WyoHistory.org | The Online Encyclopedia of Wyoming History

Featured Topics

Indigenous People in Wyoming and the West

Tracking the Past

Attracting tens of thousands of visitors annually, the National Historic Trails Interpretive Center opened in Casper in August 2002. Keeping history and memory alive, the center also serves school groups and offers interpretive exhibits, guest speakers, re-enactors and special events targeting people of all ages and interests.

Protecting Public Land

Shortly after Congress gave him the power to do so, President Theodore Roosevelt in 1906 created the nation’s first national monument at Devils Tower. Wyoming’s lone congressman, Frank Mondell, fearing federal overreach and always in favor of developing, not protecting, public land was distinctly unenthusiastic about the move.

Marking the Wagon Box Site

One summer morning in 1908, Sam Gibson rode horseback along Little Piney Creek near Sheridan County’s southern border. His companion, Charles Bezold, rode alongside, eager to hear the older man’s stories of an Indian Wars battle 40 years before. They knew they were near the site of the Wagon Box Fight ...

A Woman Alone on her Claim

Chicago native Florence Blake risked her life in a bull pasture; traveled to Devil’s Tower and Yellowstone Park; and attended many all-night dances—all part of her life as a single woman homesteader in Campbell County, Wyoming in the early 1920s. She lived in Wyoming seven months each year.

Rancher, Hunter, Archaeologist

Longtime University of Wyoming archaeologist George Frison’s thinking about ancient bison kill sites was deeply informed by his early life as a hunter and rancher. Over a long career Frison won the affection and respect of students and colleagues; his many awards included election to the National Academy of Sciences.

A Murder and a Prison Break

When Noah Richardson brought his gal to a gathering of cowboys in 1905, he expected her to leave with him. The charm of Allie Means that day won him the girl but lost him his life. Read more about the desperate crimes of Noah Richardson and the chain of events spurred on by the murder of Allie Means.

Tracking the Past

Protecting Public Land

Marking the Wagon Box Site

A Woman Alone on her Claim

Rancher, Hunter, Archaeologist

A Murder and a Prison Break

The Latest from Our Blog

Florence Blake Had Grit

Florence Blake had grit, and she loved Wyoming. Not even the rigors of a November 1919 drive from Gillette to her prospective claim “through slick gumbo spots” daunted her.

Keep Reading

A Cowboy Detective

How Green is Wyoming?

William Henry Jackson’s Long Career

Father De Smet Pets a Buffalo

Education

Explore WyoHistory.org’s education packages, designed for classroom use.

View the Education Page

Interactive Map

Explore Wyoming’s history using our interactive map of articles.

View the map

Historical Topics

Contributors

The WyoHistory.org monthly newsletter includes updates of new articles on the website, info on history-related events, news about our contributors, etc. Add your name to the list to stay informed about all things history in Wyoming.

Learn More and Sign Up

September 2023