Frances Hecht, born in 1904, recalls her work curing meat, keeping milk cool without a refrigerator or icebox, hauling river water to wash clothes in a Maytag powered by a car motor and lighting a flame to heat the iron.

Frank "Pinky" Ellis of Casper, Wyo., born in 1929, was interviewed April 21, 2011 by Casper College student Emily Pearson at the Casper College Western History Center. In this interview, Mr. Ellis discusses growing up in Casper, his father’s journey from Ireland to Casper, life during the Depression, his father’s sheep operation, his own positions on the Casper City Council and Natrona County Public Library Board, life at Casper College and the University of Wyoming in the late 1940s, early childhood memories, family life and life’s lessons.

Emergency Medical Technician Glenna Walker is also the mother of three children who attended Cokeville Elementary School in Cokeville, Wyo., on May 16, 1986, when David and Doris Young took her and 153 other people hostage at the school, and detonated a bomb inside. The Youngs both died that day. Everyone else survived. At the time of the incident, Mrs. Walker had just received her EMT certification. This was the first time she was called out for an emergency situation.

Golden Allred, born in 1910, trapped beaver, bobcat and other animals for 22 years in and around Wyoming’s Big Horn Basin.

Kathy Davison was the emergency management coordinator for Lincoln County, Wyo., on May 16, 1986, when David and Doris Young took 154 people hostage at Cokeville Elementary School and detonated a bomb inside. The Youngs both died that day. Everyone else survived. This was the first emergency Davison encountered in her position.

Reel-to-reel audiotapes sent back and forth from a soldier to his family during the Vietnam War land in a box and are stored in a shed for over 40 years. They were given to the Wyoming State Archives to preserve the story of one Wyoming soldier. The tapes are a living history — not only of the turbulence of the era, but also tell the tale of a family trying to stay connected ... even as they are separated by war.

Transcript and audio of Clifford Hansen Interview conducted by John Hinckley.

Audio and transcript of interview with former Governor Ed Herschler conducted by John Hinckley in 1977.

Audio and transcript of Gerry Spence interview conducted by Mark Junge.

Harold Van Buskirk, born in 1897, worked in a grocery store in his youth in Wyoming’s Bighorn Basin.