Did you know?   Your library has extensive local history files.  Former history librarian, Patty Myers did numerous oral history interviews and these have been name indexed and transcibed.  You may listen to them or read the transcripts.  We have the area newspapers, both physical copies and on microfilm.  A volunteer has indexed the obits in them.  On our website, you can search the early newspapers for the entire state of Wyoming.  This online database covers up to 1922, which is the copyright cut off date. There are family histories and genealogies, which have been given to us, to make available to the public.  We have all the  the local newspaper's Fair Edition, printed each August.  Each year, our department answers almost 200 inquiries regarding families and events in our county.  Information on the crash on Bomber Mountain, to the accidental landing of the large plane at our airport instead of Sheridan's, or any other subject of interest.  If we don't have information for you, we will try to locate it. Come and see what history awaits you.

Murals

Edie Reno painted this mural  wall over twenty years ago.  Featuring a hitching post and numerous colorful horses, it has delighted locals and tourists alike.  Its caption "Buffalo, Wyoming  more than a one horse town"".   Several weeks ago, workers applied a new stucco surface and the mural disappeared.  Just a blank white (canvas) wall remains.  Three local area artists will spend the summer painting a new mural on this surface.  Across the creek on a south facing wall, a 2nd. mural will be painted by the same artisits in the summer of 2013. So we watch and wait.

Clear Creek flood 1912

Going on sale today at the library, a small book about the devastating flood in June of 1912. The book includes photographs from the local history department of the library, as well as articles published in the BUFFALO BULLETIN. Purchase your own copy or check one out from the library.

FINALLY!

We are excited to announce that the index to our local cemetery, Willow Grove is now available on our library web site. Check under the Local History tab. The index to the obits in the BUFFALO BULLETINS is there as well.

Post Offices

Two post offices were established in this area in 1877, one at Powder River and one at Buffalo. Over the next 150 years, over 40 Post offices would come and go in Johnson County. In 1900, there were 14 Post offices. By 1960 that number had dropped to the current four.

The Deadline

Wyoming grassland was all open range in the 1800s. The cattlemen had claimed it and when sheepmen began to move in, conflicts arose. A meeting was held in the Johnson County Courthouse on February 1, 1908. The end result was to plow a narrow furrow to mark a line that sheep would NOT be allowed to cross. A contract to this effect was drafted and signed by both groups. Richard Young and Ike Scotts were appointed to establish this line, known as the DEADLINE. A man by the name of Carrolton plowed the furrow over the Powder River prairie . For a time this agreement was respected and conflicts were avoided, but eventually they arose once again.

STEAMBOAT

While serving in France during WWI, George Osrum (of Sheridan) created a design for use by the Wyoming National Guard. He was a member of the 115th Cavalry Regiment known as the "Bucking Bronco Regiment" from Wyoming. In the 1930s, Wyoming Secretary of State, Lester Hunt chose that symbol to appear on the Wyoming License plates. Over the years, there have been several variations, some with the cowboy wearing a hat and some with the hat in his hand. Hunt secured a copyright for the symbol in 1936, but turned it over to the state in 1942. Who was the model? One story says it is Steamboat being ridden by Jake Maring, while another credits Deadman being ridden by A.J. (Stub) Farlow.

The lead animal on the carousel, which opened in June 1989 on the east edge of Buffalo is a black bucking bronc "Steamboat", created by local woodcarver, William Rogers Jennings.