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How to Read a Cemetery - Episode 19

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Listen to the episode here . Subscribe by finding Wyoming My 307 wherever you listen to podcasts (it’s free!).  Have you ever wandered through a cemetery? Wondered about the life lived in that little dash between two dates? I visited a lot of local cemeteries for this episode, and today’s featured Wyoming wildlife kept me company. On this episode I was privileged to interview someone who shares my fascination with cemeteries, Jennifer Romanosky, of the Jim Gatchell Memorial Museum. Through her expertise, we decipher the symbolism engraved on headstones, and how they offer a unique peek into a person’s life. The dot on the map in this episode is Basin WY, an unassuming little town that was the stage for one of Wyoming’s most historically important court trials.    Here are some links I used to research today’s episode:  Check out the Jim Gatchell Memorial Museum - such a gem! They have a cemetery tour in the fall.  Jennifer Romanovsky mentioned the Images of America Series by Arcadia P
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Coal in Wyoming: Episode 18

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Listen to the episode  here . You can also subscribe by searching for Wyoming My 307 wherever you listen to podcasts.  Too often, the coal industry is boiled down to an argument of good or bad, for or against. I interviewed Dr. Holly Krutka of the University of Wyoming, who gave us a much more nuanced look at this critically important Wyoming industry. I was also lucky to find some really great oral histories at the Wyoming State Archives. We get to hear from two old timers who were born in coal camps, and I even shared a personal perspective of coal mining in my own family. Our dot on the map is Donkey Town - well, that’s what it was originally called but you’ll have to listen to the podcast for the full story. Lastly, I also had a chance to delve into our state bird, Sturnella Neglecta, commonly known as the Western Meadowlark.   Learn more about the University of Wyoming School of Energy Resources where Dr. Holly Krutka is the Executive Director. Here’s Holly testifying to the Sena
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Bar Culture in Wyoming: Episode 17

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Listen to the episode here .  You can also subscribe by searching for Wyoming My 307 wherever you listen to podcasts.   Every time I go into a Wyoming bar, I’m pretty sure I’ll come out with a funny story. Did you hear the one about the coyote and badger that walked into a bar? No? I guess you’ll have to listen to the episode. Today features Julianne Couch, author of Jukeboxes and Jackalopes. We giggled a lot and got surprisingly philosophical - I promise we weren’t drinking! She guides us through a lot of Wyoming bars, mostly small town ones and we discussed what makes Wyoming bar culture unique. Hartville is the Dot on the Map - it’s Wyoming’s oldest continuously populated settler town, which features the historic Miner’s and Stockmen’s Saloon.   Some additional details on what was discussed in the episode: Here’s where you can buy Jukeboxes and Jackalopes , by Julianne Couch, and her website with more information on the author.  Julianne made me wish I’d had the chance to meet Mike
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Christmas in Wyoming 2023

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Listen to the Christmas in Wyoming 2023 episode here . ( You can also subscribe by searching for Wyoming My 307 wherever you listen to podcasts.) Happy Holidays! To quote Owen Wister in A Journey in Search of Christmas, I have left this reboot episode " until the lastest day"! I hope I catch you while you’re still in the Christmas spirit, and that 2024 brings you health, happiness and peace. In this second Christmas special episode of Wyoming My 307, the German influence of Christmas in Wyoming features strongly. From the first “decorated Christmas in Wyoming” (Wyoming Historical Society) through the early settler period, WWII, and more, Wyoming Christmas has reflected the people and historical events at that time. The Wyoming Historical Society describes this as Wyoming’s first “decorated” Christmas. It’s definitely one of Wyoming’s first Christmas celebrations.    A Journey in Search of Christmas, by Owen Wister starts with the story of the Governor of Wyoming, out doing s
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A Japanese-American in Small Town WY: Episode 15

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Listen to the episode here . You can also subscribe by searching for Wyoming My 307 wherever you listen to podcasts. Look for many more photos, and information, on the Wyoming My 307 Instagram feed !  Wyoming’s treasures include turtles who can breathe underwater, a small town that moved across the river, and history makers such as Grant Ujifusa. He went from being a star on the high school football team to editor of a prestigious political best-seller. Grant convinced President Reagan to issue redress and an apology to Japanese Americans for their incarceration in WWII. Grant’s accomplishments have resulted in recognition not only in the Worland Warrior Hall of Fame, but in receiving the Order of the Rising Sun award from the Emperor of Japan! This episode shares one complex story of growing up Japanese in Wyoming, and the personal impact of that experience.   Worland Worland aquatic center has it all!  Washakie Museum and Cultural Center Gooseberry Badlands just outside of town  A
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Location: Worland, WY 82401, USA
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