Wyoming Life
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![Along with the roadside sign, the Moorcroft Motel's parking lot sign also is unique and retro.](https://cowboystatedaily.imgix.net/Moorcourt-Motel-sign-2-9.7.24.jpg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&q=75&auto=format%2Ccompress&ar=16%3A9&fit=crop)
Gillette Auto Museum Rescuing, Restoring Vintage Signs For Retro “Neon Park”
The old neon Moorcourt Motel sign is the latest in the growing collection of vintage roadside signs for Gillette’s Frontier Auto Museum in Gillette. The vision is to create a colorful retro “neon park.”
Andrew RossiSeptember 07, 2024
![The Beutler and Son Rodeo Co. in Elk City, Oklahoma, has been raising bucking rodeo horses for 95 years. This past week, nearly 80 of the ranch's horses were killed by poisoned feed.](https://cowboystatedaily.imgix.net/Poisoned-horses-group-9.7.24.jpg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&q=75&auto=format%2Ccompress&ar=16%3A9&fit=crop)
Nearly 80 Bucking Horses Killed By Tainted Feed Devastates Rodeo Community
A batch of tainted feed killed nearly 80 premier bucking horses on the Beutler Ranch in Oklahoma last week and has devastated the greater rodeo community. The only surviving horse of that lineage was recently ridden to victory by Roedy Farrell of Thermopolis.
Jackie DorothySeptember 07, 2024
![Chris Mickey was able to take the photo of the World View Enterprise balloon as it hovered over Cheyenne on Thursday night, Sept. 5, 2024.](https://cowboystatedaily.imgix.net/Sketch-Balloon-9.6.24.jpg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&q=75&auto=format%2Ccompress&ar=16%3A9&fit=crop)
Mysterious Object Flying Over Cheyenne Was Not A Chinese Spy Balloon
A mysterious balloon spotting floating high over Cheyenne on Thursday wasn’t a Chinese spy balloon. Turns out, it’s carrying data-gathering equipment to improve flight safety for a private company’s partnership with NASA.
Jackie DorothySeptember 06, 2024
![Dave Ratzlaff, owner of a 1969 Chevrolet Camero, talks about his car with WyoTech student David Solis at the Goodguys Rod & Custom Association car show on the WyoTech campus in Laramie on Thursday.](https://cowboystatedaily.imgix.net/WyoTech-Car-Show-Camaro-talk-9.5.24.jpeg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&q=75&auto=format%2Ccompress&ar=16%3A9&fit=crop)
Custom Car Nuts Show WyoTech Students Hot-Rodding Isn’t Just An ‘Old Man Hobby’
WyoTech students got to ogle custom-built rides during an exclusive car show Thursday. It was an effective pitch that building hotrods isn’t just an “old man hobby.”
Mark HeinzSeptember 05, 2024
![Myron Cook, a retired geologist, has got millions of views on his YouTube videos describing unique and interesting geologic formations around Wyoming and the region.](https://cowboystatedaily.imgix.net/Myron-Cook-1.jpg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&q=75&auto=format%2Ccompress&ar=16%3A9&fit=crop)
Wyoming Geologist Gets Millions Of Views As YouTube Rock Star
Myron Cook, a retired petroleum geologist, is amassing millions of views on YouTube for talking about geology in Wyoming. The Burlington man wasn't expecting his page would go anywhere. “I did it just for the joy of geology," he said.
Leo WolfsonSeptember 02, 2024
![This 8-foot bronze casting of Leonardo da Vinci's famous Horse, appropriately dubbed The Wyoming Horse, stands in Sheridan.](https://cowboystatedaily.imgix.net/Da-Vinci-Horse-Picture4-9.2.24.jpg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&q=75&auto=format%2Ccompress&ar=16%3A9&fit=crop)
Sheridan’s 8-Foot “Wyoming Horse” Is Actually Leonardo da Vinci’s
Sheridan is one of the few places in the world with a bronze casting of Leonardo da Vinci’s horse. Kim Love, who spearheaded the effort to bring da Vinci’s horse to Wyoming, said “I thought it would grab people’s attention."
Andrew RossiSeptember 02, 2024
![Brian Beauvais uses Thomas Jaggar's original photograph to find the right angle to reshoot the Hoodoos.](https://cowboystatedaily.imgix.net/Jagger-Photos-20220618_094754-9.2.24.jpg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&q=75&auto=format%2Ccompress&ar=16%3A9&fit=crop)
Park County Archivist Recreates Photos Of Wyoming 125 Years Later
Park County archivist Brian Beauvais has been rephotographing images originally shot by geologist Thomas Jaggar in the late 1800s. Some spots require more than a day hike to get there.
Amber SteinmetzSeptember 02, 2024
![Cowboy Poet Jack Schmidt cooking in the Bridger-Teton Wilderness.](https://cowboystatedaily.imgix.net/Cowboy-poetry-Cooking-in-the-Bridger-Teton-Wilderness-9.2.24.jpg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&q=75&auto=format%2Ccompress&ar=16%3A9&fit=crop)
In Riverton, Jack Schmidt Continues Western Tradition Of The Cowboy Poet
The oral history of the cowboy is preserved forever in rhyme by cow wranglers and campfire tales. For the past 50 years, Riverton's Jack Schmidt has kept the cowboy poet alive in Wyoming.
Jackie DorothySeptember 02, 2024
!["Nate Champion's Last Run," a bronze sculpture by D. Michael Thomas, in Buffalo. Champion was surrounded in a cabin and held up the progress of the "invaders" before getting shot 28 times on April 9, 1892.](https://cowboystatedaily.imgix.net/Johnson-County-War-IMG_2769-9.1.24.jpeg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&q=75&auto=format%2Ccompress&ar=16%3A9&fit=crop)
Johnson County War Remains The Brutal Showdown That Changed Wyoming Forever
The Johnson County War is one of the most brutal, vicious and pivotal chapters in Wyoming's history, when the state’s powerful cattle barons used terror and murder to drive off homesteaders. What they didn’t expect was how determined and tough those homesteaders would be.
Andrew RossiSeptember 01, 2024
![The road through Hyattville.](https://cowboystatedaily.imgix.net/Hyattville-IMG_9589-8.31.24.jpeg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&q=75&auto=format%2Ccompress&ar=16%3A9&fit=crop)
This Is Hyattville, Wyoming: Population 79, “Probably Counting Some Dogs”
Founded in 1887, Hyattville, Wyoming, was an important crossroads for commerce. Now it’s a tiny town of 79, which one local says is “probably counting some dogs.”
Jackie DorothySeptember 01, 2024
![Lusk's Carnegie Library is the only one in the state with a corner entrance.](https://cowboystatedaily.imgix.net/Lusk-Carnegie-Library-20240822_112156-9.1.24.jpg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&q=75&auto=format%2Ccompress&ar=16%3A9&fit=crop)
Carnegie Library In Lusk, Wyoming, Is Worth The Visit
There were 16 Carnegie libraries built in Wyoming and only 10 remain. Just five of them still operate as libraries. Andrea Graham, the Alliance for Historic Wyoming’s Board president, says the one in Lusk is the most charming. "The detailing is just beautiful," she says.
Renée JeanSeptember 01, 2024
![This old caboose was a beloved landmark and poplar meeting spot at the Lake Owen trailhead in the Snowy Range Mountains. It was gutted during the Mullen Fire in 2020, and finally demolished last week.](https://cowboystatedaily.imgix.net/Caboose-exterior-9.1.24.jpg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&q=75&auto=format%2Ccompress&ar=16%3A9&fit=crop)
After 25 Years, Iconic Caboose At Lake Owen In Snowy Range Is Gone
For 25 years, a near-mint condition caboose was a familiar landmark at the Owen Lake trailhead east of Laramie, Wyoming. But the Mullen Fire gutted it and the body was too warped to save. It was demolished last week.
Mark HeinzSeptember 01, 2024
Wyoming High School Football Officials Aren’t Just Gluttons For Punishment
They get insults, threats and jokes, so what’s not to love about being a Wyoming high school football official? They’re not just gluttons for punishment, and the zebras are up for another season on the prep gridiron.
Dale KillingbeckAugust 31, 2024
![People around Powell, Wyoming, know Charles Orville Moore even if they don't know him. He's the guy who's been spraying crops forever.](https://cowboystatedaily.imgix.net/Charles-Orville-Moore-456107561_10160799890503611_4636598091035665187_n-8.31.24.jpg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&q=75&auto=format%2Ccompress&ar=16%3A9&fit=crop)
80-Year-Old Pilot Has Been Spraying Crops Since 1976, And Has No Plans To Stop
Charles Orville Moore of Powell, Wyoming, says he loves flying his biplane and has been spraying crops for 48 years. And the 80-year-old has no plans yet to stop. "If my body holds up, I don't see any reason to quit," he says.
Andrew RossiAugust 31, 2024
![Santa hears Christmas wishes from tourists in flip flops during the annual Christmas in August in Yellowstone National Park.](https://cowboystatedaily.imgix.net/Yellowstone-Christmas-Santa-hears-Christmas-wishes-from-tourists-in-flip-flops-8.31.24.jpg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&q=75&auto=format%2Ccompress&ar=16%3A9&fit=crop)
Why Yellowstone National Park Celebrates Christmas In August
Late August in Yellowstone means bison and elk are beginning their rut. Trout swim lazily in rivers with restrictions in effect due to elevated water temperatures. Fire danger is at its highest. And carols are sung around the many Christmas trees.
Jake NicholsAugust 31, 2024
![Natrona County Deputy Sheriff Bill Romer escorts Caril Fugate into the Converse County Sheriff’s Office. He carries weapons confiscated from Charles Starkweather.](https://cowboystatedaily.imgix.net/Starkweather-Escort-8.31.24.jpg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&q=75&auto=format%2Ccompress&ar=16%3A9&fit=crop)
The Notorious 1958 Murder Spree That Ended Near Douglas
When 19-year-old mass murderer Charles Starkweather saw a car by the road west of Douglas, Wyoming, in January 1958, he saw an opportunity. He was on the run after already killing 10 people. What followed ended one of America’s more notorious crime sprees.
Dale KillingbeckAugust 31, 2024
![Byron Sessions statue in October 2023.](https://cowboystatedaily.imgix.net/Byron-October-2023-Vincent-Hopwood-8.31.24.jpg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&q=75&auto=format%2Ccompress&ar=16%3A9&fit=crop)
Welcome To The Happiest Town In Wyoming: Byron
If a statue of its town founder is any indication, then Byron, Wyoming, is the happiest town in the state. Locals say the man considered the founder of the town pitched his tent while doing some surveying work near where his statue is now placed.
Jake NicholsAugust 31, 2024
![A satellite image showing no clouds over any part of Wyoming.](https://cowboystatedaily.imgix.net/Cloudless-Sky-8.28.24.jpg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&q=75&auto=format%2Ccompress&ar=16%3A9&fit=crop)
Not A Cloud Anywhere Over Wyoming In “Unusual” Satellite Photo
The National Weather Service office in Riverton noticed something “unusual” Tuesday — there wasn’t a cloud anywhere over Wyoming all day Tuesday. A satellite photo shows an unusually clear view of Wyoming, including scars left by large wildfires.
Andrew RossiAugust 28, 2024
![Former Universtiy of Wyoming standout Frank Crum, a 6-foot-7, 315-pound rookie, has made the 2024 Denver Broncos roster. He's seen here during a preseason game against the Indianapolis Colts.](https://cowboystatedaily.imgix.net/Frank-Crum-1-8.27.24.jpg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&q=75&auto=format%2Ccompress&ar=16%3A9&fit=crop)
Former UW Standout Frank Crum Makes Denver Broncos Roster
Former University of Wyoming standout offensive lineman Frank Crum made the Denver Broncos initial 53-man roster Tuesday. The 6-foot-7, 315-pound rookie could still be waived or put on the practice squad.
Leo WolfsonAugust 28, 2024
![County music superstar Lainey Wilson shot scenes for the music video for her new song “Whirlwind” on the Oxford Ranch south of Laramie in July.](https://cowboystatedaily.imgix.net/Lainey-set-8.26.24.jpeg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&q=75&auto=format%2Ccompress&ar=16%3A9&fit=crop)
Country Superstar Lainey Wilson’s New Video Features Wyoming Ranch, Deputies
Country music superstar Lainey Wilson shot the music video for her new single "Whirlwind" on a ranch in Albany County. It also features locations around Laramie and three local deputies.
Mark HeinzAugust 26, 2024
![The temple is 97 eet tall, just 4 feet shorter than a controversial temple being built in Cody, but with much less resistance.](https://cowboystatedaily.imgix.net/Casper-Temple-IMG_2806-8.26.24.jpg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&q=75&auto=format%2Ccompress&ar=16%3A9&fit=crop)
Wyoming’s Second LDS Temple Opens In Casper, With Third On The Way
Monday’s opening of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Casper Wyoming Temple is the second LDS temple complete in Wyoming. A third isn’t far behind as work is planned on a controversial temple in Cody.
Leo WolfsonAugust 26, 2024
![A screenshot from a Wyoming Department of Transportation highway camera shows snow falling on Togwotee Pass on U.S. Highway 26/287 near Wind River Lake on Monday morning.](https://cowboystatedaily.imgix.net/Snow-on-Togwotee-Pass-8.26.24.jpeg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&q=75&auto=format%2Ccompress&ar=16%3A9&fit=crop)
Seasons Greetings: Wyoming Gets First Snow Of The Season
As many areas of Wyoming battle huge wildfires, the first snow of the season fell over Togwotee Pass on Monday morning. Meteorologist Don Day said this doesn't mean summer is over, but summer is on the way out.
Andrew RossiAugust 26, 2024
![After a record year for growing humongous pumpkins in Wyoming last year, this summer has been “very, very difficult," said Jay Richard.](https://cowboystatedaily.imgix.net/Jay-Richard-Jay-Richards-an-pumpkin-8.25.24-8.25.24Jay-Richard.jpg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&q=75&auto=format%2Ccompress&ar=16%3A9&fit=crop)
Wyoming's 'Pumpkin King' Having Difficult Year Growing Gigantic Pumpkins
Jay Richards, better known as Wyoming's "Pumpkin King," says it's been a difficult year for growing humongous pumpkins. He was hoping to break the 2,000-pound mark this year but said he made too many mistakes.
Andrew RossiAugust 26, 2024
![Ham operator Casey Freund makes a handshake, slang for making a quick contact, to another park across the nation.](https://cowboystatedaily.imgix.net/Ham-Radio-Freund-makes-a-handshake-for-parks-program-8.25.24.jpeg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&q=75&auto=format%2Ccompress&ar=16%3A9&fit=crop)
Ham Radio Still Alive And Kicking In Wyoming
Casey Freund of Thermopolis, Wyoming, goes by the call sign KC7E, but that’s not his TikTok handle. He’s one of the few who don’t need Wi-Fi or smartphones to keep in touch with civilization. He’s a ham radio operator.
Jackie DorothyAugust 25, 2024
![Matt Warner's is one of the names carved into the Buckhorn Panel near the San Rafael River in Utah. He began his outlaw life early and was a friend of the notorious Butch Cassidy in Wyoming.](https://cowboystatedaily.imgix.net/Matt-Warner-Buckhorn-Panel-ZJessica-Petersen-via-Flikr-8.24.24-8.25.24.jpg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&q=75&auto=format%2Ccompress&ar=16%3A9&fit=crop)
Butch Cassidy In Wyoming: Outlaw Buddy Matt Warner Started A Criminal Life Early
Butch Cassidy’s best friend Matt Warner started his life as a Western outlaw. At the age of 14, he thought he killed a man. That sent him running to Brown’s Hole, where he pulled off his first robbery before he’d turned 19.
Renée JeanAugust 25, 2024
![Paula Volker has been teaching history and government in Natrona County schools since 1994. She was recently named Wyoming’s History Teacher of the Year by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History.](https://cowboystatedaily.imgix.net/Paula-Volker-and-Kelly-Walsh-8.18.24.jpg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&q=75&auto=format%2Ccompress&ar=16%3A9&fit=crop)
Casper Woman Named Wyoming History Teacher Of The Year
Kelly Walsh High School history teacher Paula Volker has been named Wyoming's History Teacher of the Year by a prestigious national history organization. They gave her the award because she believes using primary sources such as original documents is the best way to present history.
Dale KillingbeckAugust 25, 2024
![West View of the log blacksmith shop is believed to have been built as early as the 1860s on the Hart Ranch. The Albany County Historical Society is looking into the best way to preserve the structure.](https://cowboystatedaily.imgix.net/Blacksmith-Shop-west-view.jpg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&q=75&auto=format%2Ccompress&ar=16%3A9&fit=crop)
Laramie Bought Hart Ranch For Its Water, Now It Wants To Save The Rest Of It
The city of Laramie bought the historic Hart Ranch for its 1860s water rights. Now, the city is working out how to save the rest of the historic Wyoming ranch for future generations.
Jackie DorothyAugust 24, 2024
![Bridger Walker book 8 24 24](https://cowboystatedaily.imgix.net/Bridger-Walker-book-8.24.24.jpg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&q=75&auto=format%2Ccompress&ar=16%3A9&fit=crop)
Family of Cheyenne Boy Who Saved Sister From Attacking Dog Writes Book For Kids
Bridger Walker was hailed as a hero when he saved his little sister Brielle from an attacking dog in 2020. Now he and Brielle are characters in their family’s new children’s book, “You Can Be a Hero.”
Amber SteinmetzAugust 24, 2024
![In this image from the early 1920s, a group of Ku Klux Klansmen gather in an unknown location. Like much of America in the early 1920s, Wyoming seemed an opportunity for expansion for the Ku Klux Klan. Newspaper headlines proclaimed new chapters and the Klan openly advertised its growing numbers, but opposition and scandal would eventually bring the group down.](https://cowboystatedaily.imgix.net/KKK-in-Wyoming-GettyImages-514905076-26cfa1e-8.18.24.jpg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&q=75&auto=format%2Ccompress&ar=16%3A9&fit=crop)
The Ku Klux Klan Pushed Into Wyoming In The Early 1920s, Then Wyoming Pushed Back
Like much of America in the early 1920s, Wyoming seemed an opportunity for expansion for the Ku Klux Klan. Newspaper headlines proclaimed new chapters and the Klan openly advertised its growing numbers, but opposition and scandal would eventually bring the group down.
Dale KillingbeckAugust 24, 2024
![Browns Hole and Butch Cassidy 8 24 24](https://cowboystatedaily.imgix.net/Browns-Hole-and-Butch-Cassidy-8.24.24.jpg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&q=75&auto=format%2Ccompress&ar=16%3A9&fit=crop)
Butch Cassidy In Wyoming: A Perfect Hideout After His First Bank Robbery
Fresh off his first bank robbery in Telluride, Colorado Butch Cassidy finds the perfect hideout in Wyoming. His Brown’s Hole hideout remains one of the most remote places in the region.
Renée JeanAugust 24, 2024
Bones, One Of The Baddest Rodeo Bucking Bulls Ever, Was Only Ridden 5 Times
The legendary Bones was one bad bull and the GOAT. The two-time Professional Bull Riders world champion bucking bull was only ever ridden five times. He died peacefully in retirement Aug. 15 at age 21.
Jake NicholsAugust 24, 2024
![Vic Goni, a sheep rancher, near the area where his sheep normally graze. On Thursday, firefighters arrived on the plains behind him to extinguish the House Draw Fire off Buffalo Sussex Cutoff Road.](https://cowboystatedaily.imgix.net/House-Draw-Fire-Sheep-FullSizeRender-2-8.24.24.jpg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&q=75&auto=format%2Ccompress&ar=16%3A9&fit=crop)
Wyoming Sheep Ranchers Scramble To Save Flocks From 175,000-Acre House Draw Fire
Wyoming’s rural sheep industry was nearly destroyed when the House Draw Fire exploded to 175,000 acres, killing some sheep. Ranchers scrambled to save what they could. Now they have to find winter feed for those that survived.
Pat MaioAugust 24, 2024
![Vies of the Remington Fire courtesy of the Rosebud County Sheriff's Office in Montana.](https://cowboystatedaily.imgix.net/Remington-fire-2-Rosebud-County-Sheriffs-Office.jpg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&q=75&auto=format%2Ccompress&ar=16%3A9&fit=crop)
More Than 350,000 Acres Have Burned As Wyoming Fire Blows Up Into Montana
The Remington Fire that started in northern Wyoming blew up to nearly 130,000 acres and into Montana overnight Friday, with about 30,000 of that blaze in Wyoming. Including other major wildfires in the area, Wyoming's fires have burned more than 350,000 acres (some in Montana) so far.
August 24, 2024
![Although the fall is fast approaching, it still feels like summer across Wyoming. At Holiday Park in Cheyenne on Thursday, the walking path around the lake was busy.](https://cowboystatedaily.imgix.net/Summer-in-Cheyenne-8.22.24.jpeg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&q=75&auto=format%2Ccompress&ar=16%3A9&fit=crop)
As Wildfires Burn Across State, Wyoming Can Expect “Fall-Like Weather”
Heat and wind are helping fan a number of wildfires across Wyoming, but there could be some relief on the way. A cold front is expected to bring “fall-like” and cooler weather to Wyoming this weekend.
Andrew RossiAugust 22, 2024
![This GMC Yukon that sits crashed and abandoned in rugged terrain off Highway 14-16-20 in northwest Wyoming sparked a lot of speculation. Truth is, a suspected drunk driver left it there.](https://cowboystatedaily.imgix.net/Crashed-SUV-1-6.11.24.jpg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&q=75&auto=format%2Ccompress&ar=16%3A9&fit=crop)
She Claimed Carjackers Got Her SUV Stuck, And It’s Been There For 2 Months
More than two months after an allegedly drunk woman claimed carjackers got her SUV stuck off Highway 14/16/20, it’s about to be recovered. But it’s going to be a bear of a job, requiring two wreckers and a crew of at least five.
Andrew RossiAugust 21, 2024
![An intense hailstorm broke windshilds, toppled trees and caused extensive damage to the KOA campground at Devils Tower on Monday, Aug. 19, 2024.](https://cowboystatedaily.imgix.net/Devils-Tower-Hailstorm-9cd15efa-b00a-4b36-bfcd-f4461cb4fa9c-8.20.24.jpeg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&q=75&auto=format%2Ccompress&ar=16%3A9&fit=crop)
Devils Tower Closes After Baseball-Sized Hail Shatters Windows, Knocks Down Trees
Devils Tower National Monument in northeast Wyoming is closed Tuesday after baseball-sized hail pummeled the area. Windows were shatterd, trees knocked down and the KOA campground severely damaged.
Andrew RossiAugust 20, 2024
![Patrons at the opening reception of the 43rd Buffalo Bill Art Show and Sale at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West in Cody.](https://cowboystatedaily.imgix.net/Cody-Art-Show-IMG_2600-8.19.24.jpeg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&q=75&auto=format%2Ccompress&ar=16%3A9&fit=crop)
Buffalo Bill Art Show Opening Puts Cody In National Spotlight
The 43rd Buffalo Bill Art Show and Sale is one of the most important Western art showcases in the nation. Cody is in the national art spotlight with the show’s opening Friday.
Andrew RossiAugust 19, 2024
![When Maggie Harrop stepped outside after a summer thunderstorm Saturday evening, she saw something spectacular over Laramie, Wyoming. An incredible burst of color seemed to be exploding from the cloud-filled sky.](https://cowboystatedaily.imgix.net/Cloud-color-explosion-3-8.19.24.jpg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&q=75&auto=format%2Ccompress&ar=16%3A9&fit=crop)
Timing Perfect For “God-Moment” Storm Cloud Explosion Over Laramie
A Laramie woman captured “God-moment” photos of a sunset reflecting off a thunderstorm in a color explosion Saturday. The clouds are typical, said meteorologist Don Day, but her timing was perfect and images “amazing.”
Andrew RossiAugust 19, 2024
![Wyoming inventions include the cartridge belt for soldiers, an electric garage door opener and a brutal execution method. Wyomingites hold more than 4,000 individual patents.](https://cowboystatedaily.imgix.net/Inventions-Inventions-composite-8.18.24.jpg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&q=75&auto=format%2Ccompress&ar=16%3A9&fit=crop)
Wyoming Inventions: Cartridge Belt, Garage Door Opener, Innovative Execution Method
Wyoming citizens have come up with some interesting inventions. From a cartridge belt adopted by the Army which is still in use today to an automatic garage door opener to an innovative execution method that basically forced people to hang themselves.
Dale KillingbeckAugust 18, 2024
![Creed Day from Evanston washes his steers named Carlos and Pickles at the Wyoming State Fair on August 16, 2024, in Douglas, Wyoming.](https://cowboystatedaily.imgix.net/state-fair-3-8-18-24.jpg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&q=75&auto=format%2Ccompress&ar=16%3A9&fit=crop)
Scenes From The 2024 Wyoming State Fair
Cowboy State Daily photographer took these images at the 2024 Wyoming State Fair in Douglas. Enjoy!
August 18, 2024
![From an ability to learn and shows recognition of flash cards to opening gates and doors, horses are pretty smart. A new study says they may be smarter than most previously thought.](https://cowboystatedaily.imgix.net/Smart-Horse-MAI-PM-via-YouTube-8.18.24.jpg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&q=75&auto=format%2Ccompress&ar=16%3A9&fit=crop)
New Research Says Horses' Intelligence Is Under-Estimated, Capable Of Strategic Thinking
A team of researchers in the UK has published research that says horses have higher levels of intelligence than previously thought and are capable of strategic thinking. Wyoming outfitter Sy Gilliland says "they are definitely smarter than we give them credit."
Andrew RossiAugust 18, 2024
Wyoming Oil Fields Gave Rise To A New Western Outlaw — The Claim-Jumper
The discovery of oil in remote Wyoming sparked a flood of fortune-seekers to the Cowboy State. It also gave rise to a new kind of Western outlaw — the claim-jumper.
Jackie DorothyAugust 18, 2024
![The 17,000-square-foot Valley Community Center in Baggs is the place to be in this tiny community of fewer than 500 people in southern Wyoming.](https://cowboystatedaily.imgix.net/Valley-Community-Center-outside-8.18.24.jpg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&q=75&auto=format%2Ccompress&ar=16%3A9&fit=crop)
They Told Baggs It Was Too Tiny For A Community Center, So They Built A Huge One
The town of Baggs, in south-central Wyoming, has fewer than 500 people, but that didn’t stop the town from building a 17,000 square-foot community center. It even has an indoor walking track and draws people from around the region.
Renée JeanAugust 18, 2024
![Inga Arvad was romantically involved with a young John F. Kennedy, was pursued by Adolf Hitler and ended up married to a Western movie star from Wyoming.](https://cowboystatedaily.imgix.net/Inga-Arvad-composite-8.18.24.jpg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&q=75&auto=format%2Ccompress&ar=16%3A9&fit=crop)
How Hitler’s “Nordic Beauty” And JFK's Love Became The Wife Of A Wyoming Movie Star
Inga Arvad had been adored by Adolf Hitler, loved by President John F. Kennedy and pursued by the FBI. She ended up marrying a Western movie star from Wyoming.
Jackie DorothyAugust 18, 2024
![Blacksmith David Osmundsen gives a presentation about blacksmithing at the Wyoming Discovery Days.](https://cowboystatedaily.imgix.net/Blacksmith-Giving-a-presentation-at-Wyoming-Discovery-Days-on-the-blacksmithing-tools-8.18.24.jpeg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&q=75&auto=format%2Ccompress&ar=16%3A9&fit=crop)
Wyoming Blacksmith An Artist With A 3,500-Degree Forge And Hammer
Buffalo's David Osmundsen is an artist with a hammer and a 3,500-degree forge. The Wyoming blacksmith attracts students from all over the world to his Arrowhead Forge School of Blacksmithing where he teaches the ancient practice.
Jackie DorothyAugust 18, 2024
![It was quite the scandal in 1895 when Casper Mayor Joel J. Hurt was put on trial for killing his wife's alleged lover. He was acquitted by a jury in 5 minutes.](https://cowboystatedaily.imgix.net/JJ-Hurt-and-downtown-Casper-8.17.24-8.17.24.jpg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&q=75&auto=format%2Ccompress&ar=16%3A9&fit=crop)
Wyoming History: Casper Mayor Gunned Down Wife’s Lover, Then Acquitted In 5 Minutes
In 1895, Joel J. Hurt was Casper’s mayor and state senator when he gunned down a man alleged to be his wife’s lover on a downtown street. He was tried for murder, and acquitted by a jury in five minutes.
Dale KillingbeckAugust 18, 2024
![From left, Tim McCoy, Joan Crawford and Rex Lease in "The Law of the Range," directed by William Nigh for MGM in 1927.](https://cowboystatedaily.imgix.net/Tim-McCoy-GettyImages-3205217-8.17.24.jpg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&q=75&auto=format%2Ccompress&ar=16%3A9&fit=crop)
Before John Wayne, Wyoming's Tim McCoy Was America’s Favorite Western Star
Everyone in Wyoming knows John Wayne, the prototypical Western movie star. But before The Duke became The Duke, Wyoming's Tim McCoy was Hollywood’s favorite Western lead actor, even getting top billing over Wayne.
Jackie DorothyAugust 17, 2024
![Realizing his vision of capturing this image finally happened when Larry Rogers layered three images taked from the same spot. The result is this stunning shot of Castle Geyser in Yellowstone erupting at night, lit up from behind, with the Milky Way as a backdrop.](https://cowboystatedaily.imgix.net/Larry-Rogers-composite-final-8.17.24.jpg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&q=75&auto=format%2Ccompress&ar=16%3A9&fit=crop)
That’s Not Luck: Stunning Photo Of Yellowstone Geyser Took Months Of Planning
Photographer Larry Rogers loves shooting in Yellowstone and Grand Teton parks, and once spent 20 years waiting to get a perfect photo. He said it took him months of planning to build a composite image of Castle Geyser lit up at night.
Jackie DorothyAugust 17, 2024
![Left: Silvio Pedri of Rock Springs was captured during World War II and spent more than five months as a prisoner of war. Right: Mark Pedri and Carrie McCarthy hold two of the three Emmys Burning Torch Productions won in July at the Heartland Emmys for Dear Sirs.](https://cowboystatedaily.imgix.net/Dear-Sir-MixCollage-17-Aug-2024-10-07-AM-4421-8.17.24.jpg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&q=75&auto=format%2Ccompress&ar=16%3A9&fit=crop)
Documentary About Wyoming World War II POW Wins Three Emmys
“Dear Sirs,” a documentary about Silvio Pedri, a Wyoming man who was a prisoner of war in Germany during World War II, won three Emmy Awards last month. The film was produced by Silvio's grandson Mark of Rock Springs.
Amber SteinmetzAugust 17, 2024
![Mac Sabbath, the parody heavy metal tribute band of English heavy metal group Black Sabbath, played at the Lincoln in Cheyenne on Wednesday, August 14, 2024](https://cowboystatedaily.imgix.net/mac-sabbath-8-15-24.jpg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&q=75&auto=format%2Ccompress&ar=16%3A9&fit=crop)
Mac Sabbath Brings Its Weird Tribute To Black Sabbath & McDonald’s To Cheyenne
Mac Sabbath is a weird Black Sabbath cover band that melds heavy metal with McDonald’s food. Fronted by Ronald Osbourne with Slayer MacCheeze on guitar, Grimalice on bass, and Catburglar on drums, the tour stopped in Cheyenne this week and was hilariously good.
Mark HeinzAugust 17, 2024
![Super moon](https://cowboystatedaily.imgix.net/Super-moon.jpg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&q=75&auto=format%2Ccompress&ar=16%3A9&fit=crop)
Rare Super Blue Moon Will Look Huge Over Wyoming On Monday
The calendar has conspired to make Monday’s full moon pretty rare. It also will be a supermoon, which means it will look huge, and also is a blue moon and something called a sturgeon moon, like the fish.
Andrew RossiAugust 17, 2024
![A line backs up all the way from the White Hall dormitory to the Washakie Dining Center on the University of Wyoming campus during Move-In Day on Friday.](https://cowboystatedaily.imgix.net/Move-in-day-UW-line-hell-8.16.24.jpeg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&q=75&auto=format%2Ccompress&ar=16%3A9&fit=crop)
Broken Dorm Elevators, Road Work Add To Move-In Day Nightmare At UW
Move-in day for University of Wyoming freshmen and their parents is usually barely controlled chaos. Add broken elevators, long lines and road construction all around the main campus and Friday’s move-in day was a nightmare for some.
Mark HeinzAugust 16, 2024
!["September Tempers," a bronze by T.D. Kelsey in the gallery of the 43rd Buffalo Bill Art Show and Sale at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West in Cody.](https://cowboystatedaily.imgix.net/Cody-art-show-IMG_2505-8.15.24.jpeg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&q=75&auto=format%2Ccompress&ar=16%3A9&fit=crop)
Cody Show To Debut One-Of-A-Kind Chris Navarro Bronze That Survived Foundry Fire
The Buffalo Bill Art Show and Sale is among the preeminent Western art events in the world. This year’s show starts Saturday and will feature the debut of a one-of-a-kind bronze by Wyoming’s Chris Navarro that survived a Cody foundry fire.
Andrew RossiAugust 15, 2024
![Gus is a 20-year-old quarter horse that lives near Cody Middle School and loves people, especially kids. He’s super-friendly and comes running to meet kids after the bell rings every morning and afternoon.](https://cowboystatedaily.imgix.net/Gus-the-super-friendly-horse-2-8.14.24.jpg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&q=75&auto=format%2Ccompress&ar=16%3A9&fit=crop)
Meet Gus, The Super-Friendly 1,200-Pound Horse Who Comes Running For Cody Kids
Gus is a 20-year-old quarter horse that lives near Cody Middle School and loves people, especially kids. He’s super-friendly and comes running to meet kids every morning and afternoon.
Mark HeinzAugust 15, 2024
![The Pony Express collection of Joe Nardone has an estimated $1.5 million worth of artifacts, some of which he wanted the Fort Caspar Museum to have as the northernmost outpost on the Pony Express route.](https://cowboystatedaily.imgix.net/Joe-Nardone-collection-2-2.18.24.jpg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&q=75&auto=format%2Ccompress&ar=16%3A9&fit=crop)
National Casper Pony Express Museum Begins With Donation Of $1.5M Collection
Casper City Council accepted the donation of a $1.5 million Pony Express collection Tuesday. It's the first step in bringing a national Pony Express museum to Wyoming.
Dale KillingbeckAugust 14, 2024
![Hazel Baumberger is 108 and South Dakota's oldest person. She also attended the first Sturgis Motorcycle Ralley in 1938. Not able to attend this year, some Sturgis rallygoers brought the party to her with a drive-by Rally to Hazel on Monday.](https://cowboystatedaily.imgix.net/Rally-to-Hazel-2-8.13.24.jpg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&q=75&auto=format%2Ccompress&ar=16%3A9&fit=crop)
Sturgis Bikers Give 108-Year-Old South Dakota Woman Her Own Private Rally
After Sturgis, some of the motorcycle rallygoers held another small rally at Hazel Baumberger’s senior living center Monday. The 108-year-old woman is South Dakota’s oldest person and attended the first Sturgis rally in 1938.
Justin GeorgeAugust 13, 2024
![Breanna Klamm Whitlock of Buffalo, Wyoming, was shooting photos of the aurora when a bright Persieds meteor also streaked across the sky.](https://cowboystatedaily.imgix.net/Persieds-and-aurora-8.12.24.jpg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&q=75&auto=format%2Ccompress&ar=16%3A9&fit=crop)
Epic Year For Auroras Over Wyoming May Have Just Gone Legendary
What’s already been an epic year for colorful auroras over Wyoming may have just gone legendary early Monday. Another spectacular celestial lights show likely peaked, but expect more through the rest of the year.
Andrew RossiAugust 12, 2024
![The Presieds Meteor Shower reaches its peak over Wyoming this week, with the best time to see them early Tuesday morning. This composite photo fo 23 images shows the Persieds over the Snowy Range during the 2012 showr.](https://cowboystatedaily.imgix.net/Perseid-meteor-shower-over-the-Snowy-Range-composite-of-23-images-taken-in-2012-David-Kingham-via-Flickr-8.12.24.jpg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&q=75&auto=format%2Ccompress&ar=16%3A9&fit=crop)
Perseids Meteor Shower Peaks Over Wyoming Early Tuesday
The prolific Perseids Meteor Shower hits its peak early Tuesday morning over Wyoming. From a dark spot, people could see as many as 100 meteors per hour streak across the sky.
Andrew RossiAugust 12, 2024
![Curtis Weigold’s mugshot taken following his booking into the Natrona County Jail in 1934.](https://cowboystatedaily.imgix.net/Teen-Gangster-Weigold-8.11.24.jpeg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&q=75&auto=format%2Ccompress&ar=16%3A9&fit=crop)
Wyoming History: The ‘Tough Luck’ Teen Gangster Who Ran Into A Tougher Sheriff
A wild South Dakota 16-year-old “tough luck” gangster in a stolen car killed a Douglas man in a crash and shot the sheriff three times in 1934. But he ran into a tougher Wyoming sheriff, who kept getting shot but survived every time.
Dale KillingbeckAugust 11, 2024
![Eastern Wyoming College’s Ryder Tillard of Douglas competes in Fortnite during the National Junior College Athletic Association Esports Summer Series. Tillard recently earned the ‘Unreal” ranking in the game, which is held by 0.007% of the 500 million players worldwide.](https://cowboystatedaily.imgix.net/Ryder-Tillard-Esports-8.11.24.jpg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&q=75&auto=format%2Ccompress&ar=16%3A9&fit=crop)
Wyoming Teen Ranked Among The Best Fortnite Players On The Planet
Ryder Tillard of Douglas recently achieved the highest rank in the online video game Fortnite. That puts the 19-year-old among the top 0.2% of the more than 3.8 million ranked players worldwide.
Amber SteinmetzAugust 11, 2024