Sunday, March 27, 2011

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.

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