How to Read a Cemetery - Episode 19

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 Publishing - these are widely available. Buy online, or from a local museum if you get a chance!  

  • Find a grave, searchable website with most of the graves in the US.

  • On the episode I mentioned Cloretta and Behrooz Bazri’s headstone, which is at the Donald J Ruhl Memorial Cemetery in Greybull. I got really curious about them and fell into a rabbit hole of research. Here’s what I learned.   

  • Wyoming State Archives - pics and audio

  • Evanston cemetery walking tour - pamphlet

  • According to Reader’s Digest, the Carbon Cemetery in the ghost town of Carbon is the oldest cemetery in Wyoming

  • According to the Carbon County website there are 11 towns in the county + 10 ghost towns

  • History of Basin, and also this 

  • Spring Creek Raid trial information. Also if you’re ever at the Washakie County Museum, they have an excellent exhibit about the raid, including some artifacts. 

  • Learn about Wyoming owls here, and if you get a chance, check out the Raptor Experience at the Buffalo Bill Museum, and meet Teasdale (an owl)

  • Learn more about Great Horned Owls

  • Bighorn River Blueway has started to be built out - learn more here 

  • This website is where I got my Great Horned Owl Sounds (but you can hear what I heard by following me on Instagram!)

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