This month we feature an early component of tourism, and a man with divided loyalties.

Guiding hunters

Wyoming traces its outfitting industry to an 1899 law requiring out-of-state hunters to hire guides. Guiding clients like Charles “Spend-a-Million” Gates eventually became good business, bringing wealth to the West and protecting wildlife from the slaughter of earlier generations, all while starting a gradual, statewide shift toward tourism and service economies. Read more in Brian Beauvais’ article, “Outfitting in Wyoming.”

An agent in Indian country

Thomas Twiss, West Point class of 1826, came to Fort Laramie as a civilian in 1855, tasked with keeping government promises to tribes and keeping peace in all directions. He had an Oglala family on Deer Creek in addition to a family back East—and lived in two worlds for decades. Read more in James Nottage’s article, “Indian Agent Thomas Twiss, Man of Two Worlds.”

Calendar Events

Campbell County Rockpile Museum, Gillette, Wyo.
Old Ironsides Steam and Shine Tractor Show
Saturday, July 16, 2022
The Museum is looking for exhibitors to showcase historic or vintage farm equipment in Gillette, Wyoming. To register, click here and scroll to the bottom of the page.

Meeteetse Museums, Meeteetse, Wyo.
Charles Belden Museum of Western Photography
The museum offers the Charles Belden Photography Collection as a permanent exhibit. Belden documented ranch life in Wyoming, and many of his photographs were published in national magazines. For more information about the Belden Museum, click here.
 
Danny Michael, assistant curator of the Meeteetse Museums’ Firearms Museum, presents on the historic firearms of Colonel William Pickett. Members can attend in person or remotely, July 13, 2022, 10:00 a.m. For more information, click here.
 
Tour the Historic Double Dee Ranch
Saturday, July 23, 2022
Tour leaves from the Meeteetse Museums at 9:00 a.m. and begins on site at 10:00 a.m.
In this annual tour, we will be exploring the historic dude ranch visited by Amelia Earhart in 1934. This year, guests will attend a press conference by “Amelia Earhart” and there will be an on-site, United States Forest Service pack string demonstration. For more information, click here.
 
Pitchfork Ranch Tour
Saturday, July 30, 2022
Meet at the Meeteetse Museums at 9:00 a.m.; plan to leave for the ranch by 9:30 a.m.
Led by Pitchfork Ranch owner Dr. Lenox Baker, this year’s tour will explore the ranch portrayed in Charles Belden’s photographs. For more information, click here.
 
Fremont County Museums
Historic Shoshoni Tour
Saturday, July 16, 2022, 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. 
In a leisurely wagon ride, learn the history of Shoshoni and its buildings on this Wind River Visitor’s Council Adventure Trek. Reservation required, call 307-856-2665. For more details about this tour, click here.
 
Dubois Museum
Annual Mystery Sheep Trap Trek
Tuesday, July 12, 2022, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Hosted by the Dubois Museum and the National Bighorn Sheep Center. Explore the gorgeous views and amazing history of the Upper Wind River Valley. Difficult hiking, bear spray, bug spray, hiking boots, trekking poles, water and lunch required. Advanced registration required. $10 per person. For more information, click here.
 
Simpson Lake Lodge Trek
Friday, July 29, 2002, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. 
The Simpson Lake Lodge was originally built in 1928 and restored in 2016 and 2017. This trek requires high clearance four-wheel drive or ATV and an approximately eight-mile hike. For other details about the trek, click here.
 
Brooks Lake Lodge Ranch Tour
Tuesday, August 2, 2022, 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. 
The historic Brooks Lake Lodge was originally constructed in 1922 and known as the Amoretti Hotel and Camp Company. Learn more about this lodge on the tour. For more information, click here.
 
Lander Pioneer Museum
Historic Lander Houses Trek
Saturday, July 16, 2022, 10:00 a.m.
Learn the history of some of the historic homes on Lander's south side. For where to meet and other details, click here.
 
Tea Party Controversy
Thursday, July 21, 2022, 7:00 p.m., Pioneer Museum, Lander.
Historian Kylie McCormick will talk about the origins of women's suffrage in Wyoming. Should Esther Hobart Morris be known as the "mother of woman suffrage" or has she received more credit than she deserves? For more information, click here.
 
McKinney Ranch Adventure Trek
Saturday, July 23, 2022, 10:00 to noon 
Visit this historic ranch that was once the Derby stage station and road ranch, later the Carmody Sheep Ranch. For where to meet and other details, click here.
 
Self-guided Lander walking tour; click here, and scroll down to near the end of the page.
 
Riverton Museum
Self-guided Riverton walking tour; click here, and scroll down to near the end of the page.

South Pass City State Historic Site
Carissa Mine tours through Labor Day, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, 2:00 p.m.
Tours include a walk through the historic structures, live demonstration of milling equipment and a great story of life in a gold town. Take the tour to see and learn about one of the best-preserved historic mining operations in the world. For more information, click here.
 
English Tunnel tour
Saturdays and Sundays July and August, 11 a.m.,
The English Tunnel was started in 1868 as an exploratory tunnel looking for gold bearing quartz veins.  Using dynamite, shovels & picks, miners fought their way into the heart of the mountainside. For more information, click here.
 
Gold Rush Days
Saturday and Sunday, July 9 and 10, 2022
A celebration of all things South Pass City, including anvil blasting, gold panning, mining demos, tours and much more. For more information, click here.
 
Museum of the Mountain Man, Pinedale, Wyo.
Green River Rendezvous
Thursday through Sunday, July 7 – 10, 2022
 
Auto Tour: The Hoback Canyon in Fur Trade History
Thursday, July 7, 2022, 10:00 a.m.
This tour explores numerous sites along the Hoback River that played a role in early fur trade history. Beginning at the Park & Ride at Hoback Junction (just east of the intersection of U.S. highways 26 and 189/191), the guided tour will make several stops along the river, and end at the east end of Hoback Canyon.
 
Michael “Bad Hand,” Native American Historian and Ethnologist, gives an overview of the life of the Plains Indians in the 1800s.
 
At the American Mountain Men Trapper’s camp, north of the museum at the amphitheater, attend live lectures and demonstrations throughout Rendezvous weekend. Topics will include firearms, sign language, beaver trapping, clothes, tools, fire-making, horse tack, packing and Saturday night stories and songs.
 
Movie Night: “Into the Wild Frontier: Thomas Fitzpatrick”
Friday, July 8, 2022, 7:00 p.m.
After the movie there will be a panel discussion by the historian featured in the documentary.
 
For more information on the above events, call 1-877-686-6266 or 307-367- 4101, or click here.
 
Jackson Hole Historical Society and Museum, Jackson, Wyo.
Special exhibit: William Henry Jackson, Pioneer Photographer, on view through March 2023 in our Community Co-op Corner.
 
The exhibit “Wyoming Women” from the University of Wyoming’s American Heritage Center highlights 30 framed historical photos of Wyoming women in leadership roles in the outdoors and their communities. For more information, click here.
 
For other information on these two exhibits, click here. Then scroll down.
 
Carbon County Museum, Rawlins, Wyo.
Exhibit: Building the West: Settling Carbon County
For museum hours and contact information, click here, then scroll to the bottom of the page.
 
Laramie Plains Museum, Laramie, Wyo.
Tour the museum; it takes about an hour. Tours available Tuesday through Saturday. For more information, click here, or call 307-742-4448.
 
Fort Caspar Museum, Casper, Wyo.
Caspar Collins Day
Saturday, July 23, 2022; all day
More details forthcoming later in the month. Visit the museum’s events page here.
 
National Historic Trails Interpretive Center, Casper, Wyo.
Independence Rock
A BLM interpreter will be present at Independence Rock Mondays and Fridays through October 14, 2022, 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. For more information, click here.
 
Pioneer Women Living History Weekend
Saturday and Sunday, July 9 and 10, 2022
 
Blacksmithing Demonstration and Pioneer Music
Saturday and Sunday, July 16 and 17, 2022
 
Historic Trails Trek
July 23, 2022
 
Pony Express History Day and Oregon Trail Music
July 24, 2022
 
Native American Culture and History Weekend
July 30 and 31, 2022
 
To view the Interpretive Center’s calendar of events, click here. For more information on the above events, call 307-265-8030.
 
Washakie Museum and Cultural Center, Worland, Wyo.
Where the Rivers Ran Red: The Indian Fights of George A. Custer, presented by Michael Donahue
Thursday, July 14, 2022, 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Donahue provides fresh insight into Custer’s last fight taking a long-range view to examine the evolution of his battlefield tactics. For more information, click here.
 
Paleontology Symposium
Saturday, July 9, 2022, 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Nine lectures by top experts in plant and animal paleontology of the Bighorn Basin, plus poster presentations open all day. For more information and to pre-register (event is free, and includes lunch), click here.
 
Weston County Museums
Anna Miller Museum, Newcastle, Wyo.
Red Onion Museum, Upton, Wyo.
View their displays at the Weston County Fairgrounds.
July 24, 2022
Take a self-guided walking tour of Newcastle.
Take a self-guided walking tour of Newcastle’s Greenwood Cemetery.
Take a self-guided walking tour of Upton.
Also see the Weston County Museum District’s home page.
 
National Museum of Military Vehicles, Dubois, Wyo.
For the current tour schedule, click here.
 
Wyoming Veterans Memorial Museum, Casper, Wyo.
Family Fun Day: Star Spangled History
Saturday, July 9, 2022, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Exploring the history of the Star Spangled Banner and other important flags
Free to elementary age children; must be accompanied by an adult.
For more information, click here.
 
Trek to a bomber crash site and monument, Converse County
Saturday, July 23, 2022
For more information, contact Becky Steensland bsteen@bresnan.net. 
 
Alliance for Historic Wyoming
Cheyenne West Edge Development
Cultural Expo, Saturday, July 16, 2022
The West Edge: a pedestrian plaza, and preserving historic buildings
The West Edge is an industrial area west of downtown Cheyenne, and includes a still-used rail spur. To learn more about this project to preserve old buildings, click here.
 
Volunteers have set up camp and are hard at work on the historic Lemley Mill in Wyoming's South Pass Historic Mining District, where the Red Desert meets the Wind River Mountains. They're working to stabilize the building, which still has mining equipment inside. For more information, click here.