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Wyoming History News June 2018 Non-Profit Organization Wyoming State Historical Society U.S. Postage P.O. Box 247 PAID Wheatland, WY 82201 Cheyenne, Wyoming 82009 Permit No. 71 Address Service Requested Published for members of the Wyoming State Historical Society June 2018 Volume 65, Number 5 Heard Estelle Reel Day on the Thanks to the efforts of WSHS/ process. In the campaign she ac- Laramie County Historical Socie- tively traveled the state by horse- Historical ty member Jack Mueller, and to back, carriage, stagecoach, and Trail Representative Jared Olsen (R- railroad. At times she traveled by Laramie County), the 64th Legis- herself, causing Democrats to lature of the state of Wyoming condemn her because a single Interested in running for a po- passed HB0108 recognizing Es- woman always needed a chaper- sition of the Society’s Executive telle Reel as the first woman on! She must have been one of Committee? Call headquarters at elected and to hold the office of the first to use “dirty tricks,” as 322-3014 to find out more. state superintendent of public in- the Democrats also slammed her The Campbell County Histori- struction, and the second woman for unfairly sending postcards In Memory…. cal Society and the Rockpile Mu- elected to hold a statewide office with her picture, dabbed with per- seum in Gillette jointly hosted an anywhere in the United States As fume to the lonely cowboys. They It is with a great deal of sadness we announce the passing of exhibit titled “The Way We a result, January 7th of each year were then willing to ride long dis- WSHS member Mr. H. G. “Gene” Cooley of Casper. Mr. Coo- Worked,” created by the National is now designated as “Estelle Reel tances to the polls. She carried all ley died on March 19th. A veteran who served in the US Army Archives, and a part of Museum Day.” The bill states that the day 12 counties in the state. She re- during WWII, Mr. Cooley served with an intelligence unit of the on Main Street, a collaboration shall be observed by state and lo- ceived many more votes than the cal governments, and may be ob- winners of the other statewide Army Security Agency, and later with the Nebraska National between the Smithsonian Institu- tion and Wyoming Humanities. served in public schools and by candidates that year. Guard. He worked in various mining operations in Wyoming, The exhibit will be on display organizations within the state. During the 1896 election she Texas, Colorado and California, retiring in 1986 as a Mill Supt. through July 15th. The governor shall, in advance of supported William McKinley for From the Mining division of Getty Oil at Shirley Basin. Mr. Coo- The Weston County Historical January 7th of each year, issue a President, even though he did not ley loved Wyoming history, and (as an individual) purchased Society will host a field trip down proclamation requesting proper carry Wyoming. She achieved more of the Society’s calendars than any other person. You could the Dewey, South Dakota Road. observance of “Estelle Reel Day.” another first when he appointed always count on a very nice note from him about how much he Tentatively scheduled for June Her story is one of firsts. She her to head the Indian schools run 30th. To reserve a space contact had been elected county superin- by the US Government. As such, enjoyed the calendars, but especially how he enjoyed distributing them. There are no im- Maxine Kaul via e-mail at tendent of schools in Laramie she was the FIRST woman to be mediate family members and interment as been in the Cooley plot in the Greenwood Cem- [email protected]. County in 1890 by campaigning confirmed by the US Senate. She etery at Chadron, Nebraska. Congratulations to WSHS/ alone throughout the county, held the post for many years, trav- Laramie County Historical Soci- which at that time included the eling extensively and working to ety member, Jack Mueller, upon land now in Platte and Goshen improve the education of Indian being inducted into the Cheyenne Counties. She then ran for the students. Frontier Days Hall of Fame. The nomination for State Superinten- Later she married a Washington induction ceremony will be Sep- dent at the 1894 Republican state State rancher, Cord Meyer, and tember 7th in Cheyenne. convention. At that time candi- moved to Toppenish where she dates for statewide office were died in 1959. (Thanks to Jack for infor- (Continued on page 3) selected through the convention mation in this article) 8 Wyoming History News June 2018 Wyoming History News June 2018 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Creek Crossing Site between Buffalo and Kaycee, and the Grattan Massa- Wyoming’s Boom and Bust Cycles: Oral History Opportunities Doug Cubbison, President, NW Rep. From the [email protected] cre Site at Lingle. Leslie Waggener, 1st VP, At Large President. The story of the Frontier Army and Booms and busts are characterized by rapid eco- x Start with less probing questions. More prob- [email protected] the Indian Wars is one of the most nomic expansion (the boom) and contraction (the ing questions can come later. Jane Gebhart, 2nd VP, At Large popular historic themes. Annually, bust). They have occurred in a variety of indus- x Do more listening than talking. And allow si- [email protected] Dear friends, the National Park Service estimates tries and have happened ever since Euro- lence for interviewee to think. Carl Hallberg, Secretary, At Large As you that 300,000 tourists visit the Little Americans began to visit and settle in what would x Limit interview to about an hour, depending [email protected] know, the Fort Bighorn Battlefield National Monu- become Wyoming. They usually involve the pro- on fatigue levels. Rick Robbins, Treasurer, SE Rep Bridger Histor- ment- and nearly all of them travel duction and marketing of a single commodity. x If possible, take photograph of interviewee. [email protected] ical Associa- through Wyoming along their way. Lisa Thalken, At Large See, for example, the fur trade boom in the Rocky x Have the interviewee sign a release form be- [email protected] tion is hosting However, these visitors, already ful- the 2018 Trek, based at historic Fort ly committed history buffs, all too Mountains of Wyoming caused by increased de- fore you leave. Contact Leslie Waggener about Jonita Sommers, SW Rep mand for beaver felt to use in hats, the gold min- release forms at [email protected]. [email protected] Bridger. In 1843, two Mountain Men often simply pass through Wyoming. Sylvia Bruner, NE Rep. who were experiencing the demise of Other states, including Tennessee, ing boom around South Pass, the coal industry as- x Label and number all recordings immediately. [email protected] the Fur Trade, Jim Bridger and Louis Georgia, Arkansas and Virginia, sociated with the railroad and its coal powered Photographs too. Make an extra copy of each John Shields, At Large (Out of State) Vasquez, opened a Trading Post on have well-developed Military Cam- steam locomotives, the open range cattle industry in case of loss. [email protected] the Green River to provide supplies paign brochures that provide both of the northern plains and the uranium industry. x Consider long-term storage at an archival insti- to travelers on the Overland Trail historic and interpretive background, All of these economic booms were followed by tution such as the Wyoming State Archives or Executive Secretary and Editor (also known as the Oregon or Cali- and exhaustive historic site and tour- busts caused by changes in fashion, playing out of the American Heritage Center. Linda Fabian, 322-3014 fornia Trails). In 1855, the fort was ism information. These combined the easily obtained gold, the replacement of coal- Wyoming’s previous booms and busts are worthy All correspondence, membership sold to the Church of Jesus Christ of campaign and heritage tourism bro- fired with diesel powered locomotives, overgraz- of recording. They have lessons for all of us. We issues and questions Latter Day Saints. However, when chures are distributed at Welcome ing and severe winter weather, and fears of nucle- should pay close attention. Contact Leslie Wag- should be addressed to: hostilities broke out between the Centers and other tourist sites Mormons and the United States in throughout their states; and have ar plant accidents. Most recently, Wyoming has gener at [email protected] for more infor- Wyoming State Historical Society 1857, they burned the fort to prevent proven extremely effective at attract- experienced booms and busts in the mineral indus- mation. Besides Leslie the Society’s Oral History Linda Fabian, Executive Secretary the Army from utilizing it. The U.S. ing historically minded visitors…and tries, including uranium, oil and gas, and coal. Committee includes Andrea Graham, Laramie; P. O. Box 247 Army occupied the site and con- their tourism dollars. Wyoming lacks Maybe wind power is next? Barbara Bogart, Laramie; and Sandy Holyoak, Wheatland, WY 82201 structed a new fort in 1858, to safe- a military history, Indian War and The WSHS Oral History Committee is interested Rozet. guard the Overland Trails and the Frontier Army focused marketing Preferably via email to in recording your experiences with Wyoming’s [email protected] route to Utah. Fort Bridger would be effort to solicit visits to our commu- boom and bust economy. It is this year’s theme for - Submitted by Leslie Waggener (with thanks to occupied by the Frontier Army nities from these 300,000 tourists oral histories. We call on institutions and WSHS Dave Kathka for text inspiration).