SUMMER PLANS 2014

If you are interested in local history, you may have a busy summer ahead.  The Jim Gatchell Memorial Museum will once again sponsor the "spirit evenings" at Willow Grove Cemetery.  Local residents are researching early day residents, who rest in our local cemetery.  A brief overview of their life will be shared with attendees.  This have proved informative in the past and we look forward to the new presentations.

The Museum is sponsoring a dinner on Saturday the 26th of May.  It will be held at the Cowboy Carousel Center on Lobban Street.  After a catered meal, there will be a program about the history of  three area ranches east of  Buffalo.  This a good opportunity to learn of the ranching history of our county.

The Historical Society places flowers on the  graves located in Potter's Field near the entrance to Willow Grove Cemetery each Memorial Day.  They post informational  sheets on the gatepost, giving an overview of Potter's Field with  the name and a brief description of the woman, baby and men buried there.

The local Historical Society has presented several well received programs this spring.  Attendees learned about Kearney and the community building located there.  It has fallen into disrepair and a local group has formed a 501c3 group to raise the funds needed to repair and preserve it.  Jeb Taylor presented a program on Native American artifacts and Randy Moses described the geology of the area around Trailside on the east slope of the Big Horns. Fred Gray, who owns the property had a group of pictures of the area and visited with the guests about  the history of the area.  The Society have exciting programs planned for the Autumn and Winter.  

The Kearney group have a fund raiser evening planned for June 7.  There will be an auction and will surely be lots of people available to discuss the history of that early community.  It should be an informative and pleasant evening.

Edith K.O. Clark

Ginny Kilander from the American Heritage Center at the University of Wyoming will present a program on Miss Clark at the Johnson County Library on Thursday evening. Clark was born near Washington, D.C. and followed her family to Wyoming when she was a young woman.  She taught school in Johnson County   in 1906 and later moved on to teach in Sheridan County.  Eventually becoming the Superintendent for Sheridan County.  She served in France during the War, under the Y.M.C.A. She returned to Cheyenne and joined two friends in opening a restaurant there.  She was involved with the Cheyenne Little Theatre Players.  Clark secured the land under the Stock Raising Homestead Act in 1929, and built herself a cabin there.In 1932 and 1935,  she underwent two surgeries for Cancer and passed away in late May of 1936.  She was buried in an unmarked grave in Cheyenne, WY.

NEW PICTURE BOOKS

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

Interested in information regarding the beautiful art you see displayed at the Library.  Take a few minutes to browse the small book of photographs JOHNSON COUNTY LIBRARY ART WORK.  All of the art displayed  at the Library  has been donated to us.  We are pleased to showcase the work of our area artists and craftsmen.

Photographs, of the progress of the two recently painted murals in our downtown area, were taken over the past two summers.   MORE THAN A ONE HORSE TOWN will soon be joined by A CREEK RUNS THROUGH IT.  What a treasure "our" three area artists have provided for our area and the people who visit our community.  

Megan Herald, has done a fine job putting these compilations together and preparing them to be submitted to the publisher.  We encourage you to sit and review these at the Library.  They are single issue publications and are part of the local history collection and NOT available for checking out to take to your home.

LOCAL HISTORICAL SOCIETY

HISTORICAL SOCIETY

After several years of inactivity, the local historical society has renewed their Charter with the WYOMING STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY and is planning exciting activities for the upcoming year.   A meeting was held at the Johnson County Library in Buffalo and Officers were elected.  A group carpooled from Buffalo  to Kaycee and toured THE HOOFPRINTS OF THE PAST MUSEUM as their first gathering.  Patty Myers and Sylvia Bruner attended the State Society meeting representing the newly established Society.  Anyone wishing to join or receive more information are encourage to contact Patty Myers at 307-684-9381 Sylvia Bruner at the GATCHELL MUSEUM 307-684-9331 or Connie or Nancy at the Johnson County Library 307-684-5546.

The local Society was established in the early 1920s before there was a State Society.  It flourished for many years and then became dormant.  After Jim Gatchell's death in 1954, the idea of a local Museum to display and care for his extensive collection provided the push to reconvene the local Society to serve as the primary support group for the proposed venture.  On August 16, 1954 an organizational meeting was held in the Johnson County Courthouse and the first meeting of the group was held on August 10, 1954, and there were 57 people present,  representing 29 local organizations.  Plans were formulated to assist in raising the funds and following the necessary procedures to build the museum.

In the following years, many interesting programs were presented.  And for many years the group hosted an annual trek to county historical sites, with guides and speakers.  In the 1980s the group published booklets on the Cattle War and the Forts of the county,  Both were written  by Patty Myers and illustrated by Judy Sutherland.    In 1992, the local group hosted  over 200 people for a 3 day weekend, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Cattle War.  A symposium was held on Friday at the county High School auditorium.  The group, with guides,  traveled to some of the related sites by bus on Saturday.  A light brunch was served at the Harold Jarrard Park in Kaycee,  with introductions and brief remarks.  The buses returned to the TA Ranch where they toured the battle site and enjoyed lunch under the towering cottonwoods in the shadow of the TA barn, complete with bullet holes! The buses returned to Buffalo, stopping at Willow Grove Cemetery at the graves of Nate Champion and Nick Ray.  Then on to the Veterans Home of Wyoming-formerly Fort McKinney, which was home to the troops who went out to "end" the war at the TA.  A banquet was held that night at the CROSSROADS INN.  The local Society had published a bibliography to be sold at the trek.  WITH WINCHESTERS AND DETERMINED HEARTS contained over 350 entries of material which has been written regarding the incident in 1892.  One of the last projects for the Society was to host the State Society's annual Convention.  This was held under the direction of Pres. Robert Springer in the late 1990s.

Membership in the Historical Society provides you with the quarterly publication of the State Society, ANNALS OF WYOMING, featuring articles of historical interest as well as book reviews.  Local meetings are a good way to learn about the history of our area.  Please consider joining.  Watch for notices in the BUFFALO BULLETIN.  Meetings are free and open to the public, membership is encouraged but NOT required.  See you there!

A NEW WALK BRIDGE

In 1975, the local Bicentennial Committee proposed building a HERITAGE MALL across Clear Creek immediately to the east of the Main Street bridge in downtown Buffalo.  The Johnson County Cowbelles and the Woolgrowers Auxilary raised funds by  having area ranchers' brands burnt on the structure.  The cost was $20. for one brand, $50.00 for 3 brands, with each additional brand costing $10.  By January of 1976 they had raised $1,920 and they extended the deadline until the end of January, to ensure that everyone got a chance to have their brand displayed.  The estimated cost of construction was $40,000, but with volunteer labor and materials the project was completed for about one-half  that amount.  Harvey Crowe and Gale Money served as "volunteer" engineers and donations of labor and materials were received from Reeves Concrete, Buckingham Lumber, Knepper Electric, Green Construction, and Ross Construction.  The mall featured flower boxes, benches, and a display sign board in the middle.  The following inscription was on the sign.

BUFFALO HERITAGE

July 4, 1976 

This Bicentennial Mall is a perpetual remembrance of the resolute pioneers who followed their inspired vision with faith, determination and divine guidance to preserve the liberties fought for and won by our colonial ancestors; to insure the permanence of the constitutional government; to build homes and establish an environment based on moral precept.

History is made not only by great men but by all men.  The parts played by some in building this community may have been small, but none was without significance.  Let us then remember, with profound appreciation the contribution of the unnamed, unknown, and unsung, without whose courage and dedication our forbears could not have laid the foundations of the life in which we, their descendants, now find our challenge and opportunity.  As we build for the future, may we be guided by the lessons of history and the precepts handed down by our forebears so that we may ever remain "one nation under God, with liberty and justice for all".

As part of the Clear Creek project the walk bridge over Clear Creek in down town Buffalo was replaced in the summer of 2013.

MURALS

North of Clear Creek on the east side of Main Street.

So it begins with a fresh surface applied.

Then the base coat is applied.

And so it begins.

History in the making!

   We tend to think that history is just "what happened a long time ago".  But someday, the events of today and yesterday and tomorrow will be "history"!  To see what went on in Buffalo, Johnson County, WY over this past weekend look at this:

sherifflongmire.blogspot.com

Our local author in residence, Craig Johnson has written 9 BESTSELLERS!   A & E has shown two seasons of the program LONGMIRE based on Johnson's novels.  Many of the cast of that TV program and Craig and his wife, Judy spent the weekend here in Buffalo, WY  aka Durant, Absaroka County, Wyoming.  It was a beautiful weekend, sunny and warm, and  a good time was had by all!

The Johnson County Library opened at 1 P.M. on Sunday to host a book signing for Craig.  He has spoken here several times in the past and always draws a good crowd.  Sunday was no exception.. Over 150 people stood in line to buy books and get autographs and visit with Craig.  Later Robert Taylor aka Sheriff Longmire showed up and graciously posed for pictures and signed autographs.

The library collection boasts numerous copies of the Longmire books, and now we have the DVD of the first season of the TV program.  Our copy of the recent issue of COWBOYS AND INDIANS Aug/Sept 2013 is on display in our locked bookcase-Sorry!! -will no longer circulate-now has autographs all over the cover!!

A new chapter has been written in the history books of our area!