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Wyoming
State Historical Society
Lola Homsher Grant Program
The
Lola Homsher Grant Program is made possible through the
Lola
Homsher Endowment Fund.
 The
complete Lola Homsher Grant Program rules and application form
can now be viewed and printed online in Adobe Portable Document
Format:
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The
information is also available by writing:
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Wyoming
State Historical Society
Lola Homsher Grant Program
PMB
#184, 1740H Dell Range Blvd.
Cheyenne WY 82009-4946
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WSHS
2008 Homsher research grants
Need assistance
finalizing your historic research? The Wyoming State
Historical Society will again offer cash grants for projects that
relate to the state’s history. The grants, ranging
from $100.00 up to $1500.00 will be awarded based on applications
filed with the Society’s Lola Homsher Endowment Fund
Committee. The deadline is February 29, 2008.
Applicants will be notified of the results in the spring.
Committee chair,
John Waggener, said this is an exciting opportunity for amateur
and professional historians to receive financial assistance to
further their research on topics of interest relating to
Wyoming. “Each year we receive applications based on
a wide variety of original research, and are pleased to be able
to help both amateur and professional historians further their
efforts with these funds,” said Waggener.
Grant monies are
drawn from a fund established by the late Lola Homsher.
Homsher was a noted historian and a long-time director of the
Wyoming State Archives and Historical Department (now Department
of State Parks & Cultural Resources). Waggener said one
of Homsher’s most significant contributions to preserve
Wyoming history came when she spearheaded the establishing of the
Wyoming State Historical Society in 1953. After her
retirement Miss Homsher made a major donation to the Society that
has been used as an endowment to help fund Society programs.
The committee
reviews all proposals and make awards after the selection process
has been completed, usually in spring. Preference will be
given to proposals that promise original research on topics
related to Wyoming history. Wyoming residents are also
given preference. Proposals must include a statement of
purpose, an explanation of the project, the value to Wyoming
history and a description of how the public will benefit from the
research.
Last year’s
recipients of the Homsher research grants received more than
$5,000 for research projects. The fascinating topics
included research by the Dubois Museum on the early communities
of the Upper Wind River Valley. Tamsen Hert of Laramie
received funds allowing her to expand her research on early
hotels and camps in Yellowstone National Park. A research
project by Judy Slack of Big Horn received funds allowing her to
continue studies of early families in the Big Horn area.
The history of the Socialist Party in Wyoming was also a topic
being researched by Carl Hallberg of Cheyenne that received
funds, along with a project by John Mahoney, also of Cheyenne,
whose project was to study landscape architecture in Wyoming,
including the design work done by noted architect S. R. DeBoer.
Hudson Kensel of Edmonds, Washington received funds to research
the history of the Valley Ranch near Cody.
Waggener reiterated
that the Society welcomes applications that touch upon all the
unique aspects of Wyoming’s history. All recipients
must provide the Society with a final report about their
projects.
Applications and
rules can be obtained by visiting the Society’s website at
<wyshs.org> and then by selecting “Homsher
Endowment.” If you do not have access to the web,
please contact Waggener at 307-766-2563 and he will mail the
forms to you. The deadline for submitting proposals is
February 29, 2008.
The Lola
Homsher grants are funded by proceeds from an endowment given to
the Wyoming State Historical Society by the late Lola Homsher.
Homsher was instrumental in the establishment of the state
society in the early 1950s and remained interested in the work of
the Society for the remainder of her life.
Please
contact
us with
your comments, suggestions or inquiries.
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