Writer

Jackie Dorothy

Jackie Dorothy is a reporter for Cowboy State Daily based in central Wyoming.

Over the past 20 years, Jackie has worked in television, radio and print across Wyoming. In this role, she has won numerous writing and history awards including the Wyoming Governor’s Journalist of the Year and SBA Journalist of the Year.

Jackie is also the podcast host of ‘Pioneers of Outlaw Country’ that explores little known historical stories of Wyoming with entertaining narrative.

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Latest from Jackie Dorothy

Truly in the middle of nowhere of southwest Wyoming, a historic Little America sign has been placed by Eddie Shumway. He found the treasure in his inherited junk pile and his daughter, Susie Brinkenhoff, painted it for him.

Long-Lost Little America Penguin Sign Rescued From Remote Wyoming Junk Pile

A historic metal Little America penguin sign was nearly rusted away, forgotten in a remote Wyoming junk pile, when rancher Eddie Shumway discovered it on his property in Hot Springs County. He has restored the iconic sign along an isolated highway.

Jackie DorothyMarch 29, 2025

Alfred Packer confessed to cannibalism for eating his five companions in the winter of 1874. He had been hired as their guide and instead got them lost in the San Juan mountains of Colorado during a blizzard. The spelling of his first name is wrong on this sign, a common mistake because Packer himself had a tattoo with his first name misspelled "Alfred."

A Wyoming Sheriff Caught Infamous Cannibal Alfred Packer, Brought Him To Justice

After eating his five traveling companions in the Colorado mountains in the winter of 1874, Alfred Packer eluded capture for nearly a decade. One of the most infamous cannibals in U.S. history was caught and brought to justice by a Wyoming sheriff.

Jackie DorothyMarch 29, 2025

Growing a garden in Wyoming’s climate can be difficult, especially when you plant the wrong seeds. A new company is helping Bighorn Basin gardeners find the right seeds for the Cowboy State’s unique climate.

How To Outsmart The Bighorn Basin Climate When Planting Your Garden

The Bighorn Basin has a long growing season, but it's very cool in the spring and very hot in the summer. If you pick the wrong seeds, you're doomed. A soil scientist in Worland says she has cracked the code and can un-doom your garden.

Jackie DorothyMarch 23, 2025

The American West: Wyoming’s First Woman Senator Brought Back The Saloons

When Thermopolis pioneer, businesswoman and advocate Dora McGrath decided to run for the Wyoming senate in 1930 it was to give soldiers all the freedoms for which they risked their lives -- including the freedom to drink alcohol.

Jackie DorothyMarch 23, 2025

A sheep wagon was built by individuals who had their own unique design. They left behind clues of who they were and Jim O’Rourke had been identifying these sheep wagons before his death in 2024.

Wyoming Man's Obsession Helped Preserve And Promote Sheep Wagons

Jim O'Rourke spend years crisscrossing Wyoming to find, preserve and promote the state's unique ranching invention — the sheep wagon. A year after his unexpected death, his wife continues that momentum of preserving and promoting sheep wagons.

Jackie DorothyMarch 23, 2025

Paleontologist Jason Schein, executive director of Elevation Science Institute, shows off the articulated tail of a 150-million-year-old long-necked sauropod from the Late Jurassic Period. The tail is among thousands of other dinosaur bones found in the Anderson Site on the Montana side of the Bighorn Basin near Bridger, Montana. Tracking dinosaurs throughout the basin, and across time, is what a new digital app is all about.

Digital Timeline Map Lets Anyone Track Dinosaurs When They Inhabited Wyoming’s Bighorn Basin

A new digital map called the “Bighorn Basin WY Land Mammal Age Map” allows users to track dinosaurs, prehistoric animals and ancient plants that once thrived in and ruled the Bighorn Basin in central Wyoming.

Jackie DorothyMarch 23, 2025

Park Ranger Sid Sibo was inspired to write her award-winning novel, “The Scent of Distant Family,” by the Wyoming landscape she worked and lived in for the past 30 years.

How A Dog Lost In The Wyoming Wilderness Inspired Park Ranger Turned Author

A former park ranger was inspired to write her first novel by Wyoming’s wilderness and a lost dog’s journey home. The result was “The Scent of Distant Family,” which has just been nominated for a national award.

Jackie DorothyMarch 21, 2025

Wyoming Cowboy Rapper, aka Jiggy Buckaroo, Takes His Outlaw Flow To Nashville

Growing up in Buffalo, Wyoming, once called the most lawless town in America, with a love of all things Western and rap music, it was inevitable Ryan Charles Kinzer would become the Jiggy Buckaroo cowboy rapper. He's taken his outlaw flow to Nashville.

Jackie DorothyMarch 21, 2025

The oil paintings for “A Home For Steamboat” have been framed and are ready to be displayed across the Cowboy State. Author Casey Rislov and Illustrator Zach Pullen are excited for the debut of their very Wyoming children’s book about the iconic figure on our license plates.

Casper Duo Casey Rislov And Zak Pullen To Release New Children's Book On Wyoming's Famed Steamboat

Casper children’s book author Casey Rislov and illustrator Zak Pullen are at it again. This time, they're telling the story about the iconic bucking horse on Wyoming’s license plate, Steamboat. The new book will be released in April.

Jackie DorothyMarch 15, 2025

Chancey Williams performs at the 2024 Cheyenne Frontier Days.

Moorcroft's Chancey Williams Looking Forward To Fifth Time Playing Cheyenne Frontier Days

This year will mark the fifth time Moorcroft's Chancey Williams will be playing at Cheyenne Frontier Days. He has opened for legends Merle Haggard, Dwight Yoakam, Gary Allen, Dierks Bentley and now Brooks and Dunn.

Jackie DorothyMarch 15, 2025

Wyoming Teacher Rode Same 1,900-Mile Bicycle Route Buffalo Soldiers Did In 1897

The story of Buffalo Soldiers riding bicycles 1,900 miles from Montana to Missouri in a post-Civil War military experiment had been nearly forgotten. Then a Deaver, Wyoming, teacher biked it himself. "It was one of the most meaningful things I've ever done in my life,” he said.

Jackie DorothyMarch 09, 2025

American West: The Kidnapped Doctor And Wounded Outlaw

In 1904, two masked men kidnapped a Thermopolis doctor to save the life of an outlaw at their remote ranch. The horse thief had been shot in a shoot-out with lawmen and his true identity remains a mystery to this day.

Jackie DorothyMarch 09, 2025

Other Authors

Lynette St. Clair of Fort Washakie, Wyoming, grew up listening to the language of her Shoshone people. She realized 30 years ago that it took only a generation for the Shoshone language to become endangered.

Wyoming Woman On Mission To Not Let Shoshone Language And Culture Die

Lynette St. Clair of Fort Washakie grew up listening to the language of her Shoshone people. She realized 30 years ago that the language and culture could die. So she made it her mission to share the language, culture and history with the next generation.

Jackie DorothyMarch 08, 2025

Kaden Horrocks of Utah, riding a King Rodeo Co. bronc at the 2024 Frozen Fury Bronc Futurity hosted by the Hell on Wheels Rodeo Company of Cheyenne.

Started When Cheyenne Frontier Days Was Canceled, Popular Hell On Wheels Rodeo Still Going Strong

In 2020, when Cheyenne Frontier Days was canceled because of COVID-19, Cindy DeLancey and her family launched the Hell on Wheels rodeo. Five summers later, their open rodeos are still being held beginning June 6, leading up to Cheyenne Frontier Days.

Jackie DorothyMarch 08, 2025

Englishman Mike Bell didn’t start out to become an expert on Butch Cassidy and Wyoming outlaws. But his research led him to writing several books on this very topic and sharing his love of the Wyoming west in his home country.

The English Westerner Society: Brits Obsessed with Wyoming, Outlaws And All Things Cowboy

The English Westerner Society started in the 1950s to give American West enthusiasts in England a place to talk about their favorite topic. Mike Bell is one of those British enthusiasts. He has written several books on Butch Cassidy and Wyoming outlaws.

Jackie DorothyMarch 02, 2025

Left: Japanese waltzing mice crawl all over 18-year-old Pat Palmer, who worked at a pet shop in the 1950s. Right: A portrait of Abbie Lathrop by Jesus Romero.

Wyoming History: When The Waltzing Mouse Was The Most Popular Pet In America

More than a century ago, the waltzing mouse exploded as the most popular pet in America. Now we know these spazzed-out tiny rodents have a neurological disorder, but then they were beloved for their “dancing.”

Jackie DorothyMarch 02, 2025

Barb Tomes Vietti is passionate about history in her hometown of Thermopolis and admits to going down a rabbit hole when she started investigating the history behind the Smoky Row Cemetery. Her research has revealed that the cemetery has three graves, not the six to 10 that legend had claimed.

Where Are The Six Bodies Missing From Wyoming’s Smoky Row Cemetery?

As many as nine people were long believed to have been buried in the historic 1890 Smoky Row Cemetery in Hot Springs State Park in Wyoming. Now ground-penetrating radar shows six of them aren’t there, so where are the missing Smoky Row bodies?

Jackie DorothyMarch 01, 2025

Tom O’Day’s booking photo (left). Tom O’Day poses in a photo that now hangs in Cody’s Old Town (right)

The American West: How A Wyoming Outlaw Won A Gunfight With A Coffee Mug

When outlaw Tom O’Day was ambushed in a Thermopolis café back in 1903, a coffee cup was his only defense. Although O'Day was injured, he was declared the winner of the gunfight by newspapers all across Wyoming. The media lampooned the gunman for losing to a coffee cup.

Jackie DorothyMarch 01, 2025

The American West: The Doomed Gold Rush Of Wyoming’s Wind River Canyon

In 1906, a gold rush erupted in Wyoming’s Copper Mountains above the Wind River Canyon. Asmus Boysen’s dream to build a dam and power for these mines was destined for ruin.

Jackie DorothyFebruary 28, 2025

For 50 years, Jerry Kintzler has been designing flower arrangements from his store, Jerry’s Flowers, in downtown Riverton, Wyoming.

Meet Jerry Kintzler: 55 Years Of Designing Flower Arrangements — And Saving Lives

Jerry Kintzler has been designing flower arrangements for 55 years in Riverton and has even saved lives with his flower knowledge. At least twice, he warned people that premature dead flowers were a sign they had gas leaks in their homes.

Jackie DorothyFebruary 23, 2025

Ski Instructor Karl Milner lost a leg during while fighting in the military. Now he and Eric teach first-time skiers at Antelope Butte.

He Lost A Leg In Combat, Now Wyoming Vet Teaches Others To Adapt And Overcome

Karl Milner lost a leg in combat, but the Gillette veteran used his military training to adapt and overcome to map out a new mission in life. Now he treats others facing mental and physical challenges to ski. He's a better teacher, he says, because "he's been there."

Jackie DorothyFebruary 23, 2025

Maria Kelson’s debut novel is a crime thriller available at both local bookstores and through national chains. She loves that after ten years of writing, she can walk into the Storyteller in Thermopolis and see her books on display.

Award-Winning Wyoming Author Debuts First Crime Thriller That Took 10 Years To Write

Maria Kelson was already an award-winning Wyoming poet when she decided to tackle something totally different — a crime thriller. The result is “Not The Killing Kind,” a gripping whodunit that took 10 years to write.

Jackie DorothyFebruary 23, 2025

Chancey Williams was inspired to write and record “The Ballad of Uncle Don” after listening to his uncle Don Williams' stories.

Chancey Williams’ Ode To His Wyoming Cowboy Uncle Hits No. 1 On CMT Music

Inspired by his uncle Don Williams and the joy of bronc riding, Chancey Williams’ new hit song “The Ballad of Uncle Don” has hit No. 1 on the CMT Music charts. Chancey said the song came about over cup of coffee with his uncle in Moorcroft, Wyoming.

Jackie DorothyFebruary 22, 2025

The American West: Butch Cassidy’s Banker, Eugene Amoretti Sr.

Eugene Amoretti Sr. was the founder of Lander, Wyoming, and known friend of both outlaw Butch Cassidy and Fremont County Sheriff Charles Stough, who pursued the outlaws. Amoretti came to America to seek his fortune and died a millionaire.

Jackie DorothyFebruary 21, 2025

Wildfires Help Push 40,000 Head Drop To Wyoming’s 2024 Cattle Production

Despite a 3% decrease in cattle production in 2024, Wyoming ranchers expect 2025 will bring back a strong cattle market. The Wyoming Stock Growers Association says part of the reason for the 40,000-head decrease was the severe wildfire season.

Jackie DorothyFebruary 18, 2025

Comic Valentines were all the rage in the 1800s and early 1900s. These valentines were usually sent anonymously and could be considered spiteful. They were usually sent to either someone you hated or a friend you were making fun of.

Wyoming History: Valentine’s Day Used To Be As Much For Haters As Lovers

In the 1800s and early 1900s in Cheyenne, Wyoming, Valentine’s Day was not just for lovers, it was also for haters and just for fun. It was popular to share your anonymous feelings with humorous and derogatory Valentine’s Day cards.

Jackie DorothyFebruary 13, 2025

Don’t Crowd The Snowplow During Wyoming’s Whiteouts

So far there have been nine incidents of motorists running into snowplows this year. With big winter storms converging on Wyoming this week, WYDOT is asking drivers to slow down and steer clear of snowplows.

Jackie DorothyFebruary 10, 2025

Caitlin Youngquist (right) teaching a compost workshop for Wyoming Dept of Environmental Quality

The Art Of Turning Manure To Compost

Manure management is one of the biggest problems faced by feedlots. One soil scientist is helping a feedlot in Worland make better use of their manure by creating more compost for local farmers and gardeners.

Jackie DorothyFebruary 09, 2025

When LeAnn Baker of Worland, Wyoming, found this stone in her gravel that was hauled in, Google told her it was a magic hag stone. However, local archaeologist, Mike Bies, said it might be an artifact called a spindle whorl.

A Rock Found In Worland Could Be Magic Or An Ancient Tool

When LeAnn Baker found a rock with a smooth hole in the middle, she was told it was a magic hag stone. However, archaeologist Mike Beis said it was most likely a spindle whorl, a simple tool used by Indian tribes for centuries.

Jackie DorothyFebruary 09, 2025

What's In A Name: Dubois, Wyoming

You can always spot a tourist in Dubois, Wyoming, by how they pronounce the name of the town. In Wyoming, it's called Doo-boys, not the French pronunciation of Deh-bwah. How it got called that is shrouded in myth and mystery.

Jackie DorothyFebruary 09, 2025

U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman talks with students at Wind River Job Corps in Riverton, Wyoming.

Learning Trades Isn’t Just Landing Wyoming Youth Good Jobs, It’s Saving Lives

The teens and young adults in the Wind River Job Corps in Riverton usually get there out of desperation. But the trades there can lead to great-paying jobs. Plus, it's the only job corps in America that offers training for petroleum technicians.

Jackie DorothyFebruary 02, 2025

First Chair student Sawyer watches on as fellow student Ronin Wichern struggles to get into his skis. This is the first part of the lesson of learning to ski.

Kiddos On Skis: How Wyoming's Antelope Butte Ski Resort Teaches Littles How To Ski

At Antelope Butte, the youngest students are just three years old and when they are first put on the skis. But it doesn’t take long for them to start grasping the basic concepts and take off in controlled chaos.

Jackie DorothyFebruary 02, 2025

Students at Casper College study first study anatomy on models before being accepted into the actual cadaver lab.

Want To Donate Your Body To Science? It’s A Challenge In Wyoming

Want to donate your body to science? Although there’s a shortage of human cadavers for students to learn on, donating your body after you die can be a challenge, especially in a rural state like Wyoming.

Jackie DorothyFebruary 01, 2025

The American West: Mountain Man Joe Meek Arrived In Wyoming in 1829 As Greenhorn Teenager

The roar of the grizzly, war cries of the Blackfeet, and the lonesome song of the wind ushered 18-year-old Joe Meek to a world of the mountain men. Death was a constant companion and if you weren’t at the Rendezvous, it was assumed you had met the grim reaper along the way either by beast, enemy, or harsh weather.

Jackie DorothyFebruary 01, 2025

Layne, left, and Liam Jordan are joined by Tom Webb. A flatbed trailer acts as an improvised stage in Hyattville in October 2024.

Wyoming Twin Teens Grew Up In The Middle Of Nowhere, But Have Huge Music Dreams

Liam and Layne Jordon, 14, have grown up in the middle of nowhere in Wyoming’s Bighorn Basin. That hasn’t stopped the young musicians from pursing some big dreams of writing and performing their music for the masses.

Jackie DorothyFebruary 01, 2025

The Lou Taubert sign really stands out at night when its neon in in its full glory.

Race On To Save Lou Taubert Neon Sign, Last Remnant Of Casper’s “Little Las Vegas”

The Lou Taubert neon sign that towers over Center Street in Casper, Wyoming, is in desperate need of repair. It’s the last remnant of Casper's historic street of neon that earned it the nickname “Little Las Vegas.”

Jackie DorothyFebruary 01, 2025

On Aug. 9, 2014, Sylvia Bruner and her husband hiked to the Bomber Mountain site for the first time. The top of the ridge with a large piece of the wreckage visible. The rusty framework in the foreground is a part of the ball turret mount.

The 10 Young Men Who Died Giving Wyoming's Bomber Mountain Its Name

Bomber Mountain in Wyoming’s Big Horn Mountains paid dearly to earn its name when a B-17 Flying Fortress crashed into it in 1943, killing all 10 on board. The oldest was 25, and what happened to the plane was a mystery for two years.

Jackie DorothyJanuary 26, 2025

A photo of American troops trying to navigate the miserable "mud camp" area of France during World War I. A dog tag lost there by a U.S. soldier more than 100 years ago is being returned to its family in part thanks to a Wyoming author and investigator who tracked his decendants down.

Wyoming Sleuths Help Return WWI Dog Tags Buried In France For A Century

A French field infamously known as the “mud camp” is still giving up World War I relics lost there more than a century ago, including dog tags. A Wyoming author and investigator are helping them get back to their families.

Jackie DorothyJanuary 26, 2025

Larry Proietti worked at KYOY FM in Cheyenne for over 40 years.

Wyoming Radio Voice For More Than 50 Years Steps Away From The Mic

Radio is in Larry Proietti’s blood, and has been waking up his Cheyenne audience for decades. He recently retired after more than 50 years in radio, but is still working behind the scenes.

Jackie DorothyJanuary 26, 2025