The Wyoming Symphony Orchestra (WSO), based in Casper, began as the Casper Philharmonic Orchestra in 1925. It is likely the oldest independent cultural organization in Wyoming. This all-amateur ensemble of local musicians performed its first concert in November 1927, attracting an audience of 1,600 people. The orchestra performed under various names and directors through the 1930s and early 1940s until World War II temporarily halted its activities. In 1947, it was revived as the Casper Civic Symphony.

On May 16, 1986, a man and woman entered Cokeville Elementary School in Cokeville, Wyoming, took 154 people hostage, and detonated a bomb in a first grade classroom. These oral histories, compiled by the Wyoming State Archives, preserve the remembrances of people involved in one way or another with the Cokeville Elementary School bombing. 

On October 17, 1969, University of Wyoming Head Coach Lloyd Eaton dismissed 14 Black football players from the team when they sought to discuss wearing black armbands during an upcoming game against Brigham Young University. The incident drew national attention at a time when the country was already divided over civil rights and the Vietnam War. The negative publicity affected Wyoming’s football program for years.

Wyoming’s governors have shaped the state’s political, economic, and social development since 1869. These oral history interviews capture the perspectives of Wyoming governors who served during pivotal periods in the state’s history. The interviews document their experiences with the Wyoming Legislature, their approaches to executive leadership, and their handling of major policy issues, including water rights, mineral taxation, environmental regulation, and the relationship between state and federal government.