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2015: FREE TRAVEL GUIDE TO POWELL AND THE GREATER YELLOWSTONE AREA Photo by Neale Blank
What’s inside?
■ C H I E F J O SE P H A N D B E A RT O O T H S : A Y E L L OWST ON E V I SI T OR’ S B ON U S ■ JA PA N E SE A M E R IC A N S C ON F I N E D H E R E I N WA K E OF P E A R L HA R B OR ■ AV IAT R I X A M E L IA E A R HA RT ’ S M E E T E E T SE DR E A M U N F U L F I L L E D
Kids, Kritters &
Kool Knights
2015 GRANDSTAND EVENTS:
Tuesday, July 21 --- Pig Mud Wrestling Wednesday, July 22 --- Knights of Valour Thursday, July 23 --- Chris Cagle in Concert Friday, July 23 --- Endurocross Saturday, July 25 --- Demolition Derby
July 21-25 • Park County fairgrounds
POWELL, WYOMING • WWW.PARKCOUNTYFAIR.COM • 307-754-5421
What’s
INSIDE
Going Boating or Camping? Call ahead and order Chester Chicken plus all the good stuff from our deli to make a complete picnic. 30,025 Whopping Square Feet of Shopping Space!
Park County Fair PAGE 10
Come in and see our World War II Memorial Displays!
Homesteader Museum PAGE 16
Amelia Earhart PAGE 26
True to the “Super Market” concept... WE HAVE IT ALL!! Especially a huge supply of craft products. Many shops in one Giant store!
Yellowstone PAGE 33 Powell Tribune Publication 128 South Bent, Powell, WY 307-754-2221 www.powelltribune.com
About our cover A black bear sow and her cubs charm the crowd on the banks of Calcite Lake near Tower in Yellowstone National Park. Photographer Neale Blank called it a ‘Wyoming-style traffic jam.’ Photo by Neale Blank
IF YOU NEED... • pillows • bedding • wash cloths • socks • underwear or automotive supplies... WE’VE GOT THEM! A baby section • clothes • toys • cards • magazines • picture frames • Rubbermaid items... WE’VE GOT THEM. School supplies • office supplies • shavers or wedding gifts... UH, HUH, WE’VE GOT THEM. Crafts for the road or home YOU BET! Flowers • kitchenware • hardware... WE’VE GOT IT ALL!
• Produce • Groceries • Meat • Bakery • Hot & Cold Deli • Picnic Supplies
• Ice/Pop • Crafts • Sundries • C. R. Package Liquor • V&S Variety
• Western Union • Stamps • Fax Machine • Video Rentals • Redi-Cash • ATM Plus
e l p p et k r A a rm e d p u Re S& Variety
The
9 East Main • Lovell, WY 307-548-2224 • Fax: 307-548-7074 ON THE ROAD » PAGE 3
CRAGGY BIGHORN CANYON A slice of the Old West For any traveler on U.S. 14-A, Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area is a “must see” scenic wonder. The park straddles the Big Horn River from just east of Lovell into Montana. A lake created by Yellowtail Dam stretches more than 70 miles through the canyon. Bighorn Canyon is administered by the National Park Service. A day pass into the area is $5, and can be purchased at an automated fee machine when entering the area. The Cal S. Taggart Visitor Center at U.S. 14-A and U.S. 310 in Lovell sells annual passes. Boating, fishing and other water sports are at the heart of Bighorn Canyon’s offerings. A trip down the canyon between walls and spires towering 500 feet above the water is a spectacular experience. Boats may be launched at Kane off U.S. 14-A, Horseshoe Bend and Barry’s Landing. Commercial boat rides are available. At Devil’s Canyon overlook, visitors can get a dizzying view of the lake below. The area is noted for the Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range. It is home to a unique band
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ON THE ROAD
File photo
of horses descended from mustangs brought to the area by Spanish explorers. Four historic ranch sites tell the story of early ranching and of colorful characters such as Caroline Lockhart, a writer who bought a ranch in the 1920s and operated it until age and health forced her from ranching life. The park contains more than 25 miles of hiking trails. Camping is available in the park at devel-
oped and primitive sites. All campsites are first-come, first-served and no reservations are accepted. Some campsites are free. Ranger programs are offered on weekend evenings through the summer at Horseshoe Bend. Information about Bighorn Canyon NRA is available through the area’s website at nps. gov/bica, or by contacting the visitor’s center in Lovell at 307-548-2251.
On the Road
Your Outdoor Adventure
TO YELLOWSTONE One of the best things travelers will find on their 14-A adventure between Burgess Junction and Yellowstone National Park are two especially enjoyable stretches of the highway itself. On the east end, from Burgess Junction across the top and down the Big Horn Mountains’ west face switchbacks to the bottom, is a drive that offers among the most breathtaking vistas to be found anywhere. But equally appealing — to driving enthusiasts and especially those in a sports car or astride a motorcycle — is the design of the road itself. Initially named Wyoming Wonderland Way, a moniker that earned Powell resident Pat Deming a hundred bucks in a naming contest, the mountainous east end of U.S. 14-A opened with a dedication ceremony on June 24, 1983. During construction, all 57 miles of the route from Burgess Junction to Lovell, which took 19 years from start to completion, required 17 separate highway contracts and came with a price tag of $23.5 million. By itself, the 5.5 miles from bottom to top of the west face of the mountain near Lovell cost $11.5 million. In the time it took for this marvelous feat of engineering and construction to be completed, three different governors served the citizens of Wyoming. The marvelous curves and grades make for a great driving experience — within the confines of the liberal speed limits, of course — whether going up or
coming down. Signs on the serpentine downward course suggest lower gears and it’s solid advice. The brake pedal is best left alone on the descent except for a tap or two from time to time as needed. Let the transmission hold you back when descending and save the brakes in case you really, really need them. Awaiting 14-A adventurers on the west end of their journey to Yellowstone National Park is a wide and smooth North Fork Highway. Beginning at the Shoshone National Forest boundary west of Cody near the community of Wapiti, and continuing from there to Yellowstone’s East Gate, is a highway that required three independent phases of construction. This piece of road is far less vertical and winding than its counterpart on the west slope of the Big Horns, and in fact climbs gently uphill to the East Gate of the park. People, campgrounds and guest lodges are much more in evidence, too, but don’t be fooled: the drive through Wapiti Valley to the tiny community of the same name, then on west through the Shoshone National Forest to Yellowstone, is home to fascinating rock formations, mountain river views, world-class wild trout fishing and an abundance of wildlife — from mountain blue birds to moose and grizzly bears — that are all second to none. Enjoy the drive. U.S. 14-A country has it all.
U.S 14-A offers two great drives
Starts Here!
Photo courtesy PryorWild
L OV E L L
A R E A
F E AT U R E S :
» Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area » Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range » Big Horn National Forest and the mysterious Medicine Wheel • FREE camper facilities • Three town parks - including picnic shelter and kiddie pool • Foster Gulch Golf Course
• Veteran’s memorial & spectacular murals • Public Swimming Pool • Main Street Shopping
C E L E B R AT E H O M E T O W N H O L I DAYS
• Hyart Film Festival --------------------- June 18-20 • Lovell Mustang Days ------------------- June 23-27 • Byron Days ------------------------------ July 6-11 • Big Horn Lake Celebration & Triathlon - July 18 • Cowley Pioneer Day-------------------- July 25 • Big Horn County Fair ------------------ July 27-Aug. 2
Lovell Area
Chamber
of
Commerce
Call 307-548-7552
10%
Lovell’s Top Choice For Off Your Meal Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner! with this coupon Brandin’ Iron, No photocopies
483 Shoshone Ave. Lovell, WY - (307) 548-9370
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www.lovellchamber.com email: lovell@tctwest.net 287 E. Main, Lovell, WY 82431 Town of Lovell, 307-548-6551 www.townoflovell.com
Find us on Facebook
ON THE ROAD » PAGE 5
On a wind-swept plateau nearly 10,000 feet in elevation, the Medicine Wheel stands as a sacred site and source of spiritual power to Native Americans. The arrangement of local limestone rocks in the shape of a wheel atop the Big Horn Mountains swirls amid curiosity and controversy over its origins as well as present day use of the national historic landmark. “We believe that it’s a source of power,” said Francis Brown, a Northern Arapahoe tribal elder. Astronomical and calendar functions served by the wheel are secondary to the site’s source of
religious power to Native Americans, says Gregory Campbell, a University of Montana anthropologist. Campbell believes the arrangement of stones in an 80-foot diameter circle with 28 “spokes” radiating from a central cairn should be called “a sacred universe” to native peoples. After years of negotiations by various Native American tribes with federal officials, the Medicine Wheel/Medicine Mountain National Historic Landmark site was expanded to 4,080 acres last year. The U.S. Forest Service administers the site,
which is in the Bighorn National Forest. Brown said Native Americans saved the wheel from “being destroyed by tourism” due to the erosion caused by so many people at the site. The site will be “open to anybody, but you have to walk,” he said. People must walk about a mile to the wheel from a parking area. Visitors can reach the Medicine Wheel by turning north off U.S. 14-A near the Bald Mountain campground 34 miles east of Lovell. A sign reading “Medicine Wheel Archeological Site” indicates the turnoff with the white dome of a Federal Aviation Administration radar station visible at the turnoff. The road is usually clear of snow by the end of June. Visitors are also asked not to go to the wheel during certain times when Native American religious ceremonies are conducted, such as at the summer solstice.
Tribune file photo by Gib Mathers
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ON THE ROAD
Queen Bee Gardens
Creating candy from local honey Making a myriad of honey-sweetened candies starts with tiny bees buzzing around alfalfa fields. The hardworking honeybees help Queen Bee Gardens in Lovell create thousands of candies each year. Using honey as the main ingredient, the possibilities abound: caramel, almond, coconut, creamy fudge, pecan pearl, strawberry lemonade and flavors still in the works.
Like bees in a hive, members of the Zeller family each have specific tasks in operating two businesses — Zeller & Sons Honey Company, which oversees beehives and honey production, and Queen Bee Gardens, which makes and distributes honey candies. Queen Bee Gardens is located at 244 E. Main Street in Lovell. From the base of the Big Horn Mountains to the
Gene Zeller explains how a machine works at Queen Bee Gardens in Lovell during a Powell Valley Community Education Tour. The Zeller family has operated the business for decades. Tribune file photo by Carla Wensky
SPICE UP YOUR LIFE! Have an Ice Cold Cerveza and enjoy the
North Fork of the Shoshone River, the Zellers have about 3,000 colonies of bees in the region. The family’s honey business began in the 1940s when Clarence and Bessie Zeller started producing honey on their farm near Lovell, using the wild bees Clarence’s father gathered from the Shoshone River bottoms. Using an old family recipe from Bessie’s ancestors in Scotland, the Zellers started making honey candy in 1976. Soon the family was developing new candy recipes. Today, the business has grown to include dozens of candy varieties, shipping to all 50 states and a few international countries. In the field of honey-sweetened candies, the Zellers are pioneers. “We make everything with honey,” said Jason Zeller, who works at Queen Bee Gardens. Clarence and Bessie have passed away, but their descendants continue to operate the family businesses, each taking on different responsibilities. Working together, the Zellers keep family business traditions alive while also trying new methods for flavors of honey. “We’re always experimenting,” said Jason Zeller, noting he’s working on four or five new flavors. The biggest part of the business is selling to stores that re-sell the candy. With honey as the main sweetener, the candy often appeals to health food stores.
Dive in!
• Obstacle Course • Leisure Pool • Lazy River • Lap Pool • Fun For Everyone!
Best Authentic Mexican Food in Yellowstone country!
Dine In or Take Out Atendidos Por La Familia Acevedo
Just off Hwy 14A • 307-754-0639 • In Homesteader Park in Powell
w w w. p o w e l l a q u a t i c s. c o m
112 North Bent Street ~ Downtown Powell ~ 307-754-8085
POOL HOURS: Monday-Friday from 5:30am to 8pm • Saturday & Sunday from Noon to 5pm ON THE ROAD » PAGE 7
The home of Northwest College has a progressive business climate, excellent shopping and dining, plus a visitors center to assist in travels and tour planning.
U P C O M I N G Lions Car Show----------------------------------------------May 23 Summer in the Park Free Concert Series ----------June 12-19 Alumni Centennial Celebration Weekend ---------June 26-27 Summer in the Park Free Concert Series -------------- July 10 Little League Tournament ----------------------------- Juy 13-18 Park County Fair---------------------------------------- July 21-25 Park County Fair Parade ---------------------------------- July 25 Summer in the Park Free Concert Series ------------August 7 Arts Festival ----------------------------------------- August 13-15 Wings N Wheels------------------------------------- August 14-15
E V E N T S
Mounted Shooting Regional Competition----- August 14-15 Summer in the Park Free Concert Series ---------- August 21 Cycle Greater Yellowstone----------------------------- August 21 Play In Powell ------------------------------------------- August 22 Homesteader Days Festival Weekend-------September 11-12 Powelloween Treat Street ---------------------------- October 31 Sample the Season ---------------------------------- November 20 Shop Small Saturday ------------------------------- November 28 Country Christmas -------------------------------- December 4-6
Powell Valley Chamber of Commerce AND VISITORS CENTER
1 1 1 S O U T H D AY ST R E ET ~ P.O. B OX 8 1 4 • P O W E L L , W YO M I N G 8 2 4 3 5 (307) 754-3494 • 1-800-325-4278 • FAX: (307) 754-3483 • www.powellchamber.org ~ info@powellchamber.org
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ON THE ROAD
Enjoy our hometown Wyoming atmosphere at numerous community events. Here, a crowd of visitors partakes in the annual Homesteader Days Festival held each September.
Tribune file photo by Kevin Kinzley
Powell Aquatic Center Features fun for the family
Located in Homesteader Park just off U.S. 14-A, the Powell Aquatic Center features two pools. The new facility, completed in 2010, has a leisure pool with a beach entry, splash pad, continuous river, Pepsi water walk, mountain slide and bench area for relaxing. An eight-lane
pool ranges from 4-12 feet deep with plenty of room for exercise and enjoyment. The aquatic center is open from 5:30 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday through Friday; noon-5 p.m. on weekends. Daily admission to the pool is $5 for adults
Summer Hours: Friday: 11AM-2PM, 5-9PM Wed-Sat: 11AM-2PM, 5-8PM Sunday: 10AM-1:30PM Homemade gourmet dishes prepared fresh daily, and a casual friendly dining atmosphere. Also offering gluten free and lactose free options. A real gem that you wouldn't want to miss.
We offer the best in fine family dining!
The Depot - Fine family dining 117 S. Bent St. Powell, WY - 307-764-7245
Camping, Fishing & RV Supplies! Getting help at Ace is like going to your neighbor!
(22-59), $4 for seniors (60 and over) and $4 for youth (3 to 21). Punch passes and memberships also are available. For more information, visit www.powell aquatics.com or call 307-754-0639.
• Hospital • Urgent Care Clinic • Physician Clinics • Home Care • Hospice • Assisted Living • Care Center • OB Services • Emergency Your Community Medical Svcs. Health Partner • Rehab Svcs. 307.754.2267 • www.pvhc.org • 777 Ave. H, Powell, WY 82435 • Find us on Facebook
This challenging 18-hole layout is labeled a “must play!” p y Northwest Wyoming’s
Stop in for live bait (worms). N
Bent Street
-A /14 nue e v A lter Cou
214 North Bent Street • Powell • 307-754-5811
600 Hwy 114 - 6 miles east of Powell, WY - 307-754-7259 - www.powellgolfclub.org ON THE ROAD » PAGE 9
ENJOY THE PARK COUNTY
FAIR
Tribune file photo by Carla Wensky
Tuesday-Saturday, July 21-25 Park County is proud as punch of its annual summer fair, and U.S. 14-A travelers are more than welcome to join locals for tons of fun. All it takes is to be passing through Powell the week of July 21-25. This year’s fair — themed “Kids, Kritters & Kool Knights” — celebrates the pride residents have for their county fair. The Park County Fair opens with an evening of raucous pig mud wrestling on Tuesday, July 21, in front of the grandstand. The carnival officially opens on the midway Wednesday, July 22, at noon and will continue daily from noon to midnight through Saturday. Knights of Valour take to the arena on Wednesday, a returning event this year. American country music artist Chris Cagle is the headliner for this year’s fair. He will perform on Thursday, July 23. On Friday evening, the Endurocross races return to the fair. Saturday is parade day at the Park County Fair. The kids’ day parade will fill Bent Street in downtown Powell Saturday morning, followed by the main fair parade in all its color and pageantry. The ever-popular demolition derby closes out fair week on Saturday night. The crash ‘em up action is cosponsored in a partnership between the fair and the Powell Lions Club. Knights of Valour will joust at the Park County Fair on Wednesday, July 22. » Cont’d
Featuring nightly specials and a variety of entertainment! Tr Traditional and gourmet pizzas, steaks an and other entrées, pastas, sandwiches, sa salads, burgers and wraps, delicious da daily soups and specials!
CODY
736 Yellowstone Ave
307-527-7819
POWELL
855 E Coulter
307-754-9588
PIZZAHUT.COM from our
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220 East First Street in Downtown Powell • 307-754-3629 PAGE 10 »
ON THE ROAD
First & Bent Streets in Downtown Powell • 307-754-2191
Kids enjoy carnival rides and other entertainment at the annual Park County Fair in Powell in July. Tribune file photo by Ilene Olson As always, the Park County Fair will also feature a wide variety of continuous entertainment by cloggers, musicians, a magic show and hypnotist on the free stage. This year’s schedule includes Young Guns of the Wild West, caricatures by Connie, hypnotist and magician Michael Mesmer, comedy ventriloquist Jim Adams and more. Enjoy a wonderful selection of foods from dozens of vendors and buildings filled with exhibits — from canned goods to culinary to clothing. Like all good county fairs, this one will host non-stop 4-H and FFA contests revolving around dogs, cats, poultry, swine, sheep, rabbits, goats, cattle, horses and perhaps even the odd canary or
hedgehog. To find the Park C ounty Fairgrounds, head north on any through street from U.S. 14-A to Fifth Street, then simply roll down the windows and let the delightful smells of the food court lead you by the nose straight to all the excitement in the northeast quadrant of Powell. Daily gate admission is $5 per person — children 12 and younger are admitted free. Weekly passes are available for $10. Daily parking passes are $5, and weekly parking passes can be purchased for $10. For parade info, call the Powell Valley Chamber of Commerce at 307-754-3494. For fair info, visit www.park countyfair.com, see the fair’s Facebook page or call 307-754-5421.
Park County Fair entertainment includes: • Tuesday: Pig Wrestling, free event, however, fair patrons must pay gate fee to get into the fair • Wednesday: Jousting with Knights of Valour, $15 adults, $10 youth • Thursday: Concert, Chris Cagle, $20/seat • Friday: Endurocross, $15 adults/$10 youth • Saturday: Demo Derby, bench seats $15, box seats $18, bleachers $20
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307-527-5505 Located at US Hwy 14-16-20 and 26th Street 2 minutes West of Yellowstone Regional Airport • www.beartoothinn.com
Wyoming Inn: 720 Yellowstone Avenue • 307-587-4208
Driving through Wyoming? Be sure to visit our other properties. Call for reservations.
MOTEL 6 IN RIVERTON ~ 307-856-9201 SUPER 8 IN RIVERTON ~ 307-857-2400 ON THE ROAD » PAGE 11
Up to par
Powell Golf Club open daily i 8am m-d dusk Additional info: www.powellgolfclub.oorg • 307-75 75475 4-72 7 59 What better to break up the days in the car than a few whacks on the local golf course. At Powell, the golf is more than just another “local” layout. It’s golf designed to challenge and entertain the aficionados of the sport with two entirely different sides of an 18-hole course. The back nine was redesigned and rebuilt in a massive makeover in 2003, and the vastly enlarged greens are a prime feature. But the big greens are the singular distinguishing characteristic. Putting is a challenge. The huge, undulating greens have three-putt written all over them. If that’s not enough, the well-placed and plentiful sand traps give the golfer plenty to think about. On the other side of the course, the front nine layout was completed in the mid-1990s and reflects the influence of present-day golf architecture. It’s clearly a case of “welcome to target golf” on the front side, an outward cir-
cuit into desert-like sagebrush and rock country. Even though water is very much at a premium in the upper rim of the valley, the course’s signature hole, No. 4, brings the wet stuff into play on a dramatic par 3. Golfers better hope the wind isn’t blowing. The front side finishing hole, No. 9, is another tantalizing test. A wide, usually downwind fairway beckons off the tee on this par 5. But to get to the large ninth green, the golfer is faced with a second-shot decision. A wide drainage ditch lurks some 140 yards from the green. Golfers must pick their poison: let ‘er rip and try to carry the ditch on the second shot, or play it close to the vest and lay up short. The Powell Golf Course is a public course and welcomes non-member, green fee players. The complex includes a clubhouse, pro shop and a fleet of carts. The Powell Golf Club sits 7 miles east of the City of Powell off Wyoming Highway 114. Tribune file photo by Dante Geoffrey
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ON THE ROAD
140 N. Bent Street • Powell • 307-754-2031 .ORTH "ENT 3TREET s 0OWELL s 3ODA &OUNTAIN (OURS - & AM PM ^ ! 'REAT 0LACE FOR ,UNCH
O F T H E P O W E L L VA L L E Y.
111 South Day, Powell, Wyoming
Nestled between the picturesque Big Horn and Absaroka mountain ranges of Northwest Wyoming, Powell is a community historically rooted in agriculture. Early in the 20th century, homesteaders around Powell were rewarded with life-sustaining irrigation water when the United States Reclamation Service established the dams and canals of the Shoshone Irrigation Project. Today, what was once a barren, desert-like landscape has been transformed into fields and pastures capable of producing a rich variety of crops, forages and livestock. Farmers around Powell excel at producing malt barley, edible beans, sugar beets and alfalfa; while local ranchers proudly raise cattle, horses and sheep, sustainably and efficiently. The Powell Valley Chamber of Commerce can help you learn more about the agriculture industry in and around Powell by customizing a tour for you or your group. Learn about area crops, livestock production, irrigation systems and more from area farmers and ranchers. Here at the Chamber we offer customized agriculture tours for groups, organizations, families and individuals. Area farmers and ranchers who participate in our agro tourism ventures realize the value that consumers place on visiting rural settings where food is produced, and they strive to provide tours that are informative, pleasurable and inspiring. Powell was incorporated in 1909, having been named after Major John Wesley Powell who was one of the first to explore the Grand Canyon of the Colorado River and former Director of the U.S. Geological Survey. Powell is only 20 minutes from historic Cody, Wyoming. Contact us and let us arrange a customized tour for you!
307-754-3494
Customized tours for: Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations
Powell Valley Chamber of Commerce
www.powellchamber.org
Tour area farms and ranches - See area crops, livestock production, irrigation systems and more ON THE ROAD Âť PAGE 13
Tribune file photo by Kevin Kinzley
An up-close look at
agriculture
Powell’s roots are in agriculture and so is its future. As technology advances, its effects on agriculture can affect the whole community. Powell was founded on agriculture from its beginnings as Camp Coulter in the heart of the Shoshone Irrigation Project. Visitors to the area can get a first-hand look at modern agriculture by touring area farms with the Powell Valley Chamber of Commerce. Tours generally include local farms producing sugar beets, pinto beans, barley and sometimes other specialty or unique crops. Tours are offered for individuals or groups. At least two people must sign up for these individual tours. Group tours are offered for groups of five or more people. Tour prices do not include lodging or meals, but offer a guided tour of farms on the Powell flat. One-day tours include local farms and area attractions. Twoday tours are offered that include one day of farm visits and a second day that includes a visit to the Heart Mountain Interpretive Center and
the Pryor Mountain Mustang Center. Tours are given by appointment throughout the summer, but no tours will be given the last week of July during the Park County Fair. The Powell Valley Chamber of Commerce operates a visitor center at 111 S. Day St. (P.O.
Box 1258) in downtown Powell. The visitor center offers maps, tourist information about Park County attractions as well as Yellowstone National Park. Call the chamber at 307-754-3494 or 800325-4278 or email info@powellchamber.org
northwestcollege.edu NWC is an EOI
PAGE 14 »
ON THE ROAD
Just minutes from Cody! FREE Expanded Continental Breakfast.
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1-307-754-7231 1-800-800-8000 » PAGE 15
Homesteader Museum Presents
Photo courtesy Rowene Weems
HOMESTEADER MUSEUM
Best hidden treasure’
‘
in Wyoming
From the first settlers who vowed to “turn the desert green,” to the modern-day residents who populate the valley — Homesteader Museum offers a look through the ages. The log cabin-style Homesteader Museum, just off Highway 14-A in Powell, houses a collection that chronicles the history of the Powell Valley. Founded in 1968 and encompassing more than 10,000 square feet of space, Homesteader Museum has a number of permanent exhibits and photographs, including vintage barbershop, clothing, kitchen, cameras and a hunting and fishing display featuring antique firearms and fishing poles, to name a few. The museum’s summer exhibit is “Garland: The Town Forgotten,” highlighting the once lively early 1900s community that later faded from prominence. The exhibit opens June 4 and remains on display through Oct. 2. The Homesteader Days Festival Weekend Sept. 11-12 promises fun for the entire family, featuring kids games, pony cart rides, fiddlers and car, tractor and truck show. Learn more about Powell’s past on a history walk and see historic machinery and watch a blacksmith demonstration during the festival. The festival features a street dance, PAGE 16 »
ON THE ROAD
free dance lessons and a live band at Plaza Diane in downtown Powell on Sept. 11. This autumn, Homesteader Museum will be home to the Haunted Homesteader on Halloween. The museum then hosts the exhibit “Only the Shadow Knows,” featuring images with the photographer’s shadow. The new exhibit opens Oct. 8. The museum’s permanent collection of historical memorabilia also includes a photographic history of the Shoshone Reclamation Project that brought water to the valley and made possible the lush agriculture that visitors marvel at today. The exhibit spotlighting the story surrounding the legendary outlaw Earl Durand is a continuing fascination. The museum also features the Bever Homestead, a 1913 homesteader house moved in 2004 from its original location east of Powell. The popular renovated building offers a firsthand glimpse of the early settlers’ lifestyle. A second building is chock full of antique equipment and there is a bright red caboose on the grounds that the kids will love to explore. The Homesteader Museum is open, free to the public, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday from June through Labor Day.
Est.
June 4 - October 2, 2015
September 11-12 Homesteader Days Weekend Festival: Street Dance, Sept. 11, 7 to 10 PM FREE Dance Lessons at 6 PM
Events all day! Sept. 12
October 8
Exhibit Opens: Only the Shadow Knows October 30
Haunted Homesteader 3:30 to 5:30 PM
Summer Hours:
Tuesday - Friday 10AM - 5PM & Saturday 10AM - 2PM
754-9481 ◆ www.homesteadermuseum.com ◆
Shizuiko Morita of Virginia, a former internee at the Heart Mountain Relocation Center, is framed by historical, life-sized photos of internees while she reads information on another display at the new Heart Mountain Interpretive Center during the center’s grand opening in August 2011. The center is open daily from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. through September. Tribune file photo by Ilene Olson
Heart Mountain If you
go: The Heart Mountain WWII Japanese American Confinement site is located between Cody and Powell, on Highway 14-A. The address is 1539 Road 19, Powell, Wyo., 82435. The Interpretive Center is open daily in the summer from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $7 for adults, $5 for seniors and students and children under 12 are free. For more information please call 307-754-8000 or visit www.HeartMountain.org.
In addition to a beautiful setting, the Heart Mountain World War II Japanese American Confinement Site west of Powell offers both an artifact of World War II-era politics and hysteria, as well as a reminder of the fragility of democracy in times of conflict. Today, the site features an Interpretive Center, war memorial, walking tour and original camp structures, all dedicated to telling the stories of the 14,000 Japanese Americans confined there during World War II. The site is managed by the Heart Mountain Wyoming Foundation, a private nonprofit that formed in 1996. The Interpretive Center is the focal point of the site, featuring a museum, gallery, theater and victory garden. The area immediately surrounding the Interpretive Center evokes the sparseness of the landscape that greeted the internees when they arrived. Inside, a visit to the Center begins with a powerful film created by Oscar-winning documentarian Steven Okazaki. It is titled “All We Could Carry,” and features internees speaking directly about their experiences. The museum is punctuated by interactive exhibits featuring oral histories and original film footage from life in camp. There are also photographs, artifacts and art pieces created by internees. The building also includes two full-scale barracks rooms that have been replicated to provide an authentic portrayal of living quarters in the camp. The pieces are tied together through a narrative that allows visitors to experience life at Heart Mountain through the eyes of those who were confined there. Brian Liesinger, Executive Director of the Heart Mountain Wyoming Foundation, believes the site is not only significant historically but also for what it can teach visitors about the importance of defending civil rights, even in the most dire
A look inside the internment camp
circumstances. “This is not merely a Japanese American story. This is an American story,” he said. “We’re a country of immigrants, and this is one of our powerful immigrant stories—one that unfortunately includes a chapter on injustice.” Yet, within the Japanese American confinement, Liesinger notes stories of perseverance, loyalty and patriotism that inspire his work on a daily basis. “Somehow, they endured incarceration with grace,” he said. “To know these stories is to have a more complete understanding of what it means to be American. By knowing our faults as well as our successes, we know what it means to be better citizens.” The Interpretive Center opened amid a grand celebration in August 2011. Turning out for the event were former internees, their families, and dignitaries including Tom Brokaw, former Sen. Alan Simpson, R-Wyo., and former U.S. Congressman and Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta (who met Simpson as a Boy Scout at the Heart Mountain Relocation Camp). Mineta was interned with his family and a Boy Scout in a camp troop. Simpson was a Cody Boy Scout. “What you are doing here is drawing that line in the sand to say that never again will there be something like what happened at Heart Mountain and other relocation camps,” said Mineta during a grand opening ceremony attended by more than 1,200 people. Since then, the Center has established itself as a worldclass facility and was recognized for its excellence with an award from the American Associations of Museums in 2012. “Due to the uniqueness of the history, the quality of the information and, frankly, the haunting beauty of the site, I am of the opinion that this is a must-see if you’re in the area,” said Liesinger.
ON THE ROAD » PAGE 17
T I ME L I N E ◆ DECEMBER 7, 1941 Japanese planes attacked Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. ◆ FEBRUARY 19, 1942 President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066, forcing 120,000 people of Japanese ancestry — most American-born citizens — to move from their West Coast homes to relocation camps ◆ JUNE 1942 Work began on the Heart Mountain Relocation Camp near Powell. “So many carloads of lumber have been taken from local yards — yards at Powell, Cody, and neighbor towns as far as Billings — are almost denuded,” reported the Powell Tribune on June 25. Work was completed by early August. ◆ AUGUST 11, 1942 The first 292 Japanese-Americans arrived at Heart Mountain. At capacity, the camp housed 10,767 internees, making it, at the time, the third-largest city in Wyoming. ◆ MAY 1945 Departures from the camp began in earnest as the U.S. government began allowing internees to return to their West Coast homes. ◆ NOVEMBER 10, 1945 The last train departed from the Heart Mountain Relocation Center. ◆ AUGUST 10, 1988 Sen. Al Simpson, R-Wyo., and Rep. Norman Mineta, D-Cal., sponsored the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, a law that acknowledged the fundamental injustices of the internment of Japanese-Americans. ◆ 1996 The Heart Mountain Wyoming Foundation formed. Local leaders included John Collins, Dave Reetz and Pat Wolfe. The foundation went on to purchase 50 acres of land at the original camp site, restored the camp’s military honor roll and acquired a significant collection of artifacts, oral histories, photos and historic papers. ◆ SEPTEMBER 2000 Wyoming Gov. Jim Geringer and Powell Mayor Jim Milburn sent letters to surviving Heart Mountain internees and their families, intended to “acknowledge the difficulties and hardships faced by internees and the lack of consideration given to those at the Heart Mountain Relocation Center.”
Heart Mountain camp w Japanese Americans confined here in wake of Pearl Harbor A curious-looking city arose from the barren Wyoming landscape between the towns of Cody and Powell in the summer of 1942. After two months of steady work, it was set to house 11,000 residents—all coming from the West Coast. What made this “city” glaringly different from the rest of Wyoming’s cities was the presence of barbed-wire fences, guard towers and armed sentries. Its “residents” arrived by force — rather than choice — and their arrival came as a result of a complete denial of civil rights. This “city” opened in August of 1942 as the “Heart Mountain Relocation Camp.” One of 10 “relocation centers” built nationwide, its purpose was to detain Americans of Japanese descent who lived on the West Coast. In the wake of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, many feared Japanese-Americans would conspire with Japan against the United States. Amid the fear and uncertainty, President Franklin Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066, which paved the way for the forced removal of 120,000 JapaneseAmericans — the majority of them U.S. citizens — from their West Coast homes. With that declaration, an exclusion order was made in California, the southern part of Arizona and the western parts of Oregon and Washington. Signs were posted stating that all Americans of Japanese descent in those areas were required to dispose of their property and possessions and report for exclusion. They were not told where they were going or how long they would be gone. And they were allowed a single suitcase each. Internees came by train, and at its peak, the Heart Mountain confinement site held 10,767, making it the third-largest “city” in Wyoming. Heart Mountain came to operate much like any other city, with a hospital; internee-managed fire, police and judicial systems;
a post office; water, sewer and electrical systems; two grade schools and a high school; and several cooperative enterprises. There were hobby clubs, theaters and ball games, as well as births, deaths, weddings and festivals. Internees formed active recreation programs and developed a successful agricultural program to provide fresh food. It was all done in the spirit of “shigata ga nai,” a phrase roughly translated as, “it cannot be helped” and expressed in Japanese culture as the need to endure unavoidable hardship or injustice with dignity. With that spirit in mind, the internees attempted to build community despite the barbed-wire that surrounded them. The camp itself was constructed on a large, flat swath of Bureau of Reclamation land, and the project employed a workforce of about 2,500. “It seems that any and all who want work find quick employment in the building of this gigantic relocation center,” wrote the Powell Tribune in a June 1942 edition. “From Powell and Cody and other Big Horn Basin towns the labor supply has been requisitioned as if with a fine-tooth comb. As a consequence, labor for the farmers is scarcer than ever before in the valley’s history.” What rose up in the shadow of Heart Mountain in a period of two months were over 450 barracks, arranged in blocks with communal restrooms and mess halls. When the crew was working full-speed, they could build a barrack in about 60 minutes. Each 20-foot by 120-foot barrack contained six apartments and was constructed of untreated lumber covered with tarpaper. The fear and hysteria that fueled the decision to confine Japanese-Americans from the West Coast followed them to Heart Mountain. Most local residents were not receptive to these new visitors. Former U.S. Senator Alan Simpson, a Cody resident, recalls the
◆ JUNE 23, 2005 A walking tour of the Heart Mountain camp was dedicated, named in honor of Setsuko Saito Higuchi, a former internee who served on the Heart Mountain Wyoming Foundation Board of Directors and Advisory Board. ◆ FEBRUARY 1, 2007 Heart Mountain camp site officially named a National Historic Landmark. ◆ AUGUST 20, 2011 Heart Mountain Interpretive Learning Center was dedicated and opened to the public. Hundreds of guests, including former internees, attended the opening of the 11,000-square foot, $5.5 million facility between Powell and Cody. PAGE 18 »
ON THE ROAD
The Heart Mountain Interpretive Center west of Powell on U.S. 14-A features a replic
Courtesy photo/Okumoto Collection, Heart Mountain Wyoming Foundation
was third-largest city in Wyoming general concern from Cody at the time: “We were told there were 11,000 people there,” he said. “There were only two cities larger than that in Wyoming… So, people thought, ‘Now, if those people escape, we’ll all be killed.’” The Powell Tribune noted the internees’ arrival in a story that referred to the camp as a “Heart Mountain haven” and, despite evidence to the contrary, stated that “(T)he Japanese themselves get the point. This coming to a peaceful habitation for the duration of the war is welcome and voluntary for the main body of them.” In reality, the internees did not welcome relocation and they were not made welcome upon arrival. Nels Smith, the governor of Wyoming at the time, told the federal government, “If you bring Japanese into my state, I promise you they will be hanging from every tree.” In the 1943 Wyoming Legislative session, Sen. George Burke of Powell introduced a law barring the residents of the Heart Mountain Camp from voting in Wyoming. The city councils of Powell and Cody passed a joint resolution. In part, it asked that the Japanese-Americans at Heart Mountain not be permanently relocated to the region and requested that visits to the two towns by camp residents “be held to an absolute minimum,” only “when absolutely necessary.” However, the council members stressed that they still would like to see the Japanese-Americans released for work on the area’s farms. That double standard frustrated the center’s employment chief, Joe Carrol. “We are requested to confine them to the center, except to permit them to assist in the planting and harvesting of agriculture. Just what do you want, liquidation or continuance of the center?” he asked at a Powell Club meeting later that May. “Certainly citizens or law abiding aliens cannot be expected to participate in your agricultural work, if they cannot be accorded the same rights as other citizens or aliens, whether they be of Japanese or any other ancestry.” However, Big Horn Basin residents did extend occasional olive branches to the internees. Many did not know what to make of the camp, but that did not prevent area schools from bringing in sports teams to compete with Heart Mountain High School’s teams, for example. Both Cody and Powell Boy Scouts participated in scouting activities and outings with the Heart Mountain troops. In addition, local church groups donated gifts for children in camp and baby blankets for those born in the Heart Mountain hospital.
All the while, World War II marched on, and the need for able-bodied soldiers left the War Department scrambling for new recruits. Initially, all internees were declared “enemy aliens” unfit for service, but in 1944, the government decided to make draft-age internees eligible. More than 800 Heart Mountain internees fought for the U.S. in World War II. Several of them had distinguished careers of military service, and 15 were killed in action. While many answered the call, there were some that refused. Sixty-three of them persisted in their resistance, declaring that their obedience to the draft order was dependent on being released from the camp with their constitutional rights restored. In the largest mass trial in Wyoming’s history, all 63 of these men were found guilty of draft evasion and given federal prison sentences of three years. At the end of 1944, the government announced that it would begin closing the camps. In the months that followed, internees were released with little more than the suitcase they arrived with and a $25 train ticket. Heart Mountain closed in November of 1945, and the camp buildings were soon dismantled, removed by incoming homesteaders or used by the Bureau of Reclamation. Eventually, all barracks were removed from the site, though many can still be seen scattered around the Big Horn Basin today, remnants of homesteads established after World War II. Today, it is known as the Heart Mountain World War II Japanese-American Confinement Site, with the focal point being the Interpretive Center there. The Center opened in 2011 to tell the stories of confinement through museum exhibits, a gallery, victory garden and introductory film titled “All We Could Carry.” The site has been declared a National Historic Landmark and also includes a military memorial, walking trail and original camp structures. The site memorializes the experiences of more than 14,000 Americans of Japanese descent who were brought into and out of the camp from 1942 to 1945. Courtesy photo/Okumoto Collection, Heart Mountain Wyoming Foundation
ca of a guard tower and barracks. Tribune photo by Toby Bonner
ON THE ROAD » PAGE 19
Barracks
offered mostly bleak living conditions The Japanese residents of the Heart Mountain Relocation Camp found austere conditions when they arrived at the camp. Camp resident Mary Oyama wrote a weekly column for the Powell Tribune during her internment. Her writing depicted a camp that wasn’t quite the “haven” referenced by the paper in earlier columns, which depicted comfortable lodgings, good food and happy times for the camp residents. When they were forced to evacuate the West Coast, internees were not allowed to take many belongings with them — often not more than a suitcase. The barracks at the relocation camp didn’t have much either. Oyama described the typical room as including an army cot, a mattress and a blanket for each person. That was it. “There were no chairs, no table — no nuthin” she wrote. In her opening columns, she spent time assuring Powell readers that there was no truth to rumors that Japanese-Americans were buying up large quantities of knives and engaging in ancient Japanese “christening ceremonies” at the camp. Allegations of “coddling” at the camp swirled — driven by the execution of U.S. Prisoners of War in Tokyo.
Wyoming Sen. E.V. Robertson of Cody, who had not visited the camp, said the internees had things soft and easy. The Denver Post ran a story stating that residents received better food than other Americans, who were subject to food rations at that time. Guy Robertson, the Heart Mountain Center director, said residents at the center were provided food at a cost of 12.3 cents per meal. “I believe this does not indicate extravagance or waste,” Robertson told the Tribune. Oyama similarly promised readers that the residents were not being coddled. “The church, the administration buildings, the department store, the recreation halls, etc., may sound like an imposing group of edifices, but in reality they are all only barracks,” she wrote. “We all live in black tar papered barracks.” When a reader chastised Oyama for complaining, she didn’t back down. “It was not our intention to express or imply a ‘gripe,’ although of course, you can’t expect people who have given up their freedom and surrendered all their civil rights although they committed no crime or single act of sabotage (as proven by FBI or NIB records) to be perfectly, blithely happy in confinement,” she wrote. However, despite the tough times, when Oyama was released to settle in Denver in January 1943, she left with kind words for the people of the Powell Valley. “We are actually sorry about leaving a state whose people have been so genuinely kind and sincere who have proved themselves truly democratic, Christian and American,” she wrote in her farewell column. “We leave with the feeling that some day we simply must come back so that we can get to know you better. Yes, we want to come back to Wyoming.”
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By Bacon Sakatani Special to the Tribune
lived in the barracks with no piped water and electricity complained to me how hard they had it compared Let me first say that I became to me. They put up a monument 13 years of age on the train ride to stating, among other things, “...the Heart Mountain in August 1942 and camp was equipped with modern did not know hardly anything about waterworks and sewer system and a what was happening. modern hospital and dental clinic...� Well, my family of seven was I think the new Interpretive Cenput in a room of 20’ by ter will help educate 24’ — just a room to sleep the people who see the in with a single light bulb exhibit in understandand a coal burning stove, ing what happened no bathroom, nothing, we there during the war were fed meals costing the years. We were not government 15 cents. We put there for our own got jobs within the camp protection nor because that paid us $12, $16 and we were a security $19 per month. I could go threat. on some more. The exhibit shows When the war ended what it was like at and we were free to go the camp during the Bacon Sakatani back to the West Coast, three years we were we had a hard time. I did not forget there. We were a group of people about Heart Mountain, as I always who obeyed the orders and made thought that the U.S. had the right best of the situation. Most of us to do what it did, as a youngster accepted what was happening as the of 13-16 years of age. In the 1980s, American way. Those who objected Congress established the Commiswere segregated to another camp; those who remained went along with sion on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians, and found the situation, to show their loyalty “...the broad historical causes which to America. Wartime atmosphere with barbed wire fence, guard towers shaped these decisions were race prejudice, war hysteria and a failure and searchlights at night, soldiers, of political leadership...� (page 18 of parents belonging to the enemy race, report). The redress payment and all created a situation that we were apology followed. I was surprised by prisoners of war, so we obeyed. We adapted ourselves to what we had, we the findings, but in retrospect, the truth came out. And still few people did not riot, we thought everything think that the camp was justified. It was legal the way it was approved should be noted that Wyoming did by the president, Congress and the “acknowledge the difficulties and courts. hardships faced by the internees and  I do think people underestimate the lack of consideration given to what happened to us. I received a those at the Heart Mountain Relocaletter many years ago from a person tion Center� in 2000. living near the camp while we I have gone to the University of were there, and she wrote we in the Wyoming about six - seven times camp had it better than she did, to look at the camp administrative as she had no running water and papers and Wyoming newspapers of sewer system, while we did in the camp. Another Wyoming person told that time. How surprised I was to see what was written. me that he also heard that recently. (Editor’s note: Bacon Sakatani I have been told that there are still people in Wyoming who feel that the lived at the Heart Mountain Relocation Center for three years beginning camp was justified. WWII veterans in August 1942.) who took over the campland and
HEART MOUNTAIN
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-53%5- s '!,,%29 s 7!2 -%-/2)!, 7!,+).' 42!), s /2)').!, #!-0 3425#452%3 Through interactive exhibits, artifacts, photographs and by walking the grounds of the site, you will experience life at Heart Mountain through the eyes of the Japanese Americans conďŹ ned there during WWII.
Visit the site where more than 14,000 Japanese Americans were confined during World War II.
PHOTO BY KEVIN J. MIYAZAKI
‘I do think people underestimate what happened to us’
Located off Highway 14A between Cody & Powell, WY Summer Hours 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Daily 2OAD 0OWELL 7YOMING s www.HeartMountain.org ON THE ROAD Âť PAGE 21
Located at the base of Heart Mountain, the Heart Mountain Trailhead Interpretive Cabin offers information for visitors. Tribune file photo by CJ Baker
Surrounded by sagebrush, Heart Mountain stands alone. Named by the Crow Indians, this mountain is one of the few identifiable features on the maps Lewis and Clark created. With its unusual limestone cap, Heart Mountain is a puzzle. Geologists from around the world have studied it, yet its origin remains a subject of passionate debate. Somehow it became separated from larger masses of similar formations found 60 miles away in Yellowstone National Park. Moreover, older limestone lies atop younger strata, which is “upside down” in relation to how these strata are found elsewhere. The Nature Conservancy’s Heart Mountain Ranch supports one of the greatest concentrations of rare plants ever discovered on private property in Wyoming. Many native mammals
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also are often seen here, particularly elk, mule deer and antelope. The rugged trail to Heart Mountain’s summit attracts hikers. Horseback riders are welcome to enjoy the lower trails and take in the preserve’s undeveloped and wide-open vistas. The Heart Mountain Trailhead Interpretive Cabin offers information about the geology, cultural significance and ecology of Heart Mountain and the surrounding land. Heart Mountain Ranch, located at 1357 Road 22 in between Powell and Cody, is available for non-motorized travel and field trips. No dogs are allowed. For directions and more information about climbing Heart Mountain, visit tinyurl.com/ heartmountainranch.
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Chief Joseph and Beartooths Highway and mountains a bonus for Yellowstone area visitors Yellowstone National Park is the Big Daddy destination of the summer These are among traveler comments: travel season in northwest Wyoming. “Absolutely beautiful drive, we loved it and would highly recommend it. No question about it. Only suggestion would be to provide more advance notice of some of the But, there are any number of “must sees” for the summer traveler on the more scenic pullouts.” rim of Yellowstone Country, just the sort of thing to add icing to an unforget“Beartooth Highway is best route off Cody to Mammoth Hot Springs, table summer in the West. least traffic, great scenery. Cody is used to stock the RV.” One such experience that entices many an adventure seeker to extend their “Beautiful trip over Monster Mountain was scary for me. I’m scared of stay to or from Yellowstone is the spectacular drive afforded by the Beartooth heights! God’s handiwork is awesome!” All-American Highway along the Wyoming-Montana border “Best mountain scenery we have ever experienced. Please ‘God and just outside the Northeast Entrance to Yellowstone. For many, leave as is. We don’t need another four-lane highway through it is a destination unto itself. scenic America. Slow down and take it all in.” engineers and The Beartooth Highway (U.S. 212) is a 68-mile travel cor“Don’t ever change this road. I love the curves and turns builders did ridor between the NE Entrance and Red Lodge, Montana, that just the way it is.” a good job.’ reaches nearly 11,000 feet in elevation with sweeping vistas of “Fantastic scenery, great animal watching opportunities., snow-covered mountains, high plateau views, lakes and trails. fascinating road construction.” ~ Traveler ~ A 54-mile segment of the road is designated as the Beartooth “God and engineers and builders did a good job.” All-American Road, one of only 31 All-American Roads highlighted as the “Happy we traveled Chief Joseph Scenic Byway, beautiful country even most scenic national byways in the country. though we did not go up to Red Lodge.” Wyoming’s connection to U.S. 212 is the remarkable Chief Joseph Highway “Have seen Beartooth Pass written up in the magazines. Highly rated, (Wyo 296) north of Cody that climbs over Dead Indian Pass and traverses the should invite PBS or National Geographic with direction to make a docuUpper Clark’s Fork River Valley to intersect with 212 on the way to Cooke mentary of the building and use of BTH. I find it interesting that the Swedish City, Montana. It provides a wonderful loop road from Cody for a day trip engineers designed the road.” (or longer) to access the scenic majesty of the Beartooths. “I am from Japan. I don’t understand the expression ‘elbow room.’” In the summer travel season of 2012, University of Montana researchers “I was familiar with Chief Joseph as I am a historian. The highway was a conducted an economic impact study of the Beartooth All-American Road. highlight of our trip, and I will recommend this passage.” More than 163,000 non-resident traveler groups were counted. In dollars “Most beautiful drive anywhere! More signage needed to remind tourists and cents, they accounted for $45 million in spending in the three gateway not to stop on the roadway, more turnouts needed.” communities of Cody, Wyoming, Cooke City and Red Lodge, Montana. “Primary reason for traveling Beartooth — it was a different route between Nearly half of them were first-time travelers to the Beartooths, and they Cody and the interstate on the way to Yellowstone.” told what made the Beartooth Highway special to them. “Breathtaking drive. Please don’t make it ‘safer’”
Mothers and kids Mountain goats take a rest after an afternoon of grazing in a wildflower-covered meadow near the summit of the Beartooth Highway (U.S. 212). The goats were shedding their winter coats and growing new, sleek ones. Tribune file photo by Ilene Olson
ON THE ROAD » PAGE 23
‘Meeting place’ In the Shoshone Indian language, Meeteetse means “meeting place,” and for more than 140 years, it has been just that as one of the oldest settlements in the Big Horn Basin of northwest Wyoming.
The meadow of the Double D Dude Ranch lies southwest of Meeteetse on the Wood River. Courtesy photo
Meeteetse: Rich with history Meeteetse dates its earliest settlements to the 1870s. The town, itself, dates to the establishment of a post office and the school in 1880. This was 16 years prior to the establishment of Cody in 1896. Meeteeste, in Park County, lies 30 miles southeast of Cody on Wyoming 120. Meeteetse’s history is rich in early day ranching in the upper Greybull River Valley. The Pitchfork Ranch, an icon of pioneer ranch development west of Meeteetse, traces its roots to 1879 and at one time encompassed 250,000 acres. In 1881, Meeteetse was the terminus of the old Meeteetse Trail, built by the army as a stage and freight road running from Red Lodge (and Billings), Montana, to get supplies to the area. The trail was the first road built in the Big Horn Basin and was eventually extended to Lander and Rawlins. In the 1880s, Meeteetse became the jumping off point for a minor gold rush to the Upper Wood River Valley. In 1885, William Kirwin discovered gold in the valley, and by 1891, the Wood River Mining District had been formed. The center of the mining district was the town of Kirwin, 33 miles to the southwest of Meeteetse at 9,500 feet of elevation. A number of mines were established in the area, and gold was brought out by mules. Snow, and depleting commercial gold, spelled the end of the mining. In a 1907 blizzard, 50 feet of snow fell on Kirwin in eight days, and an avalanche buried the town store, killing three people. With spring thaw, the remaining occupants left town. PAGE 24 »
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Meeteetse even has connection with some of the mystical outlaw history of the West. Butch Cassidy once lived in the area and left his mark on an 1886 petition. In 1894, he was arrested outside the Cowboy Bar. The Cowboy Bar is still operating today. Kirwin is accessible today, and has buildings still standing. Meeteetse is proud of its ranching, mining and cowboy heritage. Today the “meeting place” is the center for many and varied outdoor recreation activities in keeping with Western traditions. The charm of the Old West is preserved in Meeteetse’s wooden boardwalks, watering troughs, hitching posts and historic buildings dating to the turn of the 20th century. Hiking, hunting and fishing, horseback riding, camping and wildlife viewing opportunities are abundant in the Meeteetse outdoor world. The cowboy heritage of rodeo provides a town celebration each Labor Day weekend. Last year was the 101st running of the Meeteetse Labor Day Rodeo. For more information, call the Meeteetse Visitor Center at 307-8682454 or visit www.meeteetsewy.com.
Hiking, hunting and fishing, horseback riding, camping and wildlife viewing opportunities are abundant in the Meeteetse outdoor world.
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Where wooden boardwalks, hitching rails and water troughs still line the streets.
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FREE ADMISSION! SEE The Western Photographs of Charles Belden Little Wahb, the Grizzly Bear, and Meeteetse history!
Plus Two New Exhibits featuring ... Paleoindian artificats from the U.S. Forest Service and our new Bank of Meeteetse exhibit!
Free 2015 Events: June 5--Legend Rock Presentation, 7pm June 6-----------------Legend Rock Tour July 17 ----------- Outdoor concert, 6pm with the Gypsy Cowbelle and Packin’ the Mail
July 19 ----------- Double D Ranch Tour Aug. 8 ---------------------- Kirwin Tour Aug. 22 ----------Medicine Lodge Creek Pictograph Tour Sept. 25-26 --------- Black-Footed Ferret Celebration
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ON THE ROAD » PAGE 25
Aviatrix Amelia Earhart’s Meeteetse dream unfulfilled
Carl M. Dunrud gave Amelia Earhart a haircut on the Double D Ranch in 1934.
A monument on the north edge of Meeteetse attests to the dream that died with the disappearance somewhere in the Pacific of America’s heroine of aviation, Amelia Earhart. The first woman to fly across the Atlantic Ocean (and the first person to fly across both the Atlantic and the Pacific) fell in love with the Meeteetse area while on a visit in the 1930s. She was having a home built in the Wood River Valley when she mysteriously disappeared in 1937 on a flight to circumnavigate the earth from the equator. The Meeteetse connection for Amelia Earhart was dude rancher Carl Dunrud and his wife Vera. In the early 1930s, the Dunruds made an effort to revive the abandoned town of Kirwin. They built and opened the Double D Dude Ranch near Kirwin. Carl Dunrud had previously worked on Meeteetse area ranches, and he had served as a guide in Yellowstone Park. There, he met George P. Putnam, New York City publisher, who would marry Amelia Earhart in 1931. Putnam em-
ployed Dunrud as a roper on Putnam’s 1926 expedition to Greenland where Dunrud roped polar bears, musk oxen and walruses. Years later, Amelia Earhart and Putnam were among visitors and guests of the Dunruds at the Double D Dude Ranch. Earhart directed that a cabin be built for her future use after her aroundthe-world flight. The Earhart cabin, located one-half mile from Kirwin, remains unfinished, awaiting for the aviatrix who never returned. “Lady Lindy,” as Earhart was known in the adoring press of the time, had completed 22,000 miles of her flight around the globe. The remaining 7,000 miles would be over the Pacific. She was on a 2,556-mile leg from New Guinea to Howland Island, between Australia and Hawaii in July of 1937 when she disappeared. It is widely believed her plane ran short of fuel and had to be ditched. To see pictures of Amelia or to learn more, visit the Meeteetse Museums.
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Why go anywhere else? COME SEE WHY YOUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS HAVE BEEN OUR CUSTOMERS FOR LIFE! PAGE 26 »
ON THE ROAD
Cody Nite Rodeo
Every night from June 1 to Aug. 31 Cody Stampede Rodeo: July 1-4
Community Center for the Arts Enriching the community through access to the arts!
Join us for:
Art Exhibits
YEAR ROUND
The Cody Nite Rodeo kicks off June 1 and is every night at 8 p.m. through Aug. 31. Tribune file photo by Kevin Kinzley
CODY IS RODEO Cody is the “Rodeo Capital of the World.” Night after night, Cody proves that it is rodeo, all summer long. The Cody Nite Rodeo kicks off every night from June 1 to Aug. 31, and the annual Cody Stampede arrives July 1-4. From the turn of the century, rodeos and parades have been part of the Fourth of July in Cody. For 95 years, starting officially in 1919, the Cody Stampede rodeo has been held every summer. This year marks the 77th anniversary of the nightly performances. These two events establish Cody as not only one of the longest running successful professional rodeos, but also the only place in the country that has a rodeo performance nightly. Mo Betta Rodeo Company and Tate family have been producing the nightly rodeo for more than five
years and continue to make history. For the nightly rodeo, gates open at 7 p.m. with rodeo action kicking off at 8 p.m. All seating is general admission. Be sure to arrive early and have your picture taken on the live rodeo bull “Hollywood,” get your face painted by the rodeo clowns, learn to rope like the cowboys and cowgirls. The Cody/Yellowstone Xtreme Bulls, featuring the top 40 bullriders in the world, takes place June 30. Gates open at 5 p.m. and the rodeo kicks off at 7 p.m. For the Cody Stampede Rodeo from July 1-3, gates will open at 6 p.m. and the rodeo begins at 8 p.m. On the Fourth of July, gates will open at 3 p.m. with the rodeo beginning at 5 p.m. For tickets, visit www.codystam pederodeo.com, www.codynight rodeo.com or call 1-800-207-0744.
Outdoor Splash Pad
JUNE - SEPT.
Plaza Arts Festival
AUGUST 13-15
Trashcan School Plein Air Event
Arts Education
YEAR ROUND
2ND & BENT STREETS DOWNTOWN POWELL W W W. P L A Z A D I A N E . O R G ON THE ROAD » PAGE 27
Courtesy photo/Buffalo Bill Historical Center, Chris Gimmeson
Buffalo Bill Center of the West a ‘must’ on any itinerary Whether Wh th you hhave ttwo hhours or ttwo ddays, a visit i it tto tthe h five museums off tthe h Buffalo Bill Center of the West is sure to be one of the best parts of your trip West. The center, a Smithsonian Institution Affiliate, is billed as “The Voice of the American West.” And what a story the center’s five museums tell! The Buffalo Bill Center of the West recounts the tales of the legendary showman William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody. Just imagine, by age 22, Cody had worked a wagon train, prospected for gold, rode for the Pony Express, hunted buffalo for the railroad and scouted for the Army. One need only spend some time in the Buffalo Bill Center of the West to meet the man and agree, “Buffalo Bill was so big — even the West couldn’t hold him.” The Whitney Gallery of Western Art captures the masterworks of the artists of the American West. Remington, Russell, Catlin, Bierstadt, Moran and Wyeth are just a few of the long list of revered artists represented in the collection. The Plains Indian Museum presents the history of the Northern Plains tribes. Native voices, coupled with beautiful objects, articulate the life stories of Plains Indian peoples — the cultures and histories, as well as the modern-day existence. Whether cowboy or trapper, settler or Native American, the story of the American West is incomplete without the firearm. Housing the most comprehen-
i collection ll ti off American A i firearms in i the thh world, ld tthe h Cody Firearms Museum sive chronicles the history of the firearm, from the earliest days up to the modern era. The Draper Museum of Natural History is the first American natural history museum to be established in the 21st century. Here, visitors are encouraged to become explorers of the Greater Yellowstone Area as they explore the relationship between the people, the animals, the plants and the landscape of the West. The Buffalo Bill Center of the West is located at 720 Sheridan Ave. in Cody. Travelers to Cody in 2015 will find a new name on the museum treasure that for the last 50 years was known as the Buffalo Bill Historical Center. Now the museum complex bears the name of the Buffalo Bill Center of the West. The institution’s board of directors said the name change is to more accurately describe the width and depth of the museum’s mission, collections and programs. The new name captures more fully the great collections and everything the museum is about. The five museums and research library are a world class experience in Yellowstone nature and science, art of the American West, Plains Indians, firearms and history as told through the life and times of William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody.
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PAGE 28 »
ON THE ROAD
WYOMING
Plaza Diane Community Center for the Arts P O W E L L A R T S F E S T I V A L A U G U S T 13 - 15 Located in the heart of Downtown Powell, the Plaza Diane Community Center for the Arts is a gateway to creative exchange and a gathering spot in the community. Visitors are invited to observe and experience the arts and humanities in the center’s casual, friendly setting. This summer, the center will host the Powell Arts Festival from Aug. 13-15. The festival will feature an arts and crafts fair, art walk, live performances on the outdoor stage, urban plein air painting, a fine art exhibit by artist Karyne Dunbar and a brewfest at the WYOld West Brewing Company in downtown Powell. The urban plein air event is called The Trashcan School. Artists are invited to paint scenes along the picturesque main street of Powell. Paintings completed during the event will be exhibited in the Plaza Diane Community Center for the Arts gallery the evening of Aug. 15. The full weekend of events also includes the Wings ‘N’ Wheels car and air show at the Powell
Airport and the Wyoming Desperados Mounted Shooters at the Park County Fairgrounds. Enjoy the arts, sun, beer and fun! The weekend festival is sponsored by The Powell Valley Chamber of Commerce, Park County Travel Council, The Wyoming Arts Council, PleinAir Magazine and Plaza Diane.
For more information about the Powell Arts Festival, visit www.plazadiane.org/festival For details about the urban plein air event, visit www. plazadiane.org/pleinair. Lodging and information about the area can be found at www.powellchamber.org and www. yellowstonecountry.org.
Plaza Diane Community Center for the Arts in downtown Powell will host Powell Arts Festival events Aug. 13-15. Enjoy painting, sun, beer and fun. Tribune file photos
northwestcollege.edu NWC is an EOI
ON THE ROAD » PAGE 29
Buffalo Bill Dam Once the world’s tallest concrete arch It’s known today as Buffalo Bill Dam in the Shoshone Canyon west of Cody. But it was Shoshone Dam when it was constructed as an engineering marvel between 1906 and 1910. The name was changed to Buffalo Bill Dam in 1946 by an act of Congress. Today the Buffalo Bill Dam is even taller than it was in 1910 when it was initially completed as the world’s tallest concrete arch, then standing 328 feet high. Over a seven-year period between 1985 and 1992, the dam was raised by 25 feet to increase the storage capacity of Buffalo Bill Reservoir by 74,000 acre-feet. Buffalo Bill Dam is now 353 feet high. A modern visitors center has been constructed adjacent to the top of the dam. The visitors center tells the story of dam construction and the story of reclamation of more than 90,000 acres of Shoshone Reclamation Project lands downriver. Powell is at the center of the Shoshone Reclamation Project, where land was opened to homesteading in 1907, even before the dam was completed. The Corbett Diversion Dam on the Shoshone River some 5 miles below Cody allowed for water to be diverted into the Garland Canal which delivered the irrigation water to the first homestead units near Powell. The Shoshone Project was the second U.S. Bureau of Reclamation project authorized by Congress.
Buffalo Bill Dam, registered as a National Historic structure and recorded as a National Civil Engineering Landmark, stands unique among structures of its kind. It was dedicated as a National Civil Engineering Landmark in September 1973. Then Commissioner of Reclamation Gilbert Stamm praised Buffalo Bill Dam as a tribute to the architects, engineers and laborers who built the dam at the turn of the century. Engineers selected the narrowest part of the solid granite Shoshone Canyon for the location of the dam. H.N. Savage, supervising engineer for the reclamation service, called the spot “the perfect granite foundation” for the dam. Before work could begin on the dam, an 8-mile road from Cody to the site had to be carved along the rugged river bank. Much of the drilling for the construction was carried on during the winter, and drillers cursed low temperatures, high winds and anchor ice, as well as the huge granite boulders tightly grouted to smaller boulders resting on the bedrock. The original contract was let for $515,730 on Sept. 5, 1905. Before the dam was completed at a total cost of $929,658, two contractors had gone bankrupt, and the project was finished by a third contractor. Seven workers were killed during construction, three lost limbs, three more lost their eyesight and 28 others were crippled or mutilated.
Lives and limbs sacrificed during dam’s construction
The Buffalo Bill Dam west of Cody, with the visitor center at upper right, is a key part of the water supply system for both irrigation and municipal water needs in the Shoshone River basin. Tribune file photo by Ilene Olson PAGE 30 »
ON THE ROAD
Buckle Up! Slow Down! Don’t Drink & Drive!
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#DrivingDrunkKills #DesignateASoberDriver In 2014, 95 of the 148 people who died on Wyoming highways FWG VQ VTCHƂE ETCUJGU WERE NOT WEARING SEAT BELTS. And VQQ OCP[ YGTG URGGFKPI CPF FTKXKPI WPFGT VJG KPƃWGPEG QH CNEQJQN ON THE ROAD » PAGE 31
Smith Mansion An architectural wonder atop a hill 15 miles east of Yellowstone National Park prompts many passersby to question: ‘What’s that?’ Just west of Wapiti, the 75-foot-high Smith mansion, or, as it’s also known, “The Crazy House,” was built by Francis Lee Smith. While working on the home on a April day in 1992, Smith slipped from an upper floor and fell to his death. Sunny Smith Larsen, who grew up in the home, is organizing an effort to restore and preserve the site. “Everything is pretty much left how he left it,” says Smith Larsen. Beneath the spot, on the rocky ground, a rose bush has grown. “Makes you kind of wonder,” says Smith Larsen. “Nothing grows up here.” She took a renewed interest in the mansion after her brother, Bucky Smith, died in 2005, leaving her with sole ownership. “It’s amazing that it was all done by hand,” she says, pointing out pieces that were to be used as a hand-drawn elevator. “We’ve had architects come up here, and they’re amazed,” she said. It was a talent unique to Smith, who, when
not working on the home, worked as an architect in Cody. Any blueprints for the site are gone, leaving Larsen with few clues as to what exactly her father had planned. “I wish he was here so I could ask him,” she says. At the time of his death, Smith was close to completing two decades of work on the mansion. As a testament to its eccentricity, opinions of the home widely differ. Some neighbors enjoy the mansion’s towering profile, others find it an eyesore. “You either love it or you hate it,” says Smith Larsen. “You’re either really intrigued or you’re just put off.” Interest in the hilltop high-rise, however, is near universal. For passing tourists or long-time locals, the structure is hard to miss or ignore. Smith Larsen has a number of ideas for the mansion, perhaps selling branded memorabilia, perhaps creating a tourist attraction, perhaps turning it into a bed and breakfast where floors, and not rooms, would be rented out to guests. Realistically, Larsen says it would take $400,000 to $500,000 to restore the place. For more information, visit www.smithmansion.org.
The Smith Mansion stands on a ridge above the North Fork highway west of Cody near the community of Wapiti. Construction on this home halted with the owner/ builder’s death in a fall from the structure. Clean-up efforts continue at the site, which is privately owned. Tribune file photo
15
TAKE AN EXTRA
$ LOVE THE DEALS. LIVE THE ADVENTURE. PAGE 32 »
ON THE ROAD
OFF
PURCHASE OF $50+ Valid in-store only. Not valid on boats, bikes, sporting optics, bear spray, gift cards, park passes, clearance and other select items. Discount cannot be combined with other special offers. Some additional exclusions may apply. See store for details. RTL906 expires 5/31/2016
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B E C K O N I N G
T R AV E L E R S
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK America’s first national park offers something for every traveler — exciting adventure, beautiful scenery, wildlife, serenity, geysers, fine food and accommodations ranging from rustic to glamorous. Yellowstone National Park was founded in 1872 after early explorers reported finding dazzling geysers, colorful mineral ponds, rumbling waterfalls and abundant wildlife. More than 100 years later, little has changed in the park’s backcountry, although beautiful hotels, campgrounds, visitor centers and other facilities dot the park’s 466 miles of paved roads. To leave the beaten path, go to one of the park’s 92 trailheads, leading to more than 1,100 miles of backcountry trails. Come early; come often — an annual pass allowing unlimited access to the park is $50, while a seven-day pass for a private car full of visitors is $25. A visitor riding a motorcycle or snowmobile pays $20. Those walking in or riding a bike pay $12 apiece. An annual interagency pass that covers admission to most national parks and federal recreation areas throughout the United States is $80. Discounted passes are available for senior citizens or disabled visitors.
But for a few days a year, you can get into the park for free — the National Park Service waives entrance fees on Aug. 25, “NPS Birthday;” Sept. 26, National Public Lands Day; and Nov. 11 for Veterans Day weekend. Roads are open 24 hours a day throughout the park through the summer, although various road construction projects are planned each year. For current conditions and road construction schedules, call (307) 344-2117 or visit www.nps.gov/yell. Xanterra Parks and Resorts operates lodging and store facilities in Yellowstone. For lodging reservations, camping information and other visitor services, call (307) 344-7311 or toll-free at 866-GEYSERLAND (866-439-7375) or check the company’s website, www.yellowstonenation alparklodges.com. Information about Yellowstone National Park is also available at the Powell Valley Chamber of Commerce along U.S. 14-A or at visitor information offices in gateway cities like Cody and Cooke City, Montana. To drive to Cooke City, take the scenic Chief Joseph Highway off Wyo. 120 about 16 miles north of Cody and follow the signs leading to the park’s northeast entrance.
A ranger gives directions to a tourist at the Grand Prismatic Spring area in Yellowstone National Park while others walk or sit and observe the geothermic features and beauty around them. Tribune file photo by Ilene Olson
ON THE ROAD » PAGE 33
Reduce the risk of a
BEAR ENCOUNTER Be alert
Avoid carcasses
See the bear before you surprise it. Watch for bear signs such as tracks, scat and feeding sites. When hiking, stay alert and aware of your surroundings. Frequently look ahead, off to the sides, and behind you.
Deer and elk carcasses are a highly preferred bear food that bears will guard and defend against other scavengers or humans. Dead ungulates will attract and hold many bears near the carcass site. It is risky to approach a carcass; many bears may be bedded nearby just out of sight. Leave the immediate area by the same route you approached the carcass from. Report all carcasses to the nearest ranger station or visitor center.
Carry bear spray Bear spray is a non-lethal bear deterrent designed to stop aggressive behavior in bears. You don’t have to be a good shot with bear spray. All you need to do is put up a cloud of bear spray between you and the charging bear when it’s about 30-60 feet away. Bear spray must be immediately accessible in a quick draw holster, not stored in your pack.
Avoid hiking at dawn, dusk or at night
Stay with your gear Don’t leave your packs, lunches, food or beverages unattended as they may attract and hold bears at the site. If you surprise a bear that’s eating your stashed food, you may lose more than your lunch. (From the National Park Service)
FREE ADMISSION
Whenever possible avoid hiking at dawn, dusk or at night. During the hot summer season these are the periods when grizzly bears are most active.
Hike close together or in groups Whenever possible, hike in groups of three or more people — 91 percent of the people injured by bears in Yellowstone since 1970 were hiking alone or with only one hiking partner. Only 9 percent of the people injured by bears were in groups of three or more people.
Make noise, alert bears to your presence When hiking, periodically yell “Hey bear,” especially when walking through dense vegetation or blind spots, or when traveling upwind, near loud streams or on windy days. Avoid thick brush whenever possible. PAGE 34 »
ON THE ROAD
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