The Wyoming State Museum’s annual FREE trick-or-treat event will be held on Sunday, October 31, from 12 to 4 p.m. 

Community members are invited to participate in a COVID-safe trick-or-treat around the museum grounds, meeting characters from Wyoming’s past and collecting a bag of candy at the end. 

Halloween at the Museum is a safe and educational event for children of all ages, although children must be accompanied by an adult. The entire event will take place outside, so don’t be afraid to wear a coat over your costume!

Halloween at the Museum is generously sponsored by Smile Doctors in Cheyenne, Thanks to their support, this entire event is free and open to all! 

The Wyoming State Museum is located in the Barrett Building, 2301 Central Ave. in Cheyenne. 

Please call 307-630-2573 for more information. Follow the museum’s Facebook and Instagram accounts to stay in the know about all of our upcoming events, @wyomingstatemuseum.

Wyoming Arts Council Releases Full Schedule for Wyoming Arts Summit 

The Wyoming Arts Council is excited to release the full schedule for the 2021 Arts Summit. Join us virtually this year on Nov. 1 – 5 for a week-long series of sessions, workshops, and networking. Sessions begin at 1 p.m. each day. 

The schedule is available at:

https://wyoarts.state.wy.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/2021-Arts-Summit-schedule-for-web.pdf.

The theme for the 2021 Arts Summit is “Connecting Through the Arts.” Keynote speakers include Beth Kanter, Trainer, Facilitator, and Author and Aaron P. Dworkin, MacArthur Fellow, Social Entrepreneur, Filmmaker, Performing Artist, Philanthropist, and Professor.

Visit the Wyoming Arts Council website at wyomingartscouncil.org for more information. To register online visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wyoming-arts-summit-connecting-through-the-arts-registration-181374103827, for more information, contact 307-214-2701 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Wyoming State Parks is hosting a mediated small-group stakeholder meeting on Monday, October 18, at 1 p.m. to discuss potential route locations for the Via Ferrata project at Sinks Canyon State Park.

Members of the public are invited to watch and listen to the meeting using this link:  

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_NgmPoOCWTvq_A3XsscoaXA

“From the public feedback we have received thus far, the location of the Via Ferrata is a concern for some people,” said Kyle Bernis, State Parks District Manager.  “Our goal for this meeting is to bring together people representing different perspectives to have a deeper discussion on that topic and achieve a resolution.”

After an initial location is tentatively agreed upon at this or a future meeting, Wyoming State Parks will again reach out to the public for input and solicit comments from individuals and other interest groups. When a final route is determined, Wyoming State Parks would consult tribal governments and any other necessary federal or state agencies. 

Wyoming State Parks has been committed to public engagement and transparency throughout the Sinks Canyon Master Plan process and will continue to do so moving forward with the projects approved during that process. 

To learn more about the Sinks Canyon Master Plan and the Via Ferrata, please visit https://wyoparks.wyo.gov/index.php/sinks-canyon-master-plan.

Wyoming State Parks, Historic Sites, and Trails has posted materials from the public meeting regarding the Sinks Canyon State Park Master Plan held on August 30. 

The meeting, which included a public comment period and presentations from Wyoming State Parks and Ayres Associates, the company that partnered with State Parks on the Master Planning process, provided the public with an opportunity to learn more about how the park will be managed and maintained over the next 20 years.

Questions from the public have been answered and are posted in a document on the State Park landing page. The comments received have been aggregated and will be considered prior to project implementation.  Other relevant materials, like the presentation from August 30, maps, and the cooperative agreement between Wyoming Game and Fish and State Parks for Sinks Canyon State Park are also posted. 

The Master Plan, which was finalized in September 2020 after a two-year public planning process, outlined broad goals for the direction of planning the park for the next 20 years.  Many community stakeholders were involved with the plan’s development through two public workshops, four steering committee meetings, eight focus groups, a project web portal, and a final presentation via Zoom. The Master Planning materials are available to view online. 

Each component of that plan will have a project implementation phase, which will outline details for each project.  The project implementation process is explained with a graphic, also posted on the State Park landing page. 

“Wyoming State Parks is committed to ongoing work with the public, including the Tribes, as we implement components of the Master Plan and continue to manage Sinks Canyon State Park as a popular recreation and wildlife habitat management area with our partners at the Wyoming Game and Fish,” said Kyle Bernis, Shoshone District Manager for Wyoming State Parks. 

As a next step in the planning process, Wyoming State Parks will be facilitating discussions later this month among local stakeholder groups representing a diversity of interests regarding route location options for the proposed via ferrata project included in the Sinks Canyon Master Plan. 

For more information and to view the Sinks Canyon State Park Master Plan, visit https://wyoparks.wyo.gov/index.php/sinks-canyon-master-plan.  

Registration Open for the Wyoming Arts Summit 

Registration is now open for the Wyoming Arts Summit. Join us virtually this year on Nov. 1 – 5 for a week-long series of sessions, workshops, and networking. Sessions begin at 1 p.m. each day.

The theme for the 2021 Arts Summit is “Connecting Through the Arts.” Keynote speakers include Beth Kanter, Trainer, Facilitator, and Author and Aaron P. Dworkin, MacArthur Fellow, Social Entrepreneur, Filmmaker, Performing Artist, Philanthropist, and Professor. 

Visit the Wyoming Arts Council website at wyomingartscouncil.org for a full schedule.

Register online at https://2021wyomingartssummit.eventbrite.com. For more information, contact 307-214-2701 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Photo Caption: Wyoming Arts Summit Save the Date

HISTORIAN DAN LYON TO GIVE TALK ON UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD’S HIRING OF JAPANESE WORKERS AND THE CHALLENGES THEY FACED

Wyoming Historian Dan Lyon will be presenting “Before Heart Mountain; Union Pacific Railroad’s Controversial Hiring of Japanese Immigrant Labor” on October 14,  at 7 p.m. in the Wyoming State Museum classroom, located at 2301 Central Avenue. This public talk is part of Lyon’s ongoing research on Japanese communities across Wyoming.

Lyon credits his inspiration to research the Japanese Rail Road community in Cheyenne to Jim Allison of the Wyoming State Museum, as well as his desire to discover and share the overlooked stories and history. Lyon was also motivated by his cultural heritage; his maternal side of the family is 100 percent Japanese.

Lyon is an accomplished and award-winning writer, and the author of “Wyoming Girl Guards: The Forgotten Women’s Militia,” published by History Press. Lyon became interested in the military and Wyoming’s Forgotten History while assigned to the Warren ICBM and Heritage Museum at F.E. Warren Air Force Base. During his assignment, he contributed to the museum’s selection for the Air Force Space Command Museum of the Year Award.

This event is open to the public and the first of several talks sponsored by the Wyoming State Archives, as part of American Archives Month in October. Attendees may participate in-person on Thursday, October 14, at 7 p.m. by visiting the Wyoming State Museum classroom, located at 2301 Central Avenue. The State Museum Store will be open and copies of Lyon’s books will be available to purchase and be autographed. Lyon’s talk will also be live streamed on the Archive’s Facebook page, and uploaded to our YouTube channel following the talk.

Please look for notifications of future talks as they are scheduled throughout the upcoming year. The State Archives is located in the Barrett Building first floor, 2301 Central Ave, Cheyenne, WY 82002. For further information, contact Sara Davis, State Archivist, at 307-777-8691 or email at sara.davis.wyo.gov.

The Wyoming State Archives collects, manages, and preserves Wyoming state public records that have long term administrative, legal, and historical value. These records document this history of our state and activities of Wyoming Government offices. The Archives also collects non-government records that contribute to the understanding of the state’s history.

The Wyoming State Archives is accessible according to the American with Disabilities Act guidelines. If you require special assistance, please contact the Wyoming State Archives at 307-777-7826. 

2022 Governor’s Capitol Art Exhibition Call for Entries

Attention Wyoming artists! The call for entries for Governor's Capitol Art Exhibition is now available on CaFE, www.callforentry.org. The entry deadline is November 14, 2021. Apply now at https://artist.callforentry.org/festivals_unique_info.php?ID=9485

The Governor’s Capitol Art Exhibition is a biennial juried exhibit that celebrates the work of Wyoming artists. The exhibition was established in 2000 under an initiative by Governor Geringer and is organized under the auspices of the Wyoming State Museum and the Wyoming Arts Council.

The exhibition is the primary avenue through which the state museum acquires art for its collections. The State’s five elected officials and representatives from other state agencies select purchase award winners for the Capitol art collection. While the museum’s curators select purchase awards for the permanent art collection. All other artwork in the exhibition is available for sale to the general public. 

The exhibit is open to artists currently working and living in Wyoming. There is no fee to enter. Questions may be directed to Mariah Emmons, Museum Registrar,This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., (307)631-3368.

The juried exhibition will be on display from February 14 through August 14th at the Wyoming State Capitol in Cheyenne. This year’s juror is Wade Patton.

From the Juror

Juror Wade Patton

I’m an enrolled member of the Oglala Lakota Tribe and grew up on the Pine Indian Reservation, which now is Oglala Lakota County in the southwest of South Dakota. I was surrounded by a rich culture of art and music. After obtaining a BA in art from Black Hills State University and having a solo exhibit during my senior year at the Sioux Indian Museum in Rapid City, I decided to move away.

It took leaving South Dakota for me to find a voice in my most recent body of work. Yet, while pursuing other art opportunities on the east coast, I longed for home. Living on the east coast, I began expressing what I missed, the beauty and splendor of the Black Hills and the skies of South Dakota. I started to draw landscapes and clouds, as a reminder of home. The spare beauty of the prairie resonates in my work.

Something clicked, not only in my artistic expression, but with collectors and galleries. Their response was unexpected, but welcomed. I started sending work back home for exhibits and galleries, and was getting recognition. Finally, I realized how much I needed to return, I missed my family and I wanted to pursue my art in the place where I find the most inspiration. That decision brought me straight into a thriving Native art scene that clearly wasn't here when I left.

Interestingly, when I moved back people would say, ‘Oh, you’re the cloud guy!’. People didn't know me, but knew my work. I’m reacquainting myself with the land and my ancestry. This is most prevalent in my recent works and it's exciting for me as an artist to look forward to the future with new works. 

In moving back to South Dakota, I have been fortunate in having more opportunities in pursuing my art. I have traveled the country for art residencies, to do solo/group exhibits, art markets, juror of art shows and to teach (young and old) different art mediums across the state.

WYOmericana Caravan Tour Dates Announced 

In partnership with the Wyoming Arts Council, the seventh annual WYOmericana Caravan Tour will make a seven-show jaunt through the region featuring Wyoming musicians Sarah Sample (Sheridan; trio), Aaron Davis (Hoback; duo), and Abby Webster (Wilson; solo).

Artists will perform individual sets with the addition of ad-libbed cross-band collaborations, and a closing set that includes all members of the tour on stage simultaneously, taking chances and blending talents—adding a camaraderie element absent from most modern day traveling shows.

In an effort to make a deeper connection with both rural and urban communities on the 2021 tour, an all-ages songwriting master class, “Songcraft & Sense of Place: A WYOmericana Perspective,” will be offered for free in select markets and taught by the artists.

The WYOmericana philosophy is to propel Wyoming’s original music scene as an artist collective, exhibiting to the world that there’s a stellar creative spark in the country’s least populated state. The talent pool of Wyoming songwriters is booming and it’s rising up from every corner of the state.

There will be limited venue capacities, mask requirements for venue staff, crew, and musicians when not performing, among other precautions onstage and off. Concertgoers will also be encouraged to wear masks and gather responsibly with awareness for social distancing and safety measures in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Live music and local venues depend on it.

This year’s grassroots tour is made possible through the generous support of WESTAF, Wyoming Arts Council, Wyoming Public Media, Give’r, Buckrail, BendeRuble Sound (the tour’s traveling sound engineer), and Showdeeer (poster artist.)

Real time updates will be available via the WYOmericana Facebook and Instagram pages and WYOmericana.com.

WYOmericana Caravan Tour - Fall 2021

• Oct. 27 Ruffed Up Duck | Laramie WY 10.28 Wyoming Public Radio | Laramie WY
• Oct. 28 Magic Rat | Fort Collins CO
• Oct. 29 TACAW at The Contemporary Theatre | Basalt CO
• Oct. 30 Swallow Hill Music at Tuft Theatre | Denver CO
• Nov. 12 Powell Auditorium | Powell WY
• Nov. 13 Silver Dollar Showroom | Jackson WY

2021 WYOmericana Caravan Artist Bios

Sarah Sample (Sheridan) Sarah Sample is an award-winning songwriter with a “raw, graceful voice” (Salt Lake City Weekly). Performing as a trio with guitarist Dylan Schorer and drummer Fred Serna, her beautiful songs weave a trail of stories through folk, Americana and country, garnering comparisons to Sheryl Crow, The Weepies, and Bonnie Raitt. “Redwing,” Sample’s sixth album, features more of her cut-to-the-bone storytelling, framed with empathy and compassion, and told with the best singing of Sample’s career. Redwing is—among other things and in the grand tradition of albums—a breakup album. But this was no romantic heartbreak; Sample’s breakup was spiritual. She left the committed religion of her upbringing (and its stringent rules and by-the-book lifestyle) to chart her own spiritual course. Her previous release with songwriter Edie Carey, “‘Til The Morning,'' won Best Children’s Album in the 2014 Independent Music Awards. Sample has performed at Merlefest, Folks Fest, Telluride, and Kerrville, and has won songwriting contests at most of these. She has warmed-up stages for Darrell Scott, Steve Martin & The Steep Canyon Rangers, and Over The Rhine.

Aaron Davis (Hoback) is chiefly known as co-founder of decade-long national touring act Screen Door Porch and his eclectic quartet Aaron Davis & the Mystery Machine. The multiinstrumentalist, engineer-producer, and vocalist will stage a duo show on acoustic/resonator guitars, banjo, harmonica, and percussion along with longtime collaborator David Bundy (bass, harmony vocal). Aaron works the lesser-worn corners of the American musical fabric through an unconventional lens. Slide banjo? Detuned guitar made of metal? You bet. From "searing slide guitar" (Country Weekly) echoing mid-century acoustic blues, to a patchwork of story folk and roots music, pensive alt-country, and an improvisational prowess, Aaron has been described as a “truly phenomenal songwriter” (Americana UK) with “a particularly interesting approach that mixes poetry, groove and roughness” (Lonestar Time) and “a combination that goes down like top-shelf bourbon” (Austin Chronicle). He has shared bills with many of his heroes—Wilco, Willie Nelson, Jason Isbell, Buddy Guy, Sam Bush, Brian Wilson, James McMurtry, and Hayes Carll. In conjunction with a Performing Arts Music Fellowship from the National Endowment of the Arts, Aaron just put out his tenth release, Catalyst.

Abby Webster (Wilson) has quickly established herself as an artistic force in the regional music scene, dry wit with raw honesty, the avant-garde lyricist's songs are filled with metaphor and dark humor, though they are just as whimsical as they are visceral. These elements are tied together in her recent single, “88 Constellations,” which drops Sept. 20. In addition to her various releases as a solo artist, she also releases music with an electronic duo, Ski Lift. Webster received a 2021 Performing Arts Fellowship in Music from the National Endowment for the Arts—a merit-based honor for an artist’s work in their field.

Image caption: WYOmericana Poster.

FIVE NEW HISTORICAL RECORDS PROJECTS ARE FUNDED

The Wyoming State Records Advisory Board (SHRAB) is providing funding for five new projects which will make photographs, letters, interviews, and videos of Wyoming’s history easily accessible online.

Fort Caspar Museum Association in Casper received funding necessary to mount nearly half of their 10,000 collection scans online.  These historical photographs and documents depict Casper, Natrona County, and Central Wyoming. They will do this using a PastPerfect Online portal on their website.

The Hot Springs County Historical Museum & Cultural Center in Thermopolis plans to describe and scan 300 photographs of the Grass Creek oil camp, including the ghost town of Ilo, from the 1920s.  These photos were donated by local resident, Minnian Richardson, in twenty-two scrapbooks which also include maps, letters, and clippings.

The Homesteader Museum of Powell will digitize 175 cassettes of oral history interviews from the “Strugglers,” homesteading families in the Shoshone Reclamation Project area, and other early white settlers throughout the Big Horn Basin.  They will make the interviews, some including video, available on their website via PastPerfect Online.

The Heart Mountain Wyoming Foundation of Powell will digitize audio and video cassette recordings from the Frank Emi collection.  Emi led the Fair Play Committee, the largest organized draft resistance movement in any of the Japanese internment camps, protesting military service for men whose civil liberties were being denied by their incarceration in the camps.  Also included will be oral histories and an Honor Roll dedication for the Site.

The Wyoming State Archives in Cheyenne will use grant funds to organize and make more easily accessible a large set of documents related to the Big Horn General Stream Adjudication.  This legal case, which decided water rights claims submitted by 20,000 tribal and other groups, was settled in 2014.  It contains thousands of documents which are still requested by a variety of interested parties, but is not yet efficiently organized or presented online.

These grants are made available through the Wyoming SHRAB by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.  Many of these groups are also planning to upload their digital files to a nation-wide database called the Digital Public Library of America (DPLA).  You can search the DPLA now (dp.la) to find images from Wyoming history, from the Wyoming State Archives and many other Wyoming archives.

All projects related to the mission and goals of the SHRAB will be considered. For more information, including the grant application, guidelines, and a brief presentation about the grant program and how to apply, please visit the SHRAB webpage (under “Apply for Grants” at http://wyoarchives.state.wy.us/index.php/about-archives/state-historical-records-advisory-board).  To view previous successful grant applications, see the SHRAB Wiki page at http://wyomingshrab.pbworks.com/w/page/53272665/Grants%20and%20Reports.

Please contact Sara Davis, SHRAB Coordinator and Wyoming State Archivist, with any questions (307-777-8691 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.). The Wyoming SHRAB promotes the identification, preservation and dissemination of the state’s historical records, by encouraging and supporting ongoing training programs for state, tribal and local governments, local repositories, organizations, and others involved in records care in Wyoming. The program is administered by the Wyoming State Archives, which is part of the Department of State Parks and Cultural Resources.