All Articles In "History"

What was it like to live on a 1920s gentleman’s working ranch surrounded by art produced by many of the finest Western artists including Charlie Russell, Frederic Remington and Edward Borein?

Join us for a guided tour of the Quarter Circle A Ranch House and enjoy the genteel surroundings complete with meticulously tended grounds and flower gardens featuring heirloom plants and massive old cottonwoods.  Take time for a walk around the outbuildings (Milk House, Carriage Barn, Saddle Barn, etc.) and Little Goose Creek Lodge.

The Bradford Brinton Memorial & Museum opens its doors earlier this year with a free day on Sunday, May 13, Mother’s Day. No need to wait until Memorial Day weekend to check out this year’s summer exhibition in the Reception Gallery: Kelsey and Oriet Circling the Globe featuring bronzes by T.D. Kelsey and pastels, watercolors, oils and drawings by Julie Oriet.  Museum is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday to Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

According to Ken Schuster, Director “this show is so powerful that it literally cannot be restrained within the walls of this gallery, it has escaped these confines and is out holding forth on the grounds of the museum. All joking aside, isn’t that what we get when we visit an engaging exhibition, doesn’t a bit of it go home with us and conjure us back to that special moment in time? T. D. Kelsey and Julie Oriet have given us a show that enthralls us with foreign lands, populated with intriguing animals and engaging individuals. It is sure to draw us back countless times to their magic web spun from bronze, pastel and oil.”

Now hailed as one of the most talented contemporary sculptors in the West, T.D. Kelsey has received no formal art training.  He instead relies on observation and firsthand knowledge and draws his subjects from familiar topics, such as the rodeo, ranch life, and his travels. He is best known for his animal subjects, and much of his work is inspired by his passions for Africa and its wildlife, and a concern for conservation of wildlife worldwide. Kelsey’s passion for creating art is fueled by the many other passions in life, some of which include his Texas ranch: it “gives me the experience that enables me to do Western subjects while enjoying the ranch at the same time.  Wildlife subjects have sent me all over the world for research.  With that comes seeing new country and other cultures that spark new work.  A lot of it requires flying, another passion.”

Julie Oriet is among the West’s most highly respected women artists. She tries to capture the colors and shapes of Western life in her paintings and is best known for her sky-scapes. She also finds inspiration in her travels around the world, with many of her subjects originating from her travels to Africa, Alaska, Italy, Mexico, and Spain. She now resides in Cody, has won the 2002 Artist’s Choice Award at the Buffalo Bill Art Show & Sale and has been featured in Art of the West, Southwest Art, Western Art & Architecture, and Western Art Collector.  She states that “this show is created from years of travel and the excitement of endless ideas gathered far and near.”

The exhibition will be on display from May 13 throughout the summer until Labor Day, September 3, museum open daily.  For more information please call the Museum at 672-3173 or check the website at www.BBMandM.org.

Explore the Past. Discover the West.

Experience History at the Sheridan County Museum

 Located in the shadow of the Bighorn Mountains, the Sheridan County Museum interprets a regional perspective on the history of the American West. The Museum’s exhibits investigate the culture, industry, communities, agriculture, and geography that shaped the region’s rich historic and cultural heritage. Throughout the Museum’s exhibit gallery, visitors have the opportunity to experience history through artifacts, historic photographs, maps, and interactive exhibits.

One of the Museum’s most popular exhibits is “Crazy Horse, Crook, and the Battle on Rosebud Creek”. This exhibit explores the Battle of the Rosebud, which occurred on June 17, 1876, just eight days prior to Custer’s defeat on the Little Bighorn. According to historian and author Neil Mangum, “One cannot fully understand the Battle of the Little Bighorn without having a firm foundation of knowledge about the Rosebud fight and its aftermath.” The Rosebud exhibit, currently the only of its kind, features a touch screen kiosk filled with photos, narration, animated maps, lists of participants, and accounts of the battle, as well as details of Crook’s activities at “Camp Cloud Peak” in Sheridan and Big Horn. Two life-sized and life-like museum figures show a typical Lakota warrior and one of Crook’s sergeants. Bernard Thomas’ studio and historical art is featured, along with illustrations of the Crook campaign by Robert C. Wilson. Artifacts from Mark Badgett’s Bozeman Trail collection round out the exhibit and highlight the trail’s use by the military and local Indians.

Visitors to the Museum can also explore the regions ranching and rodeo history in the exhibit “Ranching & Roughstock: The Western Lifestyle Through Art and Photography”. The exhibit includes works by area and regional artists and photographers including Bill Gollings, Don Diers, Jessamine Spear Johnson, Bernard Thomas, Hans Kleiber, Elsa Spear Byron, George Ostrom, and J.W. Winingar Jr. Other exhibits interpret the colorful commerce of the area including the 68-year story of the Sheridan Brewing Company plus the history of moonshine production in the area, the role of the railroad, the unique industry of the Tongue River Tie Flume, and the once prosperous underground coal mines.

Children and families are encouraged to explore the museum through the Junior Curator program with a free children’s museum guide and activity book. The program offers children a unique opportunity to visit the exhibits and complete a variety of fun activities. Children who participate in the program become a Sheridan County Museum Junior Curator and receive their choice of a Junior Curator patch or bookmark. Tidbit Tuesday, another very popular children’s program at the Museum, is a free summer program that provides children and their families with an opportunity to explore history together. The program offers participants a chance to enjoy a read aloud story followed by a fun project on the Museum’s porch. Tidbit Tuesdays are recommended for children ages 5 to 10, though children both younger and older are welcome. All participating children, however, must be accompanied by an adult or responsible teenaged sibling or babysitter. The Museum also offers Young Archaeologists, a weeklong history camp that explores the past and provides participants with an opportunity to apply archaeological concepts as they investigate Plains Indian shelters using primary data sources such as maps, artifact illustrations, historic photographs, and oral histories. Young Archaeologists is open to children entering grades 4 through 7. For more information on any of the Museum’s education programs, including dates and fees, contact the Museum or visit the website at www.SheridanCountyHistory.org.

In addition to their exhibits and education programs, the Museum offers a variety of special events. This summer’s events include:

June 2-3: Community Appreciation Weekend at the Sheridan County Museum with free admission, discounts in the Museum store, and refreshments.

July 11-15: Rodeo Reduced Admission Days. $2 Museum admission or bring your 2012 Sheridan WYO Rodeo ticket/stub for a free admission.

August 3: Sheridan County Museum’s 5th Annual Brewing Up History Beer Tasting.

More details about each of these and other special events can be found on the Museum’s website.

The Sheridan County Museum is open from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. daily in May, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. June 1^st through Labor Day, and 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. daily September 1 through December 24^th. The Museum is located at 850 Sibley Circle in Sheridan, Wyoming, just off I-90 at Exit 23. Admission fees are: $4.00 for adults, $3.00 for seniors (60 and over), $2.00 for students. Veterans, active military, Blue Star families, and children are free.

The Sheridan County Museum is owned and operated by the Sheridan County Historical Society. The mission of the Museum is to: maintain the collections and exhibits pertaining to the history of Sheridan County and the closely related surrounding area and communities; to develop and implement education plans for both children and adults to help educate our citizens on the rich historic and cultural heritage of our area; and to responsibly care for the artifact collections which are held in trust for the benefit of the present and future citizens of Sheridan County.

For more information, phone the Sheridan County Museum at 307-675-1150 or visit the Museum’s website at www.SheridanCountyHistory.org.

Are you enticed by history and mansions? Then look no further than Sheridan Wyoming. Not only is it full of old-time ranching lore and frontier battle sites, Sheridan is home to Wyoming’s premier historic house museum, the Trail End State Historic Site.

Since its construction in 1913 and its opening as a museum in 1982, built by cowboy-turned-politician John B. Kendrick, Trail End displays an elegantly different aspect of both Wyoming’s colorful ranching history and Sheridan’s rich western heritage.

For modern day visitors, Trail End offers a fun and educational experience. Combined with rooms full of original furnishings and artifacts, its many exhibits and displays examine life in Sheridan during the years 1913 to 1933, mostly through the eyes of its original owners, the Kendrick family.

Displays are designed to look as if a family member had just left the room. In the master bedroom, evening clothes are laid out on the bed, all ready to be put on before heading out for a night on the town; cut flowers and a vase sit by the kitchen sink, ready to be trimmed and arranged; material and patterns are scattered about the maid’s bed, ready to be turned into a new summer frock on the nearby treadle sewing machine.

New at Trail End this year is a whole-house exhibit entitled The Ad Made Me Buy It: The Power of Advertising in the Early 20th Century. According to Site Superintendent Cynde Georgen, putting the exhibit together involved a particularly entertaining round of research. “We have illustrated the exhibit with advertisements from magazines in the Trail End collection. It was fun for us to flip through the pages of a 1913 magazine – McCall’s or Sunset, for example, and see ads for many of the same products we purchase today: from soup and corn flakes to automobiles and batteries. The ads were very colorful, but sometimes a little strange. You wouldn’t find an ad today for a “pneumatic bust enhancer” or a “proven weight gain program!”

The Ad Made Me Buy It will be on display at Trail End throughout the 2012 season, which continues through Thursday, December 14th. The Trail End State Historic Site is located at 400 Clarendon Avenue in Sheridan, just minutes from the historic Main Street District, Kendrick Park, the Sheridan County Rodeo grounds, and the Historic Sheridan Inn.

Spring and fall hours are 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. daily, seven days a week. Summer hours of 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. begin June first and continue through the end of August. The site will be open the Saturday, Sunday and Monday of Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., as well as all day on the Fourth of July.

Admission is $4.00 for adults ($2.00 discount for Wyoming residents), with children seventeen and under admitted free (when accompanied by an adult). The site is nearly one hundred percent handicapped accessible. Trail End is a component of the Division of State Parks & Historic Sites, Wyoming Department of Parks and Cultural Resources. For more information, phone Trail End at 307-674-4589, or visit the Trail End website, www.trailend.org.

Sheridan, Wyoming was recently honored as the #1 Small Town for Cowboy Charm by Western Horseman Magazine. This historic town was plotted in the early 1880s and remains an authentic cowboy destination.

Sheridan has always been proud of its western traditions and frontier heritage. In recent years, the town has received a number of honors and distinctions highlighting its work in historic preservation, small-town hospitality, and adventurous offerings.  In 2011, Sheridan was named a Distinctive Destination by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, a Top Place to Live in the West by American Cowboy, and a Top Town for Sportsmen by Outdoor Life.

“History and cowboy collide in this northern Wyoming town where rough riders and legendary craftsmen share the main street with modern-day cuisine and historic saloons” writes Western Horseman staff.  “The West’s best cowboy destinations often are not along the Interstate or near a major airport . . .” Sheridan is one of “10 small towns that continue to honor their horse, cattle and cowboy heritage.”

Hidden away in the Big Horn Mountains, Sheridan shares her modern and historic charms with visitors.  A central destination in Sheridan, the Historic Main Street District, displays 46 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places. The Mint Bar remains a favorite cowboy watering hole, and the King’s Museum draws attention for its namesake, internationally-recognized leather craftsman and saddle maker Don King. Sheridan’s most famous cowboy resident, Buffalo Bill, once co-owned the Sheridan Inn and held auditions for his traveling show. Just outside of town, forts and battle sites display the challenges of early frontier life. Reenactments and interpretive centers explain how cowboys fought and survived when the west was still being tamed.

While history is preserved in Sheridan, the new west can be seen here as well. Modern parks, downtown sculptures, summer street festivals and concerts, and championship golf courses are just a few new west additions. In recent years, hang gliding and snowmobiling have joined hunting and fishing as favorite outdoor pursuits in the area.  In its 82nd year, the Sheridan WYO Rodeo is a perfect example of classic cowboy traditions combining with creative new events like bed races and the boot kick-off.

Western Horseman Magazine was established in 1936 and is one of the oldest horse publications in the world.

Located in the shadow of the Bighorn Mountains, the Sheridan County Museum presents a local perspective on the history of the American West through a variety of exhibits. These exhibits investigate the culture, industry, communities, agriculture, preservation, and geography of Sheridan County through artifacts, historic photographs, maps, and interactive kiosks.

New to the Museum this season is “Ranching & Roughstock: The Western Lifestyle Through Art and Photography”. “Ranching & Roughstock” explores Sheridan County’s ranching and rodeo history through art and photography. The exhibit includes works by area artists and photographers including Bill Gollings, Don Diers, Jessamine Spear Johnson, Bernard Thomas, Hans Kleiber, Elsa Spear Byron, and J.W. Winingar Jr.

Other exhibits interpret the colorful commerce of the area including the 68-year story of the Sheridan Brewing Company plus the history of moonshine production in the area, the role of the railroad, the unique industry of the Tongue River Tie Flume, and the once prosperous underground coal mines. The Battle of the Rosebud exhibit, drawing Western history enthusiasts from far and wide, remains in place.

Children and families are encouraged to explore the museum through the Junior Curator program with a free children’s museum guide and activity book. The program offers children a unique opportunity to visit the exhibits and complete a variety of fun activities. Children who participate in the program become a Sheridan County Museum Junior Curator and receive their choice of a Junior Curator patch or bookmark. Tidbit Tuesday, another very popular children’s program at the Museum, is a free summer program that provides children and their families with an opportunity to explore history together. The program offers participants a chance to enjoy a read aloud story followed by a fun project on the Museum’s porch. Tidbit Tuesdays are recommended for children ages 5 to 10, though children both younger and older are welcome. All participating children, however, must be accompanied by an adult or responsible teenaged sibling or babysitter. A new education program this year will be Young Archaeologist, a weeklong history camp that explores the past and provides participants with an opportunity to apply archaeological concepts as they investigate Plains Indian shelters using primary data sources such as maps, artifact illustrations, historic photographs and oral histories. Young Archaeologist is open to children entering grades 4 through 7. For more information on the Young Archaeologist program, including dates and fees, contact the Museum or visit the website at www.SheridanCountyHistory.org.

In addition to their exhibits and children’s education programs, the Museum offers a variety of special events. This summer’s events include:
June 4: Community Appreciation Day at the Sheridan County Museum with free admission, discounts in the Merc, and refreshments.
June 8: Casual Conversations in History at the Sheridan Senior Center, 10:00 – 11:15 a.m.
July 13: Casual Conversations in History at the Sheridan Senior Center, 10:00 – 11:15 a.m.
July 13-17: Rodeo Reduced Admission Days. $2 Museum admission or bring your 2011 Sheridan WYO Rodeo ticket/stub for a free admission.
August 5: Sheridan County Museum’s 4th Annual Brewing Up History Beer Tasting.
August 10: Casual Conversations in History at the Sheridan Senior Center, 10:00 – 11:15 a.m.
More details about each of these and other special events can be found on the Museum’s website.

The Sheridan County Museum is open from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. daily in May, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. June 1st through August 31st, and 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. daily September 1st until December 24th. The Museum is located at 850 Sibley Circle in Sheridan, Wyoming, just off I-90 at exit 23. Admission fees are: $4.00 for adults, $3.00 for seniors (60 and over), $2.00 for students and military, while children twelve and under are admitted free.

Owned and operated by the Sheridan County Historical Society, the Mission of the Sheridan County Museum is to maintain the collections and exhibits pertaining to the history of Sheridan County and the closely related surrounding area and communities; to develop and implement education plans for both children and adults to help educate our citizens on the rich historic and cultural heritage of our area; and to responsibly care for the artifact collections which are held in trust for the benefit of the present and future citizens of Sheridan County.

For more information, phone the Sheridan County Museum at 307-675-1150 or visit the Museum’s website at www.SheridanCountyHistory.org

Truly a must-see, Don King’s Museum is one of the best western museums in the nation, showcasing a fabulous collection of cowboy memorabilia gathered during the many years of Don’s interest and business in saddle making. The collection is comprised of hundreds of saddles, wagons, chaps, spurs, antique guns, Indian artifacts and collections from every facet of the western life-style, as well as a variety of wild game animals.

King’s Saddlery began in 1947 after Don King learned leather tooling from his father, a working cowboy. King’s holds an international reputation in their field. Don is famous for the trophy saddles he built for the Rodeo Cowboys Association, and their rope business developed in 1963, houses lariats, floor-to-ceiling, coiled in all sizes, weights and colors. When visiting King’s; be sure to enjoy seeing the production of their ropes and custom leather products.

King’s still offer the personal touch, whether serving visitors of great notoriety and fame, or the working cowboy right off the ranch. The museum, located at 184 North Main Street in Sheridan, is open Monday-Saturday from 8 AM – 5 PM.

As the Sheridan Heritage Center moves forward with the final construction phase of the complete renovation/restoration of the Sheridan Inn National Historic Landmark, the summer special event and tourism season promises to be extraordinary.

The historic Inn was built across from the Burlington Missouri Railroad depot and was advertised as” the finest hotel between Chicago and San Francisco.” Colonel William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody frequented the Inn and was once part owner of the Wm. F. Cody Hotel Company, that managed the Inn for a period of time.  He would sit on the grand porch of this gracious building and audition acts for his “Wild West Show.”

The Inn is widely known as the “House of 69 Gables” as listed in Ripley’s Believe It or Not.  The nearly 120 year-old Sheridan Inn caters to the heritage tourist trade visitors who want to experience a tour, fine dining and a stay in the building with deep roots of  the past.  From the two ‘display’ suites, you will get the flavor of the 20 suites yet to be built, each to represent and be named for historical characters of that era.

Out of state visitors begin arriving in late April and early May. The Canadians as a group, are normally, like the first robins of spring, the Inn’s first visitor country.  Each year brings visitors from every state in the nation and as many as 30 European, South American, African, UK, Icelandic, and Australian states and nations.

For the first the time in the Inn’s history, bus tours begin arriving on May 7^th and by May 29 continue each and every day of the summer season, ending Memorial Day.  Two bus tour companies will visit, dine, tour and enjoy all that this iconic Sheridan property has to offer. Included in the offerings are the many expanded items for sale in the gift shop for all visitors, local, domestic, and global audiences.

The Wyoming Association of Municipalities (WAM), while holding their annual convention in Sheridan, will “kick it off” with their welcoming dinner at the Inn June 7^th. This will be a festive event, with entertainment complete with Native American performers on the veranda and lawn.

The Inn will once more be the place to enjoy the annual Celebrate the Arts popular event on June 9^th.  These events always prove to be popular for local, regional and global guests alike.

What would June be without weddings and wedding receptions? These festive celebrations continue through July, August and September. Many of these couples met at the Inn, or dated at the Inn, participated in former weddings at the Inn or have members of their families married, engaged or have been overnight guests down through the years at this memorable property.

In addition to all of these festivities, guests and visitors, the local monthly meetings of civic groups, businesses and selected special event participants look forward to a most remarkable year at the Inn.

All are welcome to enjoy the food, fellowship and festivities, as participant, guest or spectator.

EXCITING times in SHERIDAN, Wyo. with being selected into the Top Dozen Distinctive Destinations by the National Trust for Historic Preservation!

And now the outstading honor of Sheridan being voted #2 Distinctive Destination in the NATION!  Thanks’ to so many of you who were voting for Sheridan from the 12 destinations.

“I am extreamly proud of our authentic western tourism offerings and our community” stated Penny Becker, Director of Sheridan Travel & Tourism. “As well as being selected into American Cowboy’s Top 20 Best Places to Live the West in the March/April issue!  These designations really speak to our cultural heritage offerings!  Encounter Sheridan’s rich western history – Buffalo Bill, Crazy Horse and Custer . . .  Where you can experience western museums, Indian battle and historic sites, rodeo, and polo all in the foothills of the majestic Big Horn Mountains.”

Sheridan, nominated by Sheridan Travel and Tourism, was selected for its vibrant Main Street commercial district, abundant recreational opportunities, and its authentic Western character, all set “in the shadow of the Big Horns.”   And Sheridan Travel and Tourism, along with area and state-wide partners, are already gearing up to use this designation well . . .

For 11 years the National Trust for Historic Preservation has annually selected communities across America that offer cultural and recreational experiences different from those found at the typical vacation destination.  From dynamic downtowns and stunning architecture to cultural diversity and a commitment to historic preservation, sustainability and revitalization, the selected destinations boast a richness of character and exude an authentic sense of place.  

“Sheridan is a classic Western town, offering visitors a real taste of its ranching, farming and mining heritage, as well as contemporary theater, arts and dining opportunities,” said Stephanie Meeks, president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.  “Outdoor enthusiasts, history buffs and shoppers alike will be amazed by Sheridan’s amenities, including hiking, hunting and fishing; archeological sites and public art; and top-notch purveyors of Western art and apparel.”     

Downtown Sheridan boasts 46 late 19th-century/early 20th-century brick and iron-clad storefronts that house a wide variety of successful retailers, including shops that specialize in Western art, antiques and collectibles, leather crafts, ropes and horse tack, log furniture, jewelry and more.  While experiencing Sheridan’s frontier culture, visitors and residents can also enjoy its modern amenities, an extensive pathway system linking many of the city’s parks and points of interest, a fleet of replica trolleys that provide guided tours of the city, and a range of interesting dining and entertainment options.  Its stunning National Historic Landmark Sheridan Inn—a place where Buffalo Bill lived and auditioned performers for his Western act—is now heated and cooled by an environmentally sustainable geothermal energy system.