Introduction

The Wyoming State Historical Society Records were given to the American Heritage Center by the Society between 1996 and 2000. The papers had been kept in storage by the society in good condition and in good chronological order. The original folder titles and arrangement have generally been maintained. Materials like photographs, 8mm film, VHS video tapes, slides, audio tapes, publications, ledgers, and other miscellaneous documents are arranged in separate series.

The collection should be cited as: Wyoming State Historical Society Records, 1873-1999, Accession Number 10504, Box Number, Folder Number, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming.

History

A number of historical organizations preceded the Wyoming State Historical Society of today. In 1921, the state authorized the formation of a state historical society. State historian Mrs. Cyrus Beard headed the society, which encouraged membership and in 1924 began publishing what is today Annals of Wyoming: The Wyoming History Journal. However, by 1932, Wyoming again was without a state society.

The current WSHS was founded in 1953. A new Constitution was proposed and passed, which borrowed from preceding societies. Articles and amendments were proposed, revised, and adopted according to the constitutional rules of the society. Secretary-treasurer Lola Homsher became a long-term executive board member of the WSHS.

The close WSHS connection to the Wyoming State Archives and Historical Department evolved during the time when the society organized the executive headquarters in the Cheyenne office. Local county chapters formed and flourished after the reorganization of the state society. The society published Annals of Wyoming: The Wyoming History Journal, which was initiated in 1924 by Mrs. Cyrus Beard, the state historian.

Wyoming’s representative statue of Esther Hobart Morris in Statuary Hall, Washington, D. C., was the first major project of the WSHS. Subsequent projects included awards programs in recognition of art, literature, film, and drama related to Wyoming history. L. C. Bishop’s work, Organizing Historical Treks on the Old Oregon Trail, and T. A. Larson’s book, Wyoming’s War Years 1941-45, were among the first to receive awards.

Popular historical treks each summer became a highlight of the WSHS activities. Local chapters took turns hosting the event, which entailed planning bus tours, lodging, social activities, and publications for the event.

The society sponsored and conducted a variety of projects to interest members and the general public. The purchase of Fort Fetterman in 1961 and the preservation of the Sheridan Inn in 1965 are examples of society endeavors. Protection from vandalism was another major concern of the WSHS, which worked on such as projects as better security for Fort Fred Steele, Independence Rock, and Register Cliff.

History Day, initiated in 1980, was a central focus of the WSHS. It promoted the study of history in Wyoming public schools by encouraging students to use primary research sources in archives, museums, and oral history. Students researched their topics along a central theme defined each year by History Day at the national level. Presentations included a choice of formal papers, two or three dimensional displays, individual or group drama, along with extensive bibliographies for competition at the local, regional, state, and national levels.

In January 1995 the WSHS was based at the Executive Headquarters at the State Archives and Historical Department, a division of Parks and Cultural Resources, Department of Commerce. However, Dr. Celeste Colgan, director of the Department of Commerce, maintained that the former relationship between the State and the WSHS, a private organization, was no longer advantageous, and she withdrew financial assistance for the society. For a short time the Department of Commerce continued to produce Annals while the WSHS published the Wyoming History Journal.

The WSHS became a self-supporting, non-profit organization as a result of a new statute agreement with the Division of Parks and Cultural Resources, which renewed partial, monetary assistance for the recombined Annals of Wyoming: The Wyoming History Journal later in 1995. The journal was produced with editorial assistance provided by the History Department of the University of Wyoming with office space provided by the American Heritage Center. Other WSHS publications include Wyoming History News, Wyoming Historic Trails, and the Wyoming Historic Calendar (in conjunction with the American Heritage Center). The WSHS web site: www.wyshs.org was also part of the society’s outreach program by 1997.

Series Description

The Wyoming State Historical Society Papers are arranged in 7 series:

Series I. Organizational Records, 1953-1999. (46 document boxes). Arranged chronologically and then alphabetically within each year. Correspondence for annual meetings, treks, awards, membership; constitution, by-laws and amendment revisions, information on society publications, and newspaper clippings on society events; minutes and transcripts of executive meetings, membership lists, and financial reports.

Series II. Presidential Papers, 1994-1997 (1 document box) Subseries 1. Michael Cassity Papers, 1994-1997. (1 document box). Arranged chronologically. Correspondence as Albany County representative (1994-1996) and president (1996-1997) of the WSHS for committee meeting agendas and reports, publication planning, membership outreach, and multi-media technology.

Series III. Membership Ledgers, 1953-1983. (1 F17 box). Arranged chronologically.

Series IV. Miscellaneous Journals and Reports, 1873-1890. (1 F17 box). Arranged chronologically. Published by the Territory or State of Wyoming. Annual and biennial reports about Wyoming to federal agencies in Washington.

Series V. Wyoming State Historical Society Seal, 1964. (1 F17 box). Arranged alphabetically. 19 entries for design contest for new society seal.

Series VI. Maps, 1883-1965. (3 F24 boxes). Arranged chronologically within each . box. Highway Department and Geological Survey maps with handwritten trail and trek routes marked. Also, by Paul Henderson of trail and Pony Express routes.

Series VII. Audio-visual Materials, 1987-1997. (1 CAL box + 3 items). Arranged by format chronologically. One 8mm film project, two VHS film projects, two VHS symposium video-tapes, one audio-tape of Wyoming State Song (1990), and 21 audio- tapes of executive meetings (1995-1997).

Scope and Content

The Wyoming State Historical Society Records include correspondence beginning in 1953, regarding annual meetings, membership, annual treks, annual awards, other projects, History Day, and communication among county chapters. Transcripts of executive meetings and constitutional revisions are also included. The WSHS collection does not contain many records from the period 1895-1950. Much was lost or destroyed. Records from the first decade of the revised society, the 1950s, are less complete than records from the 1960s and beyond.

Correspondence and plans for the Quarterly Bulletin, Annals of Wyoming, Wyoming History News, and Wyoming Historic Trails are included. Maps used in planning annual treks and charting historic trails are also housed in the collection. Of special interest are those maps used by Paul Henderson in his plotting of Wyoming’s Oregon, Overland, and Bozeman Trails.

Personal photographs and slides include those taken by some executive officers and show annual meetings, awards ceremonies, and annual treks. 8mm film (Wyoming from the Beginning--1963), VHS video projects (Surveyors of the 6th Principal Meridian--1987), and VHS videotape (World War II Symposium in Casper--1995) illustrate film projects funded by the society. Audio tapes provide a recording of the Wyoming State Song (1990) by the Park County Historical Society for the Wyoming Centennial Project and audio-tape records of executive meetings from 1995 through 1997.

The controversial years of 1995-1997, when the Wyoming State Historical Society eventually split from the Department of Commerce, are recorded in extensive executive correspondence, audio tapes, resulting constitutional revisions, and newspaper clippings.

Folder List