcast on your local radio station. And, remember, it's not too late for you to help out with our efforts to protect the Greater South Pass Historic Landscape.

HAAF Funding Needs Your Support!

2009-11-06T14:10:00.000-08:00

Historic Preservation Projects in Wyoming need your help! A critical Wyoming SHPO program needs your support to ensure that it receives continued funding for the next biennium. In 2009, the Wyoming State Legislature established the Historic Architecture Assistance Fund (HAAF) as a partnership between the Wyoming State Historic Preservation Office and the Wyoming Main Street Program. The fund was established as a onetime grant program and will end July 1, 2010 unless additional funding is appropriated. Refunding the HAAF program is currently under consideration, as the Governor and the Joint Appropriations Committee prepare the budget for the next biennium.

In the short time the grant program has been available, 48 technical assistance grants totaling $187,500 have been awarded to the owners of historic buildings in 24 Wyoming communities (see attached table). HAAF funds have gone to support a range of projects as diverse as churches, historic schoolhouses, ranch properties, grain silos, historic hotel buildings, and a wide variety of downtown commercial buildings. These grants provide the critical first step in a project, by providing a building owner with the services of an experienced preservation architect to analyze a building and make recommendations for its preservation. The positive response to this program has nearly exhausted the funds allocated for it.

The 48 projects funded through this program is impressive, and points out the pent up demand for preservation architectural assistance in Wyoming. We urge you to write to Governor Freudenthal and the members of the Joint Appropriations Committee in support of continued funding for HAAF. If a project in your community has been funded, be sure to thank the legislators for their help. If not, let them know of projects in your community that could benefit from this fund in the future. You should also consider copying your letter to the Governor and the JAC to your own state representative and state senator.

Please send a copy of any correspondence to:

Milward Simpson, Director
State Parks and Cultural Resources
2301 Central Ave.
Cheyenne, Wy. 82002

AHW on Facebook, too!

2009-11-06T13:59:00.000-08:00

Don't forget to check in on our Facebook page!

Innagural Post

2009-10-02T09:41:00.000-07:00

Dear fellow board members,

This is the first of many informative, useful, and thought-provoking posts that will appear on this page. We can link to our website http://historicwyoming.org/ and include pictures. Everyone can have a sign-in user name.

I hope we can use this blog as a useful tool for preservation in Wyoming.

All the best,