Freighting south from the Union Pacific, immigrant railroaders and a trek to Hot Springs County
This month we feature a trail into Colorado, a possible irony of history and an outing to Legend Rock.
From the railroad to a reservation
The Rawlins to Baggs wagon road was a primary freight route from the Union Pacific Railroad line south to northwestern Colorado. Freighters first supplied Ute people at the White River Agency and later, after the Utes were forcibly removed to Utah, the Euroamerican settlers who took up their lands. Read more in David Johnson’s article, “The Rawlins to Baggs Wagon Road.”
A struggling minority
The history of Japanese people in Wyoming is most often connected with the World War II internment camp at Heart Mountain. Yet Japanese railroad laborers were in Wyoming as early as 1892—and some may have even helped lay the tracks that delivered the internees to Heart Mountain two generations later. Read more in Dan Lyon’s article, “Before Heart Mountain: Japanese in Early Wyoming.”
Wyoming Historical Society’s 70th annual trek
Join history enthusiasts and Wyoming Historical Society members in Thermopolis, Wyoming, Thursday evening June 20 through Sunday morning June 23, 2024, for the Society’s 70th annual June trek. Options Friday include a historic ranch tour and a walking tour of downtown Thermopolis; Saturday alternatives include a bus tour to the former coal camp of Gebo, Legend Rock, the Arapaho Ranch and Anchor Dam—the dam that wouldn’t hold water. Registration will remain open until midnight June 12. For registration information, click here or call 307-322-3014.
Latest from the Blog
A large part of Wyoming used to be French territory until the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. You can still see the borders while driving through the Red Desert at the Tri-territory historic site and the influence of the French can still be felt in place names around the state.
William Richards’s diaries vividly describe a time long past, when manual labor and horse and mule power were the only means of accomplishing many tasks. How did William find the time and energy to keep a diary? Modern readers would do well to value his legacy, especially as we use power tools, drive around, correspond by text or email and otherwise benefit from life in the 21st century.
Upcoming Events around Wyoming
For June calendar events, visit the Wyoming Historical Society’s website. If you know of upcoming history-related events in Wyoming, send a note to editor@wyohistory.org.