Local master stone mason, Ed Crain is laying decorative stone on the base of the Nate Champion bronze which marks the entrance to the JIM GATCHELL MUSUEM.

Carnegie Library

Our Community received funds from Andrew Carnegie to build a library in the early 1900s. A beautiful building, featuring native materials and set in the shadow of the Johnson County Courthouse, it continues to serves our residents. For nearly 80 years it fulfilled its original purpose, filled with books and magazines and people seeking knowledge. In the 1970s, the local Historical Society submitted an application to have the building declared a National Historic Site, and it was accepted. As the population of our county increased, the need for a larger facility became apparent. A new larger Library was built near by. The GATCHELL MUSEUM, which had been built between the Johnson County Courthouse and the Carnegie building, added this historic building to their campus and a few years later, undertook a remodeling project to join the two buildings and make the facility handicapped accessible. Our Library and Museum staffs realize that our collections compliment each other and we often join forces to assist researchers in their quest for information of our area. This year, our staffs will join to celebrate this building, built 100 years ago. While so many of the original Carnegie buildings across the country and in Wyoming have been torn down, we are happy to celebrate the continued presence of a beautiful building in our town. A monument to the early residents commitment to culture and education, it has served its purpose well. So plans are under way to have a family oriented afternoon in mid July serving birthday cake and ice cream, fun activities, and free entrance to the GATCHELL MUSEUM. A special opportunity for several generations to revisit the past and share their recollections of time spent in their Library.

Questions

Collecting and preserving local history is a challenge and an education. There is always a researcher with a fresh request and the search "is on"! In clearing our desk and files, we came across a file we had started almost 10 years ago. so time to look at it with a new slant and see if we can't discover more information. It shows us how the Internet has exploded in that time period. Originally a GOOGLE search did not produce many "hits"-this time-so many that we will have to review as time permits.

THE MERCI TRAIN were a group of train cars filled with all sorts of materials. They were a gift from the people of France to the people of the United States, a car for each state. Wyoming's car has been refurbished and is under a protective shelter in Cheyenne, WY. A brief article in the ANNALS OF WYOMING describes its arrival in Cheyenne in mid 1949. The contents were divided and sent out to the counties. Sadly there is little documentation . The staff at our local county museum, showed me the few pieces they have on display. So we are calling the older members of our community to see if they have memories to share. Our State museum has a small traveling display which may be borrowed-so we have plans for the future. Another link to our past.

Saturday 27 June 2009

LIVING HISTORY DAY

A windy day in Buffalo, WY. A nice crowd attended the event sponsored by the local Museum. There was music, square dancing and performances by the local Basque dancers. The cabin on the Courthouse lawn was open and there were displays set up all around the buildings. The local Basque club was selling lukana sandwiches. At approximately 12:15 there was a brief ceremony, featuring local artist, Mike Thomas, and the bronze sculpture of Nate Champion was unveiled. Present at the event were 6 Champion descendants, 2 men and 4 women.

NATE CHAMPION

Today, 24 June 2009, they installed the D. Michael Thomas bronze sculpture of Nate Champion north of the Gatchell Museum complex on Fort Street, in Buffalo, WY. Covered with a canvas tarp, the imposing sculpture will remain hidden until the formal dedication to be held at Noon on Saturday, June 27, 2009, during Living History Days.

Nate Champion was born 29 September 1857 near Round Rock, Texas. He was listed as a rustler by the WYOMING STOCKGROWERS in the early 1890s. And he and a fellow cowboy, Reuben "Nick" Ray were killed at the KC cabin on April 9, 1892, by the Invaders.