FR E DESTINATION E
SHERIDAN L i f e s t y l e & To u r i s m M a g a z i n e
The
Economic Development I S S U E
Emit Technologies AgTerra
36
40
Kennon Aircraft Covers 74 and more...
A publication of
Spring/Summer 2013 EVENTS CALENDAR BUSINESS PROFILES
I
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PLACES TO SEE
PULL-OUT DINING GUIDE
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Spring/Summer
What’s Inside 36
2013
Features 10 Padlock Ranch
76 Kennon Aircraft Covers
14 Ptolemy Data Systems
82 Baseball Facilities
36 Emit Technologies
86 Jentel Artist Community
40 AgTerra Technologies 88 Forward Sheridan 44 Raymond Plank Apache Corporation
90 Hape Saddlery
48 Sheridan’s economic development
Area Destinations 40
18 Downtown Sheridan
29 Trail End Mansion
60 Big Horn
22 Area battlefields
30 The Brinton Museum
62 Dayton
22 Ucross Foundation
32 Historic Sheridan Inn
63 Ranchester
23 Golf courses
34 Black Tooth Brewing Company
64 San Benito Monastery
56 Bighorn Mountains
65 Story
58 Fishing opportunities
66 Clearmont
59 Bighorn Mountain accomodations
96 Wyoming Information Center
68 Brewfest
72 Taste of Sheridan
74 Sheridan-Wyo-Rodeo
70 Don King Days
73 Sheridan County Fair
80 Bighorn Wild and Scenic Trail Run
70 Bighorn Mountain Bluegrass Festival
73 Big West Arts Fest
23 Theaters 26 Parks 27 Churches 28 Sheridan County Museum
76
Events
80 Big Horn Polo
72 Third Thursday Street Festival
In the back... Community calendar, census information and advertising directory 6 D E S T I N AT I O N S H E R I D A N
Welcome
TO SHERIDAN!
O
ne hundred thirty-six years ago, General George Crook and his Calvary Troops, having been fiercely engaged by the Cheyenne Indians, retreated to the banks of Little Goose Creek. General Crook was fishing and hunting on the banks of the creek not far from Sheridan while General George Armstrong Custer was meeting his demise at the Battle of the Little Bighorn to the north. As you enjoy the scenic vistas of the Sheridan Community, on the banks of the Goose Creeks, I'm sure you'll be enthralled — as was General Crook — with the natural beauty of this place we call home. Welcome to Sheridan! We certainly hope during your time here you will have the opportunity to explore and enjoy our lovely community — stroll through our downtown, discover our restaurants and share our history and heritage.
We are very proud of our community and believe that we truly have it all. Our quality of life is unsurpassed and the business climate here is very welcoming to entrepreneurs and businesses. We have no state income tax and the property taxes here are among the lowest in the nation. If you are considering relocating your business, the city of Sheridan stands ready to help — your business is a big deal to us. It is our great pleasure to have you here as our guests. Visit often and stay a while. Sincerely,
Dave Kinskey, Mayor
O
n behalf of the people of Sheridan County, welcome! We’re a community with a historic past and a modern lifestyle, nestled in a beautiful setting.
This year we are celebrating our 125th anniversary as Sheridan County, once part of Carbon and then Johnson counties. Over the past 125 years we’ve developed from an economic base in agriculture, railroads, tourism and mining, to include health care, light manufacturing, education and technology. We continue to embrace each of these important economic segments as our community continues to develop. We’re happy to have you share our lifestyle that includes the arts, the outdoors, rodeo and history. Our beautiful Bighorn Mountains are both spectacular and user friendly. Regardless of the season, there is an activity to be enjoyed in their solitude. Our prairies offer solitude as well as endless vistas of ranching and wildlife. Our cultural life ranges from local and nationally recognized rodeo to local and nationally recognized fine arts and craftsmanship. Enjoy your stay and explore the opportunities.
Sheridan County Commissioners
DESTINATION
SHERIDAN Vol. 2, No. 1 Published May, 2013 Destination Sheridan is a lifestyle and tourism magazine dedicated to serving the greater Sheridan area. Its circulation reach is into visitor centers, places of hospitality, motels, local businesses and other establishments in the greater northern Wyoming area, South Dakota, Montana and Colorado, and home delivery customers of The Sheridan Press. It is also available online: www.thesheridanpress.com Jonathan Cates Art Director Phil Ashley Advertising Manager Circulation/Distribution Director Kristen Czaban Managing Editor CONTRIBUTORS Janea LaMeres, Sales Megan Steinshouer, Sales Lisa Marton, Sales Mark Blumenshine, Operations Tom Cotton, News Editor/Journalist Justin Sheely, Photojournalist Paolo Cisneros, Journalist Christina Schmidt, Journalist Hannah Wiest, Journalist Brad Estes, Sports Editor Stephen Woody, Publisher
From left: Commissioners Steve Maier, Chairman Mike Nickel, Tom Ringley, Bob Rolston and Terry Cram.
All photos in Destination Sheridan are by Justin Sheely or are file photos from Sheridan Press archives. Copyright, Sheridan Newspapers, Inc. ON THE COVER Steamboat Point in the Bighorn Mountains. Taken by Nick Johnson.
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Exp erience
SHERIDAN
T
he Chamber of Commerce and Sheridan Travel and Tourism extend to you a hearty welcome to Sheridan! As the primary conduit for information on our community, the Chamber and STT provide a critical link to the outstanding resources in our community for visitors, businesses and residents. Jointly, we operate the Wyoming State Visitor’s Center in Sheridan, in cooperation with the Wyoming Office of Tourism, greeting more than 100,000 to our community annually. We invite you to explore Sheridan’s rich heritage, cultural offerings and many varied activities— including museums and battle sites, festivals and theatrical productions, rodeo and polo, as well as world renowned fishing and golf.
Stay awhile and discover our charming downtown and its unique shops, sculptures and restaurants. Stroll along the banks of the Goose Creek or Tongue River, or enjoy a scenic day drive over the Bighorns and back. Year round recreational opportunities abound for the outdoor and nature enthusiast in the Sheridan area, nestled in the valley of our beautiful Bighorns. Let us know how we may help enhance your time here in Sheridan, whether here for a day, a month….or a lifetime.
Dixie Johnson, CEO
Shawn Buckley, Executive Director
Sheridan County Chamber of Commerce
Sheridan Travel and Tourism
E
conomic development is a summation of efforts that include policy, initiatives, investment, execution and marketing. Forward Sheridan is involved in all these efforts to encourage economic vitality in the community and region. The outputs from these efforts are jobs, new businesses, added and enhanced value for manufactured products and improved community services.
Policy – The strategy for economic growth is shaped by governmental and community attitudes and rules. In Sheridan, we are fortunate and have capitalized on the state’s generosity for planning grants, infrastructure assistance and workforce training. Few other states have the ability or the tools to provide funds to improve infrastructure or the resources to provide direct cash support to businesses for training, trade show assistance and statewide promotion. Even more so, our community leaders have recognized that economic vitality comes from a desire and effort to enable diversity in economic sectors. Initiatives – A broad focus on niche manufacturing and technology is being framed. Sheridan has seven firms focused on light manufacturing, which provides employment for more than 240 people and continues to grow. The technology sector is also growing in reach and employment with more than 60 employed. The North Main Association, Chamber of Commerce, Forward Sheridan and Sheridan College are all working cooperatively to build the foundation for these types of industries to grow. Investment – Sheridan clearly sets an enviable landmark level for investment. Private money, foundation investments and state funding clearly set an attractive baseline. Such projects as the expansion at the WYO Theater, Tech Park, Sheridan College and Sheridan Memorial Hospital are significant investments enriching our offerings and preparing for growth. Execution – Sheridan is setting the bar. The strategic efforts impacting the North Main area resulted in roads, infrastructure and businesses creation. Support has also been shown for the “Tech Incubator,” setting a foundation for five small start-up companies and the direct employment of nine individuals working in programming and health care. Local planning and community work focuses on community input and direction. Our government leaders listen to that feedback and make direct and specific actions to achieve our goals. Marketing – Sheridan has many faces — from tourism to business recruitment. The local Economic Development Task Force has stepped up to develop marketing that transcends tourism to an approach that features education, business strengths, recruitment and to identify our unique features. The output will be a clear and direct series of messages that can be used for promotion by stakeholders. Forward Sheridan approaches economic development as both a responsibility and privilege. The responsibility is simply to assure good jobs exist and we are working toward more and better jobs to enable employment. Forward Sheridan sees it as a privilege from the perspective that our stakeholders and local government have embraced the process and are willing and cooperative partners in this effort.
Jay Stender Forward Sheridan 8 D E S T I N AT I O N S H E R I D A N
Visit us online at W W W. T H E S H E R I D A N P R E S S . C O M
Talented
CONTRIBUTORS
Stephen Woody
Tom Cotton
Stephen Woody has landed “butter side up” in Sheridan, Wyo., since becoming the Press’ publisher in May 2011. His spouse of 35 years, the former Susan Bradley, is a native of Sheridan. He is a second-generation community journalist, editor and publisher with newspapers and other media in Texas, Wyoming, Arizona, North Carolina and Colorado. He has written more than 6,000 columns and editorials in 31 years of community publishing and has been active in local leadership positions that dealt with business development, literacy, and health care. He enjoys golf, jazz and southern writers. He relentlessly spoils two children and two grandchildren.
Tom Cotton has been the news editor for the Sheridan Press since 2008 and is primarily responsible for the daily pagination of the newspaper. He has previously worked as sports editor at the Lewistown News-Argus (Mont.); the Shoshone News-Press in Kellogg, Idaho; and the Helena Independent Record. While in Helena, he covered three NAIA national championship football games and also numerous high school and community sporting events. He is a graduate of the University of Montana, is married to Carla and has two sons Trace, 11, and Ben, 6.
Paolo Cisneros Paolo Cisneros joined The Sheridan Press staff in August 2012. He covers business, energy and public safety for the newspaper. A native of the South Side of Chicago, Paolo earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2011. After having resided in a large metro area for most of his life, he came to Wyoming to experience the wide open spaces that characterize the Rocky Mountain West.
Christina Schmidt Christina Schmidt has worked at the Sheridan Press since August 2012. She primarily writes feature articles on a variety of topics, along with covering students and activities at local schools. She graduated from Oklahoma State University in 1997 with a degree in wildlife ecology and a minor in journalism. She has written for the Casper Journal, the Newsletter Journal in Newcastle and the University of Wyoming Alumni Association. She and her husband enjoy the company of their horses, dogs, cats and various local wildlife species at their home near the Bighorns.
Kristen Czaban Kristen Czaban began her career at The Sheridan Press in June 2008 as a county government reporter. Since then, she has covered all forms of government and crime in the Sheridan area among other beats. In 2011, she took on the role of online editor and in the fall of 2012 was named managing editor of The Sheridan Press. Czaban's love of journalism began as a kid watching ABC World News Tonight each evening with her family and continued through her journalism major at Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism where she graduated with a bachelor's degree in 2008.
Hannah Wiest Hannah Wiest has been the government reporter at The Sheridan Press since March 2013. She covers city and county government and throws a few outdoors and entertainment features into the mix just to keep it fun. Wiest graduated from the University of Wyoming in 2005 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and worked for the Casper Star-Tribune before migrating north to Sheridan. While her roots are in Wyoming, Wiest loves to travel. She’s spent time in Europe, El Salvador, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia and Laos. She loves coffee, photography, bicycling, backpacking and time with family and friends. One of her biggest pet peeves is pens that don’t write.
Brad Estes Brad Estes has been the Sheridan Press sports editor since October 2012 after serving for a few months as the paper’s staff photographer. He covers all Sheridan County sports, both writing stories and taking pictures. After one year of radio reporting at Sheridan Media, Brad moved to the Press where he has found a greater interest in sports photography. A Sheridannative, Estes received his bachelor’s in journalism from the University of Wyoming in 2011 after graduating from Sheridan High School in 2007. He has come to terms with re-visiting his high school to cover sports on a regular basis, and likes Sheridan much more than he’ll ever admit. Estes’ four younger siblings and parents, Rick and Julie, all live in Sheridan.
Jonathan Cates
Justin S heely
ART DIRECTOR
PHOTOJOURNALIST
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P adlock by Christina Schmidt
RANCH
Spanning two counties in two states and 475,000 acres, the Padlock Ranch is one of the largest working cattle ranches in the United States. With approximately 11,000 cattle, it consistently ranks in the top 10 largest ranches in terms of cattle numbers.
Cattle roam the wide open spaces of the Padlock Ranch. l Courtesy photo
Started by Homer and Mildred Scott in 1943 with just 3,000 acres near Dayton, the Padlock Ranch has grown to encompass a large cowcalf operation, hay, corn and grain production, hunting opportunities, a guest lodge and a feedlot. The Padlock Ranch is still a family business, overseen by a board of nine directors consisting of five Scott family members and four independent or outside board members with expertise in a variety of areas. The board meets several times a year to plan long-term business strategies. To keep the ranch running smoothly, 36 people are employed full time. During certain times of the year, that number increases temporarily to 55. “We have the cowboys that ride and we have a farm crew that does most of the farm work and tractor repair and irrigation and things like that,” CEO and President Wayne Fahsholtz said. “We also have our shops and about six people involved in maintenance.” In addition, several people are employed for bookkeeping and office management. 10 D E S T I N A T I O N S H E R I D A N
The ranch specializes in its own variety of cattle carefully developed over the years, known as Padlock composites. The cattle are bred with emphasis on mothering qualities, milk production and ability to withstand the harsh weather conditions of northern Wyoming and southern Montana. The 11,000 animal-herd is divided into six units, each with a manager who oversees the grazing program. Fahsholtz said rather than simply being left on pasture to graze, the cattle units are actively managed and rotated between pastures to keep the rangeland healthy and productive. “We use a timed, controlled grazing system,” he explained. “We are constantly rotating cattle between pastures and we try to come into a pasture at a different time of the season so it gives the plants opportunity to be as strong and healthy as possible.” Moving the herds regularly and monitoring their grazing is labor intensive, but provides big rewards in terms of sustainability and plant community health. “One of the alternatives is sea-
son-long grazing and they never move, they stay in the same pasture,” he added. “What happens is they will eat the same plant over and over again. You may have the correct number of animals, but you have overgrazing taking place within that pasture. Over time, the health of a pasture deteriorates. You’ll have some plant species just disappear because they have too much pressure.” While many of the cattle are eventually sold on the market through traditional avenues, a portion of the herd is sold as part of the Country Natural Beef cooperative of which Padlock Ranch is a member. Cattle sold under this designation are raised and marketed as all-natural and with an emphasis on safe and careful handling of animals for minimal stress and welfare of the animal. “We have really worked hard at learning techniques that are good for the animals,” Fahsholtz said, noting that reducing stress during handling keeps the animals calmer and healthier. “If it is good for the animals, it is good for the people.” Cattle sold under the Country Natural Beef brand fetch a high price and Whole Foods grocer is a primary
buyer of the meat. “There is no use of antibiotics or growth hormones and we get a premium price for that,” Fahsholtz said. As part of the ranch’s effort to support the local community, the ranch seeks to reinvest money in the community by purchasing vehicles, equipment and other supplies from local Wyoming or Montana businesses as often as possible. “All of our seed, fertilizer and various things that go into producing crops are purchased somewhere between the two counties (Big Horn County in Montana or Sheridan County),” Fahsholtz said. In addition to the economic influence of the Padlock through job creation and purchase of local goods and supplies, the ranch has opened its doors to a variety of public organizations and uses. Over the past
few years, the ranch has hosted sustainable grazing workshops for livestock producers, professional photographers seeking images of sage grouse, youth hunts sponsored
“ We
have really worked hard at learning techniques that are good for the animals. – Wayne Fahsholtz
”
by Wyoming Game and Fish Department and birding tours sponsored by the Audubon Society. Additionally, the ranch offers free hunting opportunities to the public through the Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s Walk-In Hunt-
ing program. During certain times of the year, the public is allowed to access designated portions of the ranch for waterfowl, rabbit, turkey, deer, antelope and upland bird hunting without needing to pay or request permission. The ranch also works with local schools, 4-H groups, Joey’s Fly Fishing Foundation (for at-risk youth) and other youth-oriented organizations. “We have a great resource that we work hard to improve,” Fahsholtz said, about why the ranch works to provide access for the wider community. “It is a controlled environment and gives youth a chance to participate. It is something that is disappearing in our society, the opportunity for people to be outdoors.” Beginning in January 2013, the ranch has also opened the Wolf
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Mountain Lodge for vacation rentals year round. Located near Ash Creek on the Wyoming-Montana border, the lodge can accommodate up to 17 individuals in eight rooms. Fahsholtz said the lodge is available for rent for small conferences, family reunions and other gatherings. Though it is a small portion of the ranch’s overall business, it does offer the opportunity for renters to enjoy a special area of the ranch not often seen by the public. He said the lodge usually rents to approximately 100 guests each year and visitors from 11 countries around the world have stayed there. “I really believe in the Padlock and that encompasses the people and the land and the cattle,” Cattle at the Padlock Ranch are bred to handle the tough winters of Wyoming and Montana. Courtesy photo
12 D E S T I N A T I O N S H E R I D A N
Fahsholtz said. “I am very proud of what we do. It is good to see the people grow and our cattle perform well in every situation and when we sell to someone, they are very
pleased.” The ranch maintains information about its operations, its cattle and its history on the website www.padlockranch.com.
2 1 st C E N T U RY
SOLUTIONS
Troy Nissen, chief information officer, works at his desk at Ptolemy Data Systems. Photo by Justin Sheely
by To m C o t t o n
Nationally, Sheridan, Wyo., may not seem like much of a player in the technical world, however, it is having a bigger imprint in that arena recently, thanks in part to Ptolemy Data Systems. According to Ryan Mulholland, CEO of the business, Ptolemy provides “highly available data storage solutions and cloud based services,� which encompasses email hosting, website hosting, data recovery in case of a disaster and a wide array of high-tech services.
14 D E S T I N A T I O N S H E R I D A N
Ptolemy was formalized as a company in 2009 by the state of Wyoming and two years later they opened a 6,000-square-foot data center in the Wrench Ranch area north of Sheridan. Ptolemy also has a commercial outlet for sales and service in downtown Sheridan. At the data center, high-powered servers store data for clients. Ptolemy has partnerships with companies in 19 different states. What does this mean for the local economy? Mulholland says Ptolemy “broke the seal” of high tech industry in the area. The nearest data centers are located in Billings and Cheyenne, and the presence of Ptolemy will now make it easier for other high tech companies to locate to Sheridan. When the data center was built, the basic infrastructure to sustain it was put in place. Now companies can take advantage of that infrastructure already available. Mulholland and Jesus Rios, chief operating officer of the company, both add that data centers have little impact on the environment and can provide good-paying jobs. Ptolemy currently employs nine people, but both Rios and Mulholland said they have their eye on marketing themselves nationally and with that more jobs could be available. They add that there are people locally who are well-qualified to work in a high-tech industry. They noted an intern that has worked for them for the past two summers now is attending the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology. “There are a lot of brilliant people in the technological industry and a lot leave because there are not traditionally a lot of jobs in the industry here,” Rios said. That could change in the near future, because they say Wyoming is a perfect environment for a data center. “Wyoming is really a ‘zero target,’” Rios said. What that means is that Wyoming is not susceptible to natural or social disasters. He added that the weather is also ideal. If it gets too hot or too cold, heating or cooling systems may have to be installed to protect the servers. Rios notes that the ambient temperature in Sheridan for much of the year is almost 69 degrees thus making the need for extensive heating or cooling systems unnecessary. Since their inception, Ptolemy has been receiving national attention and was recently nominated for Computer World’s Honor Laureate award. They were also mentioned recently by Gov. Matt Mead in his state-ofthe-state address. “There really is zero limit of where we can serve,” Rios said.
“ There really is zero limit of where we can serve. –Jesus Rios
”
Chief Technical Officer Jim Billings checks a DNS server inside “the vault” at Ptolemy Data Systems Photo by Justin Sheely
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the
ar t
of
Below: “Mountain Majesty” by Robert Deurloo sits along Grinnell Plaza near the intersection of North Main and Grinnell streets.
DOWNTOWN
S heridan
Bottom: “The Boss” by Dollores B. Shelledy sits on the corner of North Main and Brundage streets.
Sheridan Press file photos
Historic downtown Sheridan allows visitors to shop in delightful boutiques and enjoy the architecture of the old West alongside modern sculptures. Sheridan's Main Street is home to 46 buildings on the National Registry of Historic Places, giving shoppers a wonderful mix of old and new. In addition, created in 2001, the Sheridan Public Arts Committee is dedicated to revitalizing historic downtown Sheridan by fostering an appreciation of the arts in the community, one statue at a time. The committee's objective is to eventually line the entirety of Main Street and Coffeen Avenue with statues. Today, many of the statues are on loan and for sale and the streets of Sheridan function as a grand display case with small bronze nameplates
as labels. Permanent statues include critters large and small throughout downtown as well as more pieces depicting wellknown Sheridan figures and iconic symbols of the West. Permanent scultptures of a different type also dot the thoroughfare downtown. One address, 224 S. Main St., is home to the Sheridan County Courthouse. Built in 1905 and on the National Registry, the courthouse was built for around $55,000. In 1913, a small building was built on the southwest side of the property and used as continued on page 20
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the county jail, there is an underground tunnel that connects the courthouse and former jail. At 42 N. Main St., the WYO Theater was originally named the Lotus and opened in 1923. The theater was one of six located in Sheridan. The name was changed to the WYO Theater in 1941. Sheridan's original town hall and fire station is located at 112 N. Main St. The large archways were used to bring the horse and fire wagons through. The building now houses the Beaver Creek Saloon. The former home of The Sheridan Press newspaper can also be
found downtown at 234-250 N. Main St. The building was constructed in 1910. A landmark of Sheridan, the Mint Bar, opened in 1907 at 151 N. Main St. and still operates today. The bar was remodeled in the late
1940s in the same rustic charm that visitors can still enjoy. Few consider a visit to Sheridan without ensuring that the Mint Bar is on the agenda. For more information about Sheridan's historic downtown, see www.sheridanwyoming.org.
Clockwise from top left: The Mint Bar; the Cady Building, which currently houses Sanford’s Grub Pub and Brewery; Sheridan City Hall and the WYO Theater. Sheridan Press file photos
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Area
DESTINATIONS The Fort Phil Kearny Frontier Regulars prepare to fire a replica cannon Tuesday during a tour of the fort and the Fetterman Battlefield. From left: Bob Kelleher of Billings, Susan Wells of Sheridan, Patty Wilson of Banner, Bob Mullen of Big Horn, and Bob Wilson of Banner. Sheridan Press file photo
Battlefield Throughout the 1800s, as settlers began traveling through and staking claim to land in the West, forts sprang up along the path to give weary travelers and railroad workers food and other supplies. The remnants of many of those forts are in Sheridan County today.
SITES
LITTLE BIGHORN BATTLEFIELD NATIONAL MONUMENT George Armstrong Custer, who had a reputation for doing as he pleased, received information that Indians were camped on the Little Bighorn in 1876. On June 25, 1876, without authorization from his superior officer, Custer led his men into an ambush which killed more than 250 men and Custer himself. It was a crucial engagement, as it was the last major Indian victory in North America. This site has a museum and historic interpretations of the battle.
CONNOR BATTLEFIELD STATE HISTORIC SITE Located in Ranchester off of Interstate 90, this was the site of the Battle of Tongue River between the Army and the Arapahoe tribe. It was the single most important engagement of the Powder River Expedition of 1865 and caused the Arapahoe to ally with the Sioux and Cheyenne at the Fetterman Fight a year later. The park has pic- ROSEBUD STATE PARK nic areas, a playground, overnight camping facilLocated approximately 30 miles northeast of ities, fishing access as well as historic Sheridan off Highway 334, this site is of the 1876 interpretations. campaign of General George Crook. On June 16, 1876, Crook and his men moved FORT FETTERMAN toward the Rosebud. The next morning while Fort Fetterman is 20 miles south of Sheridan. they were camped at the head of Rosebud Creek, On Dec. 21, 1866, a force of 3,000 Sioux, shots rang out and his men turned to meet the InCheyenne and Arapahoe Indians ambushed a de- dians on the ridges above them. The battle raged tachment of 81 men and officers under the com- for three hours. Nine men were killed and 30 were mand of Brevet Lt. Col. Fetterman. This was the seriously wounded. They remained and camped worst defeat experienced by the U.S. Army during for the night. The next morning, after burying the Indian Wars until the defeat of Custer some their dead, the troops withdrew to the camp on 10 years later. the Goose Creeks. Crazy Horse stopped the expedition, proFORT PHIL KEARNY STATE tected his villages and his warriors returned victoHISTORIC SITE rius. Fort Phil Kearny was one of three military posts established along the Bozeman Trail, and is WAGON BOX FIGHT STATE located 25 miles south of Sheridan. This fort was HISTORICAL SITE built in 1866 as a cutoff from the Oregon Trail. This fight site is located about five miles west Immigrants used this trail en route from Fort of Fort Phil Kearny near the town of Story. On Laramie to the Montana gold fields. It was aban- Aug. 2, 1867, a detachment of 32 men and offidoned by the Army in 1868 under the terms of cers under the command of Capt. James Powell the Treaty of Fort Laramie in an effort to establish expected to be massacred by hundred's of Red peace with the Indians, who under Red Cloud Cloud's braves. However, the men had one adconstantly harassed the garrison during its exis- vantage — they had cover behind a corral of 14 tence. The military portion of the fort was 600- wagon boxes and new rifles which could fire rapby-700 feet, surrounded by an 8-foot stockade of idly and repeatedly. Over the eight hours of battle, heavy pine logs. As the Army abandoned this fort, they were able to repulse the many attacks of Red the Indians burned it to the ground. Cloud's warriors. 22 D E S T I N A T I O N S H E R I D A N
UCROSS FOUNDATION For more than 30 years, the Ucross Foundation has been a haven for artists whose work reflects creative thought and whose work has the potential for "significant future accomplishments." Located on a working 20,000-acre cattle ranch, the Ucross Foundation provides artists with a residency program that allows them to connect with the land, people and ethos of the northern High Plains and the Rocky Mountain region. Ucross is a web of buildings, some of which sit on the National Register of Historic Places. One such building is the Big Red Barn. The Big Red Barn houses what is considered to be an integral part of the foundation's creative environment, The Ucross Foundation Art Gallery. The gallery is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. to the public at no charge. Special hours can be arranged by calling the foundation's office. The gallery will show works from Sara Mast’s exhibit “Soundings” through June 15. Ucross plays host to the annual Ucross Fireworks Extravaganza. The Fourth of July event is a huge draw for local residents and includes all-day festivities and live music. Ucross boasts a long list of successful artists as former residents. Most recently, Karen Russell was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in fiction for her novel, "Swamplandia." Residents of Ucross have won the Pulitzer Prize, Tony Awards, National Book Awards and more. Ucross is a nonprofit organization that has housed more than 1,400 serious artists. Not only is Ucross dedicated to the arts, it is also dedicated to holistic, ecologically sound ranching practices. For more information, write The Ucross Foundation, 30 Big Red Lane, Clearmont, WY 82895. You can also email info@ucross.org or call 307-737-2291.
AREA DESTINATIONS
LOCAL
Theaters Golf D E S T I N A T I O N S
Courtesy photo
Let’s go to Sheridan, Wyo. Let’s don’t forget: • the rodeo tickets • the fly rod • a sweater (Our summer nights are cool and refreshing). • the golf clubs. After all, if you like golf, you’ll love Sheridan. The Powder Horn is often rated the number one course in the state, depending on which golf magazine you read or friend you listen to. It’s been named Golf Digest’s Best Wyoming Golf Course to Play, Golfweek’s Best Residential Golf Course, Golfweek’s Top 100 Modern Golf Course and Wyoming’s #1 course among other honors. In 2011, it was the host course and facility for one of the top amateur tournaments for women, the Women’s Trans National Championship. Top players from all over the world and top U.S. college programs competed. The Powder Horn features three distinctly different nine-hole courses, a 30,000 square foot clubhouse, an award-winning pro shop, convention facilities, tennis courts, a fitness facility, private locker rooms, nature trails and trout ponds. That’s just the outside. Inside, there’s Remington’s, a celebrated, award-winning restaurant and The Cowboy Bar. The Powder Horn is also a designated National Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary and attracts a variety of wildlife. The Powder Horn was developed by Homer A. Scott Jr., who has lived most of his life in Wyoming and is a friendly and familiar presence on the course and in the clubhouse. The Powder Horn sold its first home site and opened the golf course for play two years later. The Scott family is
active in the courses’ management and the 900 acres which is about five miles south of Sheridan near Big Horn, Wyo. Call 307-672-5353 for tee times or visit thepowderhorn.com. • The Kendrick Municipal Golf Course is an 18-hole course, par 70, which sits three miles west of Sheridan off Big Goose Road (West Loucks Street). It’s owned and operated by the city of Sheridan. It sits on land donated by former Wyoming Gov. and U.S. Sen. John B. Kendrick. The golf course plays host to a number of summer tournaments. It has a driving range, practice areas, a clubhouse grill and a pro shop. Call 307-6748148 for tee times. • Just 34 miles south of Sheridan on Hart Street, is the Buffalo Golf Club in Buffalo, Wyo. It, too, has been nationally recognized. Three years ago, Golf Digest named the BGC the “best muny” in Wyoming. The traditional layout, which opened in 1980 and was designed by PGA professional Bill Poirot, is a par 71. It has a clubhouse, practice areas and a bar and grill. Tee times can be booked by calling 307-684-5266, or visit buffalowygolf.com.
Sheridan's rugged and rural location, reputation for cowboys and unfavorable deer-to-person ratio may not incite great hopes for theater, however the performing arts are alive and well in this town. Local theaters include the WYO Theater in downtown Sheridan, the Carriage House Theater at the Trail End State Historic Site as well as performances from Sheridan College, local high schools and the senior center. Located on Main Street, the WYO Theater is a popular live performance venue that features a variety of local, national and international performing groups. It opened in 1923 as the Lotus, a vaudeville theater. The venue was renamed the WYO Theater during major renovataions in 1941. The theater continued to show live performances and films until it went bankrupt in 1982. The dedication and generosity of a large group of community members helped the theater reopen its doors in 1989. The WYO Theater is currently undergoing an expansion and renovation project meant to provide additional lobby space, restrooms and theater space. The Carriage House Theater is primarily home to the Sheridan Civic Theatre Guild, which has brought homegrown entertainment to the community since 1956. While the WYO and the CTG occasionally co-produce major shows, the majority of the CTG shows are produced in the Carriage House Theater. The facility was once home to the horses of the Kendrick family, and has served as an eccentric but comfortable venue for local musical and theatrical events since 1979.
Betsy Pearson, left, and Dalton Rietz, act out their lines during the auditions for “Wit” at the Carriage House Theater. Photo by Justin Sheely
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AREA DESTINATIONS
SHERIDAN
P arks
With several miles of city pathways stretching the length of Sherdan, two large parks and a multitude of neighborhood parks, recreationists and leisure seekers need not look far in Sheridan.
KENDRICK PARK From West Loucks Street, head north onto Badger Street. Located near the western border of Sheridan just blocks from downtown, the 56-acre park was once home to a city zoo and retains a wildlife refuge that supports several elk and bison. The animals can often be seen from the park or the sidewalks surrounding the refuge. In addition to the wildlife, Kendrick also boasts picnic pavilions, playgrounds, a swimming pool and ice cream stand. On summer evenings, the park's bandshell is often used for outdoor concerts or movie showings.
Courtesy photo
SOUTH PARK To reach this natural park, head south on Coffeen Avenue then turn right on Brundage Lane, next turn right to enter the parking area. South Park is the most recent addition to the city's park properties. Work has been done to clear noxious weeds, pave a pathway through the area and restore the creek that runs through the property. This park boasts natural wildlife including pheasants, deer and prime access to the creek for fishing.
Courtesy photo
SHERIDAN LIONS CLUB PARK Much works has been done on this park over the last few years, including the installation of fences to provide a dog park for Sheridan residents and visitors. The park is located at the corner of Sheridan Avenue and First Street. The dog park portion of the property includes water fountains, benches and tables for pet owners and paved areas for handicap accessibility. Here, dogs are allowed to be dogs, running off leash and playing. Outside of this exercise area, the park also features picnic tables and playground areas for children. Courtesy photo
For a complete list of city parks and a map of city pathways, see
www.sheridanwy.net.
THORNE-RIDER PARK To reach this opportunity-filled park, head north on Main Street to 11th Street, turn left, then make a right turn at Spaulding Street to enter the park. Thorne-Rider boasts two baseball fields, tennis courts, basketball courts and playground equipment. It also boasts a BMX bicycle track, horseshoe pits and walking paths. The park includes picnic shelters and a skateboard facility as well.
Courtesy photo 26 D E S T I N A T I O N S H E R I D A N
S heridan County
CHURCHES 5135 S. Coffeen Ave 673-0023 Pastor Scott Lee www.bethesdaworship.com
First Church of the Nazarene 907 Bellevue 672-2505 Pastor Jody Hampton
9:45 AM Sunday School 10:45 AM Worship
Sunday Service – 10:30 am Saturday Service – 6:00 PM Wednesday Family Night - 5:30 pm
E-mail: office@sheridannaz.org
Dinner - 6:30 p.m. small groups for all ages
Share the Spirit at
First Christian Church Visit our memorial gardens, stained glass windows and thrift store (Tues/Sat), three blocks east of Main St.
215 W. Works, 672-9779
Sunday Worship 102 S. Connor 8 am & 10 am 307.674.6795 www.sheridandisciples.org Immanuel Lutheran Church (LCMS) (Ac ro 1300 W. Fifth St. • She 674-6434
First United Methodist Church
s r
Website: http://ImmanuelSheridan.blogspot.com E-mail: revpaulcain@gmail.com Home of Martin Luther Grammar School A Classical Christian K-5 Reading, Writing, Arithmetic & Christ! http://SheridanMLGS.blogspot.com 9:15 am: Sunday School & Adult Bible Class 10:30 am: Divine Service
www.fumc.vcn.com
Don Derryberry, Pastor 9:30am - Praise Singing 9:45am - Worship
1959 E. Brundage Ln. 1/4 mile east of I-90 on Highway 14 P.O Box 6522 gracebaptistsheridan.org
Independent • Fundamental Stephen R. Anderson, Pastor Office 672-7391 Home 672-7189 Sunday: 10 AM Sunday School 11 AM Worship • 6 PM Service Wednesday: 7:00 PM Service
ST. PETER’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH
Sunrise Assembly of God
Corner of W. Loucks and Tschirgi St.
570 Marion Street Sheridan, WY 82801 • 674-8424
Service Times 7:30 am & 10:00 am - Holy Eucharist
Phone: 674-7655 www.stpeterssheridan.com
PASTOR JOHN D. JACKSON, JR. 10 AM Sunday School 11 AM Morning Worship Service 6:00 PM Evening Worship Wednesday 7 PM Bible Study
Tongue River Baptist Church 305 Coffeen Street Ranchester, WY Phone 307-752-0415
Pastor
Granger Logan
Sunday School Worship Evening Worship
9:45 am 11:00 am 5:00 pm
Spring/Summer
2013
AREA DESTINATIONS
The
Wax statues of Chief Red Cloud (top) and General Friedruch Wilhelm von Steuben (above) stand in the Sheridan County Museum. Sheridan Press file photo
S heridan County MUSEUM
The Sheridan County Museum gives visitors a local perspective on the history of the American West. It presents a variety of exhibits that investigate history, culture, agriculture and the ingenuity of Sheridan County inhabitants. The Sheridan County Museum is open from 1-5 p.m. daily in May, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. June 1 through Labor Day, and 1-5 p.m. daily Sept. 1-Dec. 24. The museum gift shop is open Tuesday through Thursday 15 p.m. The museum is located at 850 Sibley Circle in Sheridan, just off Interstate 90, exit 23. Admission fees are $4 for adults, $3 for seniors (60 years and older) and $2 for students and military. Children 12 years old and younger get in free of charge. The Sheridan County Museum is owned and operated by the Sheridan County Historical Society. The purpose of the museum collections
is to further the appreciation and understanding of the prehistory, social and cultural history of Sheridan County. In 2007, the museum began offering a free program for children, the Junior Curator program. To participate, all kids have to do is pick up a museum guide and activity book at the admission desk. The book is full of activities that children can do while exploring the museum. Children who participate in the program become Sheridan County Museum Junior Curators and receive a patch or a bookmark. Children are invited to Tidbit Tuesday at the museum as well. This is a free weekly event that allows children and their families to explore history together. The program is recommended for children ages 5-10. For more information about the Sheridan County Museum and new exhibits, visit sheridancountyhistory.com or call the museum at 307-675-1150.
• Quality Meats • Delicatessen • Sandwiches We’ve got the Steaks & Burgers for your summer BBQ!
~
Wyoming Products
~
2248 Coffeen Ave • 307-672-FOOD (3663) Located at the Coffeen Plaza
M-F 9 AM - 6PM • Sat. 9 AM - 3 PM Find us on Facebook or www.sackettsmarket.com 28 D E S T I N A T I O N S H E R I D A N
AREA DESTINATIONS
Trail End MANSION
The
Built in the Flemish Revival style, the 13,748square-foot mansion known as Trail End at 400 Clarendon Ave. provides an intriguing glimpse into life in Sheridan from 1913-1933. Exhibits and displays throughout the home utilize original artifacts and provide information on daily life, entertainment, interior design and changing technology, as well as 20th century ranching on the Northern Plains. The permanent exhibit pieces throughout the house — the furniture, the clothing, the house itself — don't change from year to year, but themes may change. One year, the museum focused on how kids would have lived in the house. Another year, the exhibit focused on entertainment — what people did for fun without TV, iPods and phones. In other years, exhibits featured advertisements and explored how early ads influenced what people bought. Construction began on Trail End in 1908.
After the home was finished in 1913, the Kendrick family only had a short time to enjoy their new home. John Kendrick was elected governor of Wyoming in 1914, and the family moved to Cheyenne. Two years later, Kendrick was chosen to serve in the U.S. Senate, and until his death in 1933, Trail End was the Kendrick family's summer home. From 1934-1961, Eula Kendrick, Kendrick's widow, lived at Trail End with family. In 1968, the home was purchased by Sharie Mooney has been the curator and assisthe Sheridan County Historical Society and tant superintendent of the Trail End State Hisownership was transferred to the state of toric Site in Sheridan for seven years. Wyoming in 1982. Sheridan Press file photo Trail End is open from 1-4 p.m. April 1 through May 31, except for extended hours of 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Memorial Day weeka.m. to 5 p.m Labor Day weekend. end. Trail End is closed to the public Dec. 15 From June 1-Aug. 31 the site is open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and from Sept. through March 31. For more information, call 674-4589 or 1 through Dec. 14 the site is open from 1-4 p.m. daily except for extended hours of 10 email trailend@state.wy.us.
THE
SHERIDAN COMMERCIAL COMPANY
OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK
Locally owned and operated in Sheridan since 1892
307.672.2451 • www.sheridancommercial.com 2 blocks east of Main St. at 303 Broadway, Downtown Sheridan
Paint • Tools • Kitchenware • Hardware Plumbing • Yard Tools • Electrical • and much more!
Spring/Summer
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AREA DESTINATIONS
The
B rinton
MUSEUM
Val Burgess, right, shows a photo on her phone to Nancy Garber during a reception at The Brinton Museum. Photo by Justin Sheely
A
timeless
blend of unique furnishings for your home and office
The Brinton Museum allows visitors a glimpse into the life of a 1920s and ‘30s gentleman’s working ranch. Located near Big Horn, the museum serves as home to a collection of art by Charles M. Russell, Frederic Remington, Edward Borein, Frank Tenney Johnson, Hans Kleiber, Bill Gollings and many more on display in their original setting in the ranch house. The Brinton Museum opened its doors for the season April 14 with an exhibition on loan from the Montana Museum of Art and Culture titled, “Fra Dana: American Impressionist in the Rockies.” The exhibition will run through June 23 and will be followed by an exhibition of works by Ila McAffee from June 29 through Sept. 2. Then, “Almost 6x6,” an invitational exhibition featuring small pieces by more than 100 artists will show from Sept. 7 through Oct. 31. The earliest records show that the site of the ranch was first homesteaded in 1882 by the Clark family, whose dugout home later was enlarged to become the ranch foreman’s house when William Moncrieffe purchased the surrounding land to
166 North Main Street S h e r i d a n , Wy o m i n g 8 2 8 0 1 Store Hours: 9:00 - 5:30 M-F • Saturday 10:00 - 5:00 Courtesy photo 30 D E S T I N A T I O N S H E R I D A N
establish the Quarter Circle A Ranch. The ranch house was built in 1892. Bradford Brinton purchased the house and one section of land in 1923 and operated the Quarter Circle A Ranch as a gentleman’s working ranch and summer home, as well as a repository for his fine art collection. In 1927-8, building projects resulted in an addition on the ranch house as well as the horse barn and Little Goose Creek Lodge. Upon Brinton’s death in 1936, the ranch and art collection passed to his sister, Helen Brinton, who used the ranch as her summer home until 1960 when through the provisions of her will the Bradford Brinton Memorial was established and opened to the public in 1961. Most of the downstairs rooms of the ranch house are open to the public on guided tours. Artwork, as well as letters from Abraham Lincoln, John James Audubon and Thorton Wilder are on display. Documents by George Washington and William Penn can also be viewed. The museum is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and received the 2010 Wyoming Governor’s Award for the Arts. The museum is open for visitationthrough Labor Day weekend, Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults and $4 for seniors and students. Children ages 12 and under, school groups, military and museum and NARM members are free, discounts are available for AAA. For more information, visit www.thebrintonmuseum.org.
AREA DESTINATIONS
The
H istoric
SHERIDAN INN Once deemed the finest hotel between Chicago and San Francisco, the Sheridan Inn opened its doors May 27, 1893. Today, visitors may relax in rocking chairs on the same porch from which William "Buffalo Bill" Cody, once the inn's owner, frequently conducted auditions for his Wild West Shows on the front lawn, offering the visiting train passengers a taste of the West from their windows. As one of the first Western hotels with running water and electricity, the Sheridan Inn quickly became a favorite stop for passersby. Notably among the hotel's guests was Ernest Hemingway, who labored over "A Farewell to Arms" in the late 1920s. However, as passenger trains grew less popular and cars became the 10AM - 5PM preferred mode of
Sheridan Press file photo
The Fiber House Sheridan’s Needlework and Fiber Arts Resource
“Largest Yarn Selection in the region”
Mon Tues 10AM - 7PM Wed - Fri 10AM - 5PM Saturday 10AM - 4PM
transportation, the inn's business began to dwindle. By 1965, it was bankrupt. The inn was given new hope when Neltje, a local abstract artist and philanthropist, began a campaign to save the historic building in 1967. After almost 50 tumultuous years of opening and closings, the Sheridan Inn was reopened in 1990 by the Sheridan Heritage Center, Inc., a nonprofit corporation. In 2008, the nonprofit board decided to borrow $1.8 million from Wyoming Bank and Trust in Cheyenne, as part of what was believed to be a final push to finish the renovation of the inn. The loan was to be paid off through the issuance of revenue bonds. But, the downturn in the economy left the nonprofit with $7,000 per month loan payments, short of the money to finish the inn and facing ongoing operational and maintenance costs. The ultimate goal was to complete the renovations of the upstairs rooms in order to generate additional revenue and make the inn self-sufficient. As of this spring, that goal had not been reached, the bank gained ownership of the property and had placed it on the real estate market. While tours of the historic building were not available as of this spring, hopes were high that the new owners of the inn would push forward with the nonprofit's mission.
Visit our charming & historic ‘house’ Sign up to receive our newsletter & class schedule via email
673-0383 • 146 Coffeen Ave (across from Safeway)
www.thefiberhouse.com
Sit & Knit Every day! 32 D E S T I N A T I O N S H E R I D A N
Sheridan Press file photo
AREA DESTINATIONS
Black Tooth Brewing Company Building a Reputation for Aw a r d - w i n n i n g B e e r s
Mallory Micek fills a growler at Black Tooth Brewing Company in 2012. Sheridan Press file photo
The Black Tooth Brewing Company opened its doors nearly three years ago, but the watering hole quickly earned local and national attention.
34 D E S T I N A T I O N S H E R I D A N
Within a month, the brewery became a favorite meeting place for locals; within a year, loyal patrons' favorite Wagon Box Wheat won the bronze medal at the 30th annual Great American Beer Festival held in Denver in late September 2011. The brewery continues to garner medals as the owners enter their specialty beers into international contests. Time Barnes, a Sheridan resident who co-owns the Black Tooth Brewing Company attributes the success to Sheridan's low mineral deposits and his staff’s brewing expertise. The brewery offers the Sheridan area much more than specialty beer, Barnes added. It facilitates cultural experiences. Locals flock to the sunny patio seating in the summer and the tall barstools inside in the winter to
"Sure, we've departed from the enjoy a brew, catch up with friends and listen to live entertainment of- typical model everyone is familiar fered throughout the year. The with — a brew pub with a menu for Black Tooth Brewing Company fre- food, kids running around, quently hosts a variety of entertain- mediocre food and beer — but you ers — almost always with dancing know what? Sheridan has a lot of great restauand without a rants,” he said. cover charge. “We sell our "I think our Our focus has been to beer in most of environment is unique," Barnes strictly provide beer and them and customers can said. "Breweries make it the best we can. order it. always have a "But our different dy– Tim Barnes focus has been namic. You can to strictly prowear a T-shirt and shorts or a suit and tie and vide beer and make it the best we you'll feel at home. It erases social can," he added. "So far, it's been a great success." structure." Those still wanting to belly up at A first-time customer's only complaint about the brewery is its lack the brewery have the option of orof a food menu — a grievance dering food to be delivered from local restaurants. quickly squelched, Barnes said.
“
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Spring/Summer
35
A hidden technological gem in Sheridan
by Hannah Wiest
Sheridan is renowned for its culture, its outdoor lifestyle and its western heritage. Less known — but just as important — are the opportunities for highly technical jobs in this bustling Wyoming town.
Mechanical Engineer Lee Gunderson inspects the work of a laser marker at EMIT Technologies. Photo by Justin Sheely 36 D E S T I N A T I O N S H E R I D A N
Abuzz in a tidy office building near the airport and unassuming facilities east of Interstate 90 off Brundage Lane, nearly 100 Sheridan residents work as team members for EMIT Technologies, the leading emissions control provider for natural gas engines in the nation. “People need to know there are technological jobs in Sheridan because they don’t expect that,” said Sue Osborn, vice president of EMIT Technologies. Natural gas is a clean, readily available fuel used to power engines that serve a variety of functions such as generating electricity, compressing gas, pumping water, lifting oil or powering a drilling rig for natural gas exploration. EMIT Technologies designs and manufactures catalytic converters and air fuel ratio controllers for new and existing engines to help customers maintain continual compliance with strict state and federal air quality regulations, Osborn said. The catalytic converters can be as small as 6 inches or large enough to fill a semi. EMIT produces several other emissions products and offers positions in administration, metal and electrical manufacturing, information technology, engineering and facilities management, among others. EMIT is an original equipment manufacturer, a one-stop-shop for emissions control that provides consultation, engineering, design, manufacturing, installation, equipment testing, education and 24/7 remote and on-site technical support based on each customer’s individual needs. It serves oil, gas and power generation industries across the nation and around the world. EMIT was founded in 2000 to be a regional supplier of emissions
control products for expanding natural gas development in Wyoming’s Powder River Basin. It quickly grew from a company with no products and no customers into an industry leader with six different manufacturing facilities in Sheridan and several sites around the nation. EMIT products have helped remove more than 10.3 billion pounds of EPAregulated hazardous air toxins from the air, Osborn said.
“ People need to know there are technological jobs in Sheridan because they don’t expect that. – Sue Osborn
”
“Our tag line of ‘breathe easy’ really isn’t just a tag line. It’s multifaceted,” Osborn said. “We allow our customers to breathe easy. They don’t have to be worried about whether they are in compliance. And it’s about allowing you, your neighbors, your children, your grandchildren to breathe easy and know that there can be oil and gas development happening right in the
areas that you’re living in, and it’s not hazardous to you.” Most of EMIT’s engineering and manufacturing takes place in Sheridan. More than 80 percent of EMIT’s employees reside in Sheridan. And Osborn said they wouldn’t want it any other way. “Sheridan was a great location for a grassroots startup company, with the Powder River Basin right in the backyard as a proving ground for new product development,” Osborn said. Other benefits include being on the I-90 corridor for efficient shipping and receiving, having access to UPS and Fed-Ex centers, and proximity to Sheridan County Airport for commercial and private flights. EMIT Technologies has contributed to the economic development of Sheridan by creating more than 100 jobs and counting, which has put millions of dollars into the local economy through payroll and taxes. EMIT purchases locally as much as possible, supports local events, and offers employee-sponsored child care to eliminate childcare worries. “Sheridan is a good place to do business,” Osborn said. “We can do business just as well from Sheridan as anywhere else in the country.”
Katie Worman, mechanical engineer/ technologist, runs a program on a computer-numerical-control laser of the Emit Technologies facility. Photo by Justin Sheely
Spring/Summer
37
Ag Terra TECHNOLOGIES by Christina Schmidt On March 6, AgTerra Technologies Inc. celebrated its 10th year of business. Though many Sheridan residents may be unaware of them and what they do, they are having a major regional and national impact in agribusiness and natural resource business technologies. “We actually started in the sugar beet industry,” said Alan Telck, president and co-founder of the company. “We were a technology 40 D E S T I N A T I O N S H E R I D A N
department with Imperial Sugar. When they reorganized under bankruptcy laws and split a lot of their assets up, to avoid conflict of interest, we set up a new company. We maintained them as a client and picked up other sugar companies. Today we are the largest provider of information technology services to the sugar beet industry in the U.S. and Canada.” The company’s services are aimed at large agribusinesses or other industries that have a need to collect, record and later analyze huge amounts of data. “We build information technology systems that ease data capture and analysis from the field and in the office,” said Telck, noting that many of the company’s clients are large agribusinesses that oversee many individual farmers or ranchers. “Large ranching outfits do use our technology as an
example, for gathering information on their cattle or farming productions and centralizing them into a database. It is beneficial for larger ranches that employ a good number of ranch hands and that have multiple facets in their ranching operations, from crop production to cattle productions.” “The hardest thing we do is make it easy to use,” he added. “There is a lot more to making it easy than just saying that. The buttons have to be easy, the software has to be easy to use and install and there has to be friendly service that backs it all up.” In addition to agriculture businesses, Telck said AgTerra supplies services to many other natural resource related industries as well. For instance, a large number of county weed and pest organizations in Wyoming, as well as many in Colorado, Montana and Utah, use AgTerra software to manage pesticide application. “It is a huge number of counties that use our data systems for the tracking, mapping and record keeping responsibilities of pesticide usage,” Telck said. AgTerra moved into the old sugar beet factory located behind Perkins Restaurant in 2003. Though many people may think it is an abandoned warehouse, the building is actually home to AgTerra, Holly Seed and ASTEC Global. From its small office in Sheridan, the company provides service to hundreds of companies and thousands of users across the region and country and even to some businesses in Canada, Australia and The Netherlands. “We’re fairly unique in the services we provide to agricultural and natural resource businesses,” Telck said. “We do have competitors of course, but we have made a real focus on these industries. Our strength is that we understand the terminology, the challenges, the business and the behaviors. We know it is dusty, wet, sunny, hot, cold (in the field) and users can be technically challenged. Sometimes we end up providing information on which smartphone to use, which one can handle dust and heat better. We are able to provide the technical support as well as friendly services they need to integrate technology.” The company employs close to a dozen people and has hired two new employees this year. Telck said he primarily hires computer programmers with master’s degrees in computer science and programming. “We prefer they have knowledge of agriculture but not all of them do,” Telck commented. “And not all of our customers are ag customers. We actually do
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work with major railroads and oil ple out of California and Florida, with the level of services we provide, and gas facilities too. “Our newest products, especially sometimes they are surprised we are these mobile phone products we coming out of Sheridan, Wyoming,” have, have gained a lot of attention said Telck. “That is fun. That is fun and use and we are seeing faster when you can see that kind of surgrowth with those products than we prise from people.” “Living here,” he added, about expected,” he continued. “We’ve been a steady growth company and why he and the two other cofounders chose we like steady to be based in growth, but Sheridan. “That maintaining that growth We build information is actually the appeal for the might be a chaltechnology systems that p r o g r a m m e r s lenge.” ease data capture and too. We are The comfor pany is unique analysis from the field and looking those individuals in that it links in the office. who are interone of the oldested in living in est of human – Alan Telck small towns and endeavors, agriworking with a culture, with company our one of the size. That does narrow it down to newest, computer technology. “When we are dealing with peo- some unique individuals and makes
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them hard to find. But not all of them want to live in big cities. They like to fish, hunt, and enjoy the outdoors typically and that is a real draw for people. Sheridan has the infrastructure to allow businesses like ours to work from anywhere. We just really like it here.” President and cofounder of AgTerra Technologies Inc. Alan Telck stands in his office. Photo by Justin Sheely
Raymond Plank A PA C H E C O R P O R AT I O N by Hannah Wiest
Building a $50 billion corporation isn’t easy. But it is doable. It just takes integrity, determination, innovation and diversification.
Courtesy photo
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It helps to be a contrarian, too, according to Raymond Plank, founder of Apache Corporation, a global oil and gas exploration and production company that found much of its success in northeast Wyoming. With his background in accounting, Plank was familiar with the idea of contrarian investing. Like it sounds, this strategy involves going against conventional wisdom to invest opposite to the majority of investors. When applied to an oil and gas company, contrarianism becomes a fight against the inevitable boom and bust cycle of oil and gas production. “We didn’t choose to be among those who were dying,” Plank said about Apache Corporation’s many forays into diversified investing. “You have to go a different way and be far more innovative than the competition.” That’s how Apache Corporation evolved from a three-man oil and gas investment firm in 1955, with profits of $12,535, to a global, $50 billion corporation by 2008. Along its journey, as the oil and gas market waxed and waned, Apache diversified into commercial real estate, agriculture, steel, plastics, telephone communications, cattle and dude ranching, lumber, auto supplies and even aerosol cans. At
gas trends. He knew the east side of the Powder River Basin in Wyoming was fifth in oil production behind Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and California. In summer 1966, on a trip west, he decided the west side of the basin would prove profitable, as well. In July 1967, Apache staked a You have to go a different claim in Wyoming’s Powder River way and be far more inno- Basin, developing fields near Recluse with 28 wells. It became Apache’s vative than the competition. largest find, up to that point, and launched Apache into recognition as – Raymond Plank a leading independent producer of oil. Through the ‘70s and into the gas production, Plank was often ‘80s, oil prices continued to rise as heard saying, “We are an oil com- American demand rose due to reductions in oil imports from Organpany in waiting.” Plank continued to follow oil and ization of the Petroleum Exporting one point, Apache included 58 different businesses, increasing from 100 employees to 5,000 in a matter of decades. While diversification proved successful during lean years for oil and
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Raymond Plank pauses for a picture on a job site. Courtesy photo
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Countries.The prolific oil flows from the Recluse fields in Wyoming became a foundation for Apache and solidified its position as a major oil and gas company, Plank said. At the same time, Apache continued to develop its oil and gas drilling fund business, buying and selling and forming partnerships with other successful companies. In 1981, Plank helped create the Apache Petroleum Company, the country’s first master limited partnership, My net worth in Apache that consolienabled me to reach out in dated 33 interests Apache had human areas. acquired since – Raymond Plank its beginning. Apache continued to expand in the global market and became a $50 billion dollar company by 2008. All the while, Apache maintained a strong presence in Wyoming, contributing about $3 million per year to its economy through payroll, taxes and community involvement. Plank fell so in love with Wyoming that he bought a conglomerate of ranches southeast of Sheridan and made the area his home. In 1981, Plank founded the Ucross Foundation on his land. “My net worth in Apache enabled me to reach out in human areas,” he said proudly about his work with the Ucross Foundation, the Fund for Teachers, which gives teachers opportunities to study abroad, and the more than 200 schools he’s built for underprivileged girls in Egypt. The Ucross Foundation alone has impacted the lives of more than 1,000 writers, artists and composers who have come to create in the wilds of Wyoming. In fact, Plank likes to credit Ucross Foundation resident and Pulitzer-Prize-winning author Annie Proulx with his current outlook on life: Get to the top and cast a shadow into the future. “At 90, coming into 91, I realize the sands are running out in the hourglass,” Plank said. But he’s as determined as ever to approach life with integrity, determination, innovation and diversification, not to mention that contrarian attitude that became his signature of success.
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46 D E S T I N A T I O N S H E R I D A N
Sheridan’s
Economic Development by Paolo Cisneros
Tucked away deep inside the rolling hills and mountainous expanses of Wyoming lay the remnants of mining camps from an era now gone by. In some cases, dilapidated wooden structures dot the grassy windswept landscapes, but more often than not, there’s little to no readily visible evidence that these turn of the century settlements ever actually existed. While the circumstances of these places often differed, many shared a similar fate. Whether because of an abrupt change in market demand or the discovery of a more easily accessible coal seam in another corner of the region, once thriving communities were left to slowly disappear. But the Cowboy State and its wild beauty are also home to a different kind of town — one which has managed not only to survive the notorious ups and downs of the energy sector that built it, but also to establish itself as something of a leader in the effort to craft a new, more dynamic Wyoming economy for the 21st Century.
Far Right: Tom Balding holds a horse bit at Tom Balding Bits and Spurs. Photo by Justin Sheely Right: Travis Walters demonstrates a cap weld during the Tech Expo in the Welding Room of the Technical Center at Sheridan College. Sheridan Press file photo 48 D E S T I N A T I O N S H E R I D A N
“I see Sheridan as a community that’s determined to maintain its economic vitality,” said Mayor Dave Kinskey. “To those for whom it’s a fit, it’s a very good fit.” In recent years, the town of about 17,000 people just east of the Bighorn Mountains has welcomed an influx of new industry and innovation in a way that largely avoids sacrificing its small town feel and quality of life. While the mineral extractive industry continues to play a large role in the economic wellbeing of the area, new ventures into the realms of technology and light manufacturing have added complexity to the area’s portfolio. And leaders of
both the public and private sectors agree that variance is essential moving forward. The efforts of those men and women to bring new jobs and new opportunities to Sheridan have resulted in several major accomplishments as of late. Among their more notable victories: Convincing a proven company to relocate to Wyoming from Denver. Vacutech, LLC, a company that specializes in crafting heavy-duty vacuum equipment for clients across the United States, moved operations to Sheridan after its CEO fell in love with the community — and the idea of doing business here — while searching for ranch property with his wife. “There’s a bit of an allure to Wyoming,” John Tucker said
Wyoming,” John Tucker said recently. “People are intrigued by the West.” But running a business is far from capricious work. Appeal aside, the decision to relocate requires an unemotional analysis of the potential costs and benefits. As such, Tucker was approached by officials from both the city and economic development group Forward Sheridan in the weeks following his initial visit to the community. In an effort to convince the Tuckers that Sheridan was indeed the place for them, they showed him available property. They took him on a tour of the town. They answered his questions, both personal and professional, and managed to win him over. “Everybody opened their doors to us,” Tucker said. “We didn’t feel like we were on our own up here.”
What came next was a yearlong process of investigating other Wyoming towns and the potential financial side effects of relocating their headquarters from Denver. When Tucker had compiled the necessary information, he said his choice was clear. “We found it’s about half as expensive to be here than in Colorado, and the lifestyle is 100 percent better,” he said. In January 2011, Vacutech opened a new 45,000 square foot facility at the north end of Sheridan. The space provided a 30,000 square foot upgrade from the company’s previous headquarters and the opportunity to increase production while expanding operations into other branches of its industry. Perhaps most notably, the company currently employs about 60 residents of the Sheridan area. When he first arrived in Wyoming,
James Engstrom makes a weld on a 24H Motor-grader side shift bracket at L & H Industrial. Photo by Justin Sheely
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Tucker had expected to employ 40 at the absolute most. “We’ve grown because we moved here,” he said. “We achieved a dream.” Other likeminded entrepreneurs have chosen Sheridan as a launching pad for forays into the budding technology realm. While the wide-open spaces of Wyoming once served as a hindrance to capital growth, an ever-expanding broadband Internet network has allowed for something of a paradigm shift in recent years. A new age of global connectivity has enabled many Sheridanites to expand their professional reach while continuing to live among the area’s rugged, mountainous terrain.
Last fall, for example, Sheridan-based Ptolemy Data Systems launched a state-of-the-art high-security data center at the city’s High-Tech Business Park. The new facility enables the company to offer an increased level of secure Internet hosting and IT services from its scenic base at the foot of the Bighorn Mountains. Other initiatives include a recent push to establish a network of mental health professionals available to Wyoming and Montana residents via Internet teleconferencing. That effort, made possible by a $7.7 million grant from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, stands to create a more stable work environment for Wyoming businesses while helping bridge the health care gap between rural residents and their urban counterparts. Project manager PJ Treide said the project will allow for increased access to essential care while simultaneously helping existing continued on page 52 Top: Barbara Woodward sews together a HUD cover for F16 fighter jets at Kennon Aircraft Covers in Sheridan. Left: Network operations chief Tyler Neeriemer monitors threats against firewalls for Ptolemy clients at the data facility of Ptolemy Data Systems. Ptolemy receives cyber threats from — quite literally — all over the globe. Photos by Justin Sheely
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continued from page 50
primary care physicians become more attractive options for Wyoming residents. These sorts of Internet-based ventures are especially important in a community like Sheridan given its history of riding the boom and bust cycle of the energy sector. Major question marks surrounding the future of the extractives industry have played a large role in driving the push for economic diversification — something Dixie Johnson, executive director of the Sheridan County Chamber of Commerce, sees as an important component in the effort to maintain a high standard of living for the community. Johnson said that despite a certain degree of unavoidable uncertainty with regards to the future, Sheridan residents have displayed a willingness to band together and reinvent the area’s economy whenever a need arises. “I think people are committed (to Sheridan),” she said. “We pretty much have everything an individual or group would need to thrive.” In the case of economic development, “everything” often means infrastructure as well as human capital. The heads of many Sheridan companies are quick to note that they have benefited directly from relationships with the city’s community college. A branch of the Northern Wyoming Community College Dis-
trict, Sheridan College offers certifi- 747-8s in Waco, Texas. The expocate and degree programs in fields sure provided by completing that including nursing, dental hygiene, project has opened the doors to a welding and agriculture among oth- slate of potential projects that promers. Its graduates often field offers ise a great deal of national visibility from local companies eager for for the company. The importance of a qualified highly skilled young workers to join and loyal workforce isn’t lost on their team. Jay Will, general manager of min- Tom Balding either. The owner of ing equipment manufacturer L & H Tom Balding Bits and Spurs, one of Sheridan’s most Industrial, has readily recoghired several nizable brands, graduates of various SC proI think people are commit- said the high quality of life afgrams and said ted (to Sheridan). We forded by the he’s been expretty much have every- city’s intercontremely satisfied with both their thing an individual or nected pathway work ethic and group would need to system, numerous parks, sumtechnical aptithrive. mer festivals, tude. Will said proximity to he’s hopeful – Dixie Johnson natural beauty that the quality and general of his worksmall town feel force, teamed with what he hopes will be steady make him confident his workers are growth of the area’s economic base dedicated to their positions. “My employees are so happy livwill eventually allow for his organization — which currently employs ing here,” he said. “It’s just sort of about 30 people — to continue ex- the perfect recipe.” A native of Southern California, panding. Other light manufacturing firms Balding refers to Sheridan as “a such as Kennon Aircraft Covers have jewel of a community.” Having realso benefited from the area’s highly located in the mid-1980s, he quickly trained worker pool. With nearly 30 made a name for himself as a proemployees, the company was re- ducer of highly intricate bits, spurs cently contracted to build covers for and other pieces of horse equipa pair of privately owned Boeing ment. In the time since he founded
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his business, the company has be- effects of the recent recession in the jobs they stand to create provide come well known among horsemen more ways than one. Home prices opportunities for Sheridan residents fell and energy sector jobs were lost. to work their way up the proverbial around the world. Despite its small population, this But Wyoming has seen its unem- socioeconomic ladder. Accordingly, city officials and kind of global exposure isn’t un- ployment rate hover consistently common for Sheridan businesses. below the national average. The ab- economic development authorities Thanks again to the increased avail- sence of an income tax made the are actively courting firms they conability of high-speed Internet, a Cowboy State an attractive option sider a good fit based on the city’s growing number of local companies for those select businesses that, de- human, capital and educational rehave established international pres- spite the turbulent financial times, sources. Among residents like Baldences in recent years. Astec Seed were still looking to expand. That ing who have already established relatively steady businesses in Sheridan, many say Technology, for influx of eco- that brand of slow, targeted growth example, renomic activity is the best strategy for the area’s fucently hosted a Chinese delegaI don’t want to get bigger. has ensured that ture. For years, Balding has fielded since the worst tion interested I want to get better. of the recession, questions about why he hasn’t exin obtaining its the area’s econ- panded his business more quickly. services. The – Tom Balding omy looks to be The market, after all, would likely seed production on the rebound allow him to do so. But such a move and enhancein a serious way. would undoubtedly come with a ment company, According to figures from the price, and at the end of the day, he’s which specializes mostly in aiding sugar beet growers, has established Multiple Listings Service for Sheri- not interested in lowering his stanitself as a global leader in its indus- dan County, sales of commercial dards. Instead, he’s focused on crafttry. Company officials are currently properties nearly doubled between ing reliable products, providing for waiting to see whether the opportu- 2011 and 2012. Area realtors said his employees and continuing on nity to do business in China might that growth bodes positively for the with the tradition of quality craftseventually become a reality. For creation of new jobs. The city’s res- manship that made him such a rectheir part, city officials are hopeful idential property market has also ognizable name in his industry. In the community’s international seen substantial growth since the doing so, he’s confident his business will remain a success. nadir of the recession. image will continue to grow. “I don’t want to get bigger,” he Diversifying the economy even “Sheridan is very much a part of the national and global economy,” further looks to be key if Sheridan’s said. “I want to get better.” The same might be said for the economic base is to continue exKinskey said. Still, business and community panding. But for the residents who city he’s come to love. leaders have treaded relatively lightly value the area’s SHERIDAN’S TOP EMPLOYERS in order to ensure the city’s new- openness, conthat found global presence doesn’t come trolling Sheridan County School District #2 — 650 is at the expense of its small town feel. growth Sheridan Memorial Hospital — 633 Balding said that while he’s seen the equally imporcity grow in the time since he ar- tant. Forward Sheridan VA Medical Center — 575 rived, that growth has been mostly Sheridan ExecuSheridan College — 361 steady and controlled. As someone tive Director Jay Walmart — 322 said who relocated to Wyoming specifi- Stender Spring Creek Mine — 257 cally to take advantage of its wide- that while his BNSF Railway — 200 open spaces, he said that’s organization foSheridan County School District #1 — 187 cuses heavily on important. Sheridan County — 182 Of course, no one business is a recruiting new it silver bullet. Like most communities businesses, City of Sheridan — 168 across the country, Sheridan felt the does so only if
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AREA DESTINATIONS
B I G H O R N M O U N TA I N S
A Place to
Play
BUCKING MULE FALLS
The opportunities in the Bighorn Mountains for enjoyable day hikes are endless — whether the adventurer chooses to follow established trails or blaze their own. The following is a list of some well-known sites. A complete list of trails and a map of the Bighorn National Forest is available from the U.S. Forest Service office located at 2013 Eastside Second St. in Sheridan. BUCKING MULE FALLS Trekkers have two options on this trail. An easy, fairly flat threemile trail to an overlook of the falls provides a short jaunt primarily in the shade of towering evergreens. This hike to the overlook takes just a few hours roundtrip. The second option is a more strenuous 11-mile trail that drops down into and out of Devil Canyon. The USFS also recommends this trail for backpacking and horse trips. The trailhead for this trek has facilities for horse owners and camping is allowed. To get to this trailhead, take Highway 14A west then turn north on Forest Service Road 14. Follow signs to the trailhead.
MEDICINE WHEEL NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK While the drive from Sheridan to this historic landmark takes time, the impact of this historic site on visitors is significant. Constructed approximately 700 years ago, the Bighorn Medicine Wheel is believed to have been built by a member of the Crow tribe before the tribes that now occupy the territory arrived. The landmark is made of rocks gathered in the area and each of the wheel's 28 spokes reach about 8 feet in diameter. The piles of rocks line up with stars to mark important dates in Crow culture. The walk to the landmark from the parking area is approximately two miles. To visit the landmark, take Medicine Wheel Passage off of Highway 14A, then travel two miles northwest on Forest Service Road 12 SIBLEY LAKE This oft-traveled trail boasts to the parking area and gate. two picnic areas and a campground. The trail provides hiking options in the summer and Nordic ski trails in the winter months. BLACK MOUNTAIN LOOKOUT This The trail includes several miles for explo- trail will take you to the historic Black ration around the man-made lake built by Mountain Fire Lookout built by the Civilian the Civilian Conservation Corps in the Conservation Corps in the 1930s. The ele1930s. Fishing, camping and picnicking are vation for the lookout is 9,500 feet and proavailable and non-motorized boating is also vides spectacular views. The historic site can allowed. To reach Sibley Lake, travel west on be accessed by gravel road followed by a U.S. Highway 14 and follow signs once on one-mile trail. To reach this short hike, travel west on U.S. Highway 14 to Forest the Bighorn National Forest. Service Road 16. Then, head east on Forest Service Road 222. TONGUE RIVER CANYON To reach this trailhead, head west on U.S. Highway 14 to County Road 92. The trailhead begins STEAMBOAT POINT A breathtaking landat the end of County Road 92 and continues mark in the Bighorn Mountains, Steamboat 11.2 miles to Forest Service Road 196, but Point is visible from U.S. Highway 14 and many locals make this short trip to the resembles the bow of a steamboat, especially canyon to put their feet in the cool waters during a fog-filled morning. Hikers can of the Tongue River and enjoy the beautiful make the trek to the top of Steamboat Point surroundings of the canyon. Those willing for 360-degree views of the Bighorns. The to trek up the canyon are rewarded with an hike is just under one mile but is a steep open meadow seasonally filled with climb. Parking is available at the base of the landmark. wildflowers. 56 D E S T I N A T I O N S H E R I D A N
MEDICINE WHEEL NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK
SIBLEY LAKE
BLACK MOUNTAIN LOOKOUT
TONGUE RIVER CANYON
STEAMBOAT POINT All photos are Sheridan Press file photos
No ve lt
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SHERIDAN AREA
F ishing Opportunities
Sheridan can be your headquarters for some of the best fishing the West has to offer. Whether you enjoy lake, stream or river fishing, opportunities abound to catch everything from walleye, crappie and perch, to the popular trout species of rainbow, brown, cutthroat and brook. Two major lowland reservoirs provide lake fishermen with the prospect of catching virtually any cold or warm water fish their heart desires. Lake DeSmet, just 30 minutes south of Sheridan has good populations of rainbow and brown trout. Montana’s Tongue River Reservoir, just 30 minutes to the north, has good populations of walleye, smallmouth bass and a fair number of northern pike. It also boasts some of the best spring crappie fishing in the western U.S. In the wintertime, both reservoirs, especially Lake DeSmet, are very popular with the ice fishermen. Some of the largest trout of the year (over 20 inches) have been caught through the ice. Healy Reservoir, just a few miles to the east of Lake DeSmet
is a very popular spot for ice fishermen looking to catch a mess of perch for their favorite home-cooked fish recipes! For the lake fisherman who enjoys the scenery and cooler summer temperatures of mountain lake fishing, there are numerous lakes in Bighorn National Forest with good populations of rainbow and brook trout, along with even a few lake trout. These include Sibley Reservoir, Twin Lakes and Park Reservoir. All three of these locations are within only about an hour’s drive of Sheridan. For the adventurous fisherman, the Cloud Peak Wilderness Area in the southcentral portion of the forest offers limitless possibilities for high-mountain lake and stream fishing for rainbow, brook and brown trout in one of our country’s most pristine and un-crowded environments. The Wilderness Area can only be accessed by foot or horseback. Those wishing to pack-in and spend the night can find a good campsite along one of the dozens of lakes in the wilderness. You can choose to just go on a quick 4-mile backpack for the weekend to someplace like Lake Geneva, or make a multi-day 12-15 mile trek to the many lakes lying in every direction beneath the spectacular Black Tooth Mountain.
Lastly, and perhaps most popular, are the area stream and river fishing opportunities. You could almost visit a different mountain stream in the forest every weekend, and still not fish them all over the course of one summer. One of the most popular destinations is the “catch ‘n release” section of the North Tongue River above Burgess Junction. Here you can use flies to catch cutthroat trout ranging from 10 to 20 inches in length! As each summer wears on, however, and as the fishing pressure increases, these fish become more wary which can provide an exciting challenge to the even the most accomplished fly fisherman. Other stream locations in the forest, like the upper reaches of the Little Big Horn River, the South Tongue River, the head waters of Shell Creek, the East Fork of Big Goose Creek, both above and below Park Reservoir, and the North Tongue between the canyon and the catch ‘n release section, all provide exciting fishing for small-tomedium-sized trout. The trout in these streams are abundant and very eager to participate in your fun, whether you’re fly fishing, lure fishing or dropping a worm off your bobber! Don’t forget that Montana’s Big Horn River, considered one of the best trout rivers in the country, lies only 90 minutes away to the north of Sheridan. There’s no place like Sheridan to serve as your destination headquarters for such a wide variety of fun, scenic, accessible and productive fishing opportunities!
Kelly Scherer shows off her first ever trout on a fly from the North Tongue River. Photo by Gordon Rose
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by Gordon Rose
AREA DESTINATIONS
B I G H O R N M O U N TA I N
A ccomodations b y To m C o t t o n
BEAR LODGE
Snowmobilers have long known the attraction of the snow in the Bighorn Mountains and lodges and the local economy are reaping the benefits. Rick Young, who owns Bear Lodge, Elk View Lodge and Arrowhead Lodge estimates that those three lodges bring in $4 million of revenue per year. In December, January and February they brought in $2 million worth of business and in February and March, he said the lodges were filled to capacity. Young and his wife, Roberta, have owned Bear Lodge since 1993, Arrowhead since 2008 and Elk View Inn since 2010. He said since their first days owning just one lodge, their revenue has increased greatly, expanding to employ 65-70 people. All three lodges are located near U.S. Highway 14. “I think we have multiplied our impact four fold,” Young said. In the wintertime snowmobilers are looking not only for a place to stay and buy food, they are also purchasing decals, which are required to ride on trails in Wyoming. Young said this year he has sold 32,000 decals for $25 each. While wintertime is the busiest time for those three lodges, summer and fall can also bring in its share of business. Hunters tracking big game often stay at the lodges, although Young said hunting season hasn’t been as busy as in previous years. “The deer population is dropping a little,” he said. “We had a wait list six or seven years ago. Now we are probably 50 to 60 percent occupied. It has leveled off a little bit.” Summer brings bus tours, weddings, family reunions and of course motorcyclists who are headed to the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. Those three lodges are not the only ones nearby that bring in visitors. The Paradise Guest Ranch is 16 miles from Buffalo and is owned by Clay and Leah Miller. According to Clay Miller, the business employs 45-48 people and guests typically stay for a week. He added that his business hosts about 60 guests per week and runs at capacity dur-
ing the summer months. He said his business relies heavily on air service and his customers come from all over the country, the majority of them fly into Sheridan and the remainder flying into Gillette, Casper or Denver. Corey Hulse took over as manager at Wyoming High Country Lodge 30 miles west of Lovell in August. He estimates that between Dec. 1 and March 13 they have 670 guests with another 1,000 stopping through for food or gas. He said the majority of visitors come from Minnesota, South Dakota and Iowa. “They call themselves flatlanders,” Hulse said about the snowmobilers visiting their lodge. “During snowmobile season they ride on the plains and they don’t have the hills or the environment of the Bighorns.” He estimates that the average person spends between $1,000 and $1,500 on their stays, which includes fuel, lodging and food. Courtesy photos Their staff is simply Hulse and his wife, who not only do cleaning, but maintenance as well as cooking. There are plans for the lodge to possibly expand as they have received a permit from the U.S. Forest Service to allow RV and tent camping. “We will wait and see how this year goes,” Hulse said. Meanwhile visitors will continue to spend time in the majestic mountains whether it be snowmobiling, hiking, horseback riding or cross country skiing. “One of our biggest roles is to bring people to the Bighorns,” Hulse said.
ELK VIEW LODGE
ARROWHEAD LODGE
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Area
D E S T I N AT I O N S
BIG HORN DAYTON RANCHESTER SAN BENITO MONASTERY Dayton
STORY CLEARMONT
60 D E S T I N A T I O N S H E R I D A N
B ig Horn Located on the eastern slopes of the Bighorn Mountains alongside Little Goose Creek, Big Horn has more than doubled in size since 2000. The population of Big Horn in 2000 was only 190. Now, according to the 2010 census, the small town has grown to 490 residents. This is by no means the largest the town has ever been. At one time, Big Horn had as many as 1,000 residents. The city had a college, a brick factory, saloons, churches, a hotel, a livery barn and a mercantile. The town saw a massive downsizing when it lost the bid to be the county seat to neighboring Sheridan. More people left when it learned that railroads were surveying Sheridan — the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad. When the railroads arrived in 1893, Big Horn quickly became a satellite community of Sheridan. Big Horn was founded in 1882 by wealthy cattle and sheep ranchers. Some of the early settlers include sheep-breeding Moncrieffe brothers, English noblemen, Oliver Wallop, Goelet Gallatin and Bradford Brinton. The trend of those with higher means continues today as many distinguished, but low profile executives call Big Courtesy photo Horn home. Some work in nearby Sheridan. Big Horn boasts two polo clubs — Big Horn Polo and Flying H Polo Club — that offer a more laid back atmosphere compared to their eastern and European counterparts. In May the Big Horn Equestrian Center has been known to host a large soccer tournament. In 1884 Queen Elizabeth II stayed in Big Horn while visiting her friends, Lord and Lady Carnarvon, at the Wallops’ Canyon Ranch. The event brought national media to Big Horn, all interested in recording the visit of royalty to a small, western town.
AREA DESTINATIONS
Dayton Nestled at the foothills of the Bighorn Mountains, Dayton is home to the first rodeo in Wyoming, the first female mayor and the famous artist Hans Kleiber. Dayton was founded in 1882. Its name is derived from one of the founding members, Joe Dayton Thorne. The first mayor of the town was Cornelius "Nea" H. Ketchum. His successor Susan Wissler has the distinction of being the first female mayor in Wyoming — possibly in the United States. Dayton was incorporated in 1906 and saw some growth as mining and agriculture took its hold. German born Hans Kleiber came to the Dayton area in service of the U.S. Forest Service as a ranger. He soon gave up his career to capture the beauty of nature in art. Mostly self taught, Kleiber became known as the Etcher Laureate of the Bighorns for his amazing depictions of wildlife, Dayton, historical figures and life on the prairie. Kleiber's cabin studio is often open for tourists and sits just a few hundred feet from its original location. It's a must see for anyone passing through Dayton. After checking out the Kleiber studio, travelers can stretch their legs at Scott Bicentennial Park. The park features volleyball pits, picnic areas, biking/walking/running trails and a great view of the Tongue River. Hikers can also use Dayton as a stopping point before heading off into Tongue River Canyon or into the mountains for a day on the trails. In June, Dayton will play host to the Big Horn Mountain Trail Run — an annual event featuring 30K, 50K, 50-mile and 100-mile runs through the Bighorn Mountains. A 3-on-3 basketball tournament is scheduled for June 22 at Dayton Park and is sponsored by the Tongue River Valley Community Center. The town’s annual celebration, Dayton Days, features a variety of activities including a parade and street dance. This year’s event is slated for July 25-28. 62 D E S T I N A T I O N S H E R I D A N
AREA DESTINATIONS
Ranchester
Tuesday night History and prehistory come alive in the first stop off of U.S. Highway 14 on the scenic trip to Yellowstone National Park. Ranchester is located just north of Sheridan along the Tongue River . This unique town has much to offer travelers on the way into the Bighorn Mountains. Situated just miles from the Bighorn National Forest, Ranchester is home to the Connor Battlefield State Historic Site, Tyrannosaurus Rex Museum, Rotary Park and beautiful mountain views. In 1865, Gen. Patrick Connor led the Powder River Expedition into battle with Chief Black Bear and Arapaho tribe. This fight was the only major encounter that the Powder River Expedition was involved in. It ended in Connor's troops being forced out of the area. The park also provides playground equipment for children and a monument in honor of the site. A visit to Connor Battlefield allows travelers a chance to walk in the footsteps of Connor and Black Bear. Feed your brain at the T-Rex Museum on Main Street. This museum transports you back to the time of dinosaurs. Learn about the prehistoric timeline and natural history of the area. Rotary Park offers visitors a place to relax and enjoy paved walking trails, fishing, for children 14 years old and younger as well as picnic facilities. In the summer months, the community of Ranchester hosts a festival to celebrate the town's history and heritage. Visit the Sheridan County Chamber of Commerce website for more information, www.sheridanwyomingchamber.org.
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AREA DESTINATIONS
SAN BENITO
M onastery
From left: Sisters Gladys, Josetta, Hope and Regina in the Monastery’s Chapel. Sheridan Press file photo
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in Dayton The scene is almost too idyllic. Nestled near the foot of the Bighorn Mountains lie the blue, one-time ranch houses that accomodate the nuns of the San Benito Monastery, just outside of Dayton. They are the Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, or nuns who pledge to lead a contemplative life. According to their pledge, the sisters center their lives around "ora et labora," which is Latin for prayer and work. The monastery was established in 1989 on 38 acres, which once was part of the Padlock Ranch. Walking trails meander along the Little Tongue River through woods and meadows. "We always feels so close to nature," Sister Hope said. "And when we're singing or reciting scripture, we feel at one with Creation." Instead of wearing a habit, serenading the monastery's stunning vista of the Bighorns or chasing a brood of seven Austrian children, Sister Hope and her sisters create goods for Monastery Creations, the gift store. Located in one of the buildings in the compound, Monastery PRAYER SCHEDULE Creations has offered the nuns' homemade goods and traditional Sunday • 6:30 a.m. — Vigils Catholic pieces since its 2003 • 8:40 a.m. — Meditation opening. The cozy space is filled • 9 a.m. — Lauds with items as varied as hand-cro• 5:30 p.m. — Meditation cheted baby onsies to rosary • 5:50 p.m. — Vespers beads from the Benedictine Sisters "mother house" in Clyde, Monday Mo. • A day of solitude, Monastery Creations is open no common prayer. from 1-4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Tuesday through Saturday • 5:25 a.m. — Vigils People of all faiths are wel• 8 a.m. — Meditation come at San Benito Monastery to • 8:20 a.m. — Lauds join the sisters for Liturgy of the • 11:30 a.m. — Lauds Hours and Eucharist at the chapel • 5:30 p.m. — Meditation overlooking the Little Tongue • 5:50 p.m. — Vespers River, according to sanbenitomonastery.org.
S tory
AREA DESTINATIONS
Nestled in the thick pines, shady and cool in the summer, Story can be a getaway destination from Sheridan's summer heat. Story, an unincorporated community 20 minutes south of Sheridan, sits on the banks of Piney Creek, according to Wyoming Travel and Tourism. Story was first platted by a horse trader, Marshal Wolf, who was going to name the town after himself but was dismayed to find that Wolf already existed. The town was instead named after Charles B. Story, a rancher who was instrumental in getting a post office established — the first building in what had until then been a town made up of only tent structures. Today, Story acts as a gateway to ATV and other trails, and features the newly-renovated Story Fish Hatchery. With $2.6 million in funding from the Wyoming Legislature, the hatchery celebrated a grand reopening in September of 2011. The remodeling included improvements in water delivery systems, fish rearing areas and egg incubation facilities. Many features were designed specifically to house the additional brood stocks and for spawning activities and egg incubation. The hatchery is open daily year round from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Each year, the community celebrates the end of summer with Story Days, typically in late August. "It is a celebration before fall," Story Days committee member Patty Hoover said. "It is a party before everyone has to go back to school, before the snowbirds leave. It is a celebration of the end of summer, because pretty soon, we won't be able to do much outside after that." The event typically features a parade, silent auction, food — including pies from the Story Women's Club — a dutch oven cook off, a flea market, live music, children's activities at the school and more. For more information about the Story community, visit www.storywyoming.org.
Courtesy photo
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AREA DESTINATIONS
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C learmont If small town America is something you love, Clearmont is the place for you. According to the 2000 Census, Clearmont had a population of 115. It's not the booming population that inspires travelers to stop in, though, it's the history. Clearmont sits on what used to be a major route to Yellowstone National Park and the Black Hills, Highway 14-16. Since travel flows easier along the interstate, Clearmont has seen a decrease in activity. Still, its historical markers are enough to make the weary traveler stop and stretch their legs. The old jail was built in 1922 for $827 and is available for visitors to check out. The jail is currently listed on the National Registry of Historic Places. Just off Main Street sits the Arvada-Clearmont High School. Next to it is the Old Rock School, which is a one room schoolhouse that offers a glimpse at days gone by. Although not in use anymore, the building was refurbished in recent years. Visitors to Clearmont can also enjoy picnicking in the town's park, which is located on Main Street. World War II enthusiasts will be interested to know that Clearmont once housed a German prisoner of war camp. Prisoners were allowed to work in the fields growing and harvesting beets. Clearmont was founded in 1892 as a railroad town servicing the Burlington-Missouri Railroad (currently known as the Burlington Northern Sante Fe Railroad). When railroad officials arrived the town site was moved 1.5 miles and renamed to Clearmont. Aside from being a major railhead, Clearmont also served as a major point on rancher's trails servicing livestock from Buffalo, Crazy Woman and beyond. As is true with many western towns, Clearmont also has a heavy agricultural influence as is indicated by the concrete elevator built by the Leiter esTown of Clearmont, Wyo. tate and later used by the Best Out West Flouring Mills. Sheridan Press file photo
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LOCAL Chamber of Commerce
EVENTS
B rewfest
by Paolo Cisneros
Sheridan’s first ever Chamber of Commerce Brewfest was held last year and was met with resounding support. It provided a showcase for 16 brewers from Wyoming and surrounding states — as well as three regional beer distributors — to showcase their finest creations. This year’s event is set for Sept. 7 from 2-8 p.m. and if other Wyoming beer festivals are any indication, the event’s contribution to the Sheridan economy could be substantial. CRAFT REVOLUTION While the country’s largest brewers likely aren’t going away anytime soon, there’s reason to believe that craft brews are the future of American beer. According to the nonprofit Brewers Association—a trade group that claims to represent more than 70 percent of the national brewing industry— craft beer sales have seen explosive growth in the last decade. The group estimates that craft brewers sold almost 11.5 million barrels of beer in 2011. That’s up from 10.1 million barrels in 2010, and the growth doesn’t appear to be leveling off. The industry also provides an estimated 104,000 jobs across the country. The growth of the craft beer market stands in contrast to overall beer sales, which declined slightly in 2010 and 2011. “I think to some degree people have just decided to drink a little bit less but drink better beer,” said Paul Gatza, director of the Brewers Association. “If there wasn’t a market for it, brewers wouldn’t be having the success they’re having.” In order to be considered a craft brewer by the Brewers Association, a beer producer must brew no more than 6 million barrels a year and be traditional in its brewing methods. Additionally, no more than 25 percent of the brew68 D E S T I N A T I O N S H E R I D A N
ery can be owned by a member of the alcohol industry that is not also a craft brewer. The demand for craft beers has driven the success of microbreweries from big cities to small towns, and beer festivals have become an essential marketing tool for the people who run them. MICROBREWS HEAD WEST Achieving notoriety at the Great American Beer Festival held in Colorado each year is an honor to which brewers across the country aspire. Pegged by many as the premier American beer competition, beers that win medals are considered among the country’s best. In 2011, Wyoming brewers took home five. It was the best showing ever for the Cowboy State. With 14 microbreweries currently operating and several more slated to open soon, Wyoming ranks sixth in microbreweries per capita. Brewers have translated that passion into several highly successful beer festivals, and last year, Sheridan joined their ranks. The Lander Brewfest is one of the most highly attended beer festivals in the state. What started as a small showcase by four brewers to about 300 people in 2002 has become an enormous draw for people across the West. This year’s
Auggie Katzer of Snake River Brewing Co. (Jackson Hole) tops off an IPA during the first Sheridan County Chamber of Commerce Brewfest in 2012. Photo by Justin Sheely
LOCAL EVENTS
incarnation featured 21 brewers and a ers. That, in turn, provides an incentive for other brewers to attend. crowd of about 2,700. Without large advertising budgets, According to Lander Chamber of Commerce CEO Scott Goetz, a third of small-scale beer producers often depend this year’s attendees were residents of on word-of-mouth to promote their Fremont County, another third were products. The exposure they receive at beer festivals can from the rest of be paramount to Wyoming and the their financial remaining third success. Most of were from other ...people have just de- the brewers that states altogether. cided to drink a little bit less attended the The three-day S h e r i d a n event pumped an but drink better beer. Brewfest are e s t i m a t e d based in $400,000 into – Paul Gatza Wyoming, but if the Lander econthe festival grows omy. in coming years, Sheridan’s Brewfest was smaller in scale, but that’s it could become a draw for people and normal for a first year event. Depending businesses from other areas. Beer festivals also provide an opporon many factors, it can take several years for a beer festival to become a regional tunity for beer makers and beer drinkers alike to get to know each other in an indestination. One such factor is the ability to draw formal setting. That sense of commubrewers from as many places as possible. nity often serves as a catalyst when it Doing so has been key to Lander’s suc- comes to encouraging people to travel cess, according to Goetz. By hosting to a festival. “Brewers get together and see each brewers from other cities and states, festivals become draws for summer travel- other at festivals,” Gatza said. “While
“
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they compete in the marketplace, they’re friends. That adds a sense of camaraderie to the whole movement.” Local brewer Tim Barnes with the Black Tooth Brewing Company said he wants the Sheridan community to know that Brewfest has the potential to contribute to the local economy in enormous ways. Local businesses seem to agree. Organizers have lined up an impressive list of sponsors and Sheridan Travel and Tourism has contributed money in the form of a grant. “I think in future years you’re going to get a lot of guys that travel (to Brewfest),” Barnes said. But even if that’s not the case quite yet, the Chamber of Commerce hopes there will be plenty to keep people entertained. In addition to beer tastings, patrons had the opportunity to vote for best overall brewery. A panel of judges also presented an award for the best brown ale. Additionally, the festival featured live music and a barbecue competition hosted by The Pony Grill and Bar. Tickets for this year’s Brewfest are $25 in advance and $35 on the day of the event.
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LOCAL EVENTS
D on King
Courtesy photo
Courtesy photo
Each year hundreds of spectators flock to the Big Horn Equestrian Center in search of a piece of the past like Don King Days. Named for the late world-renowned saddle-maker Don King, the annual event provides a fitting finale to the summer's action-packed festivities. Don King Days, a two-day event, features classic rodeo events — though some have a unique twist. Cowboys compete in bronc riding, but mount the animal without the aid of a chute or helpers. Plus, those with shins of steel compete in wild cow milking. Steer roping and polo are also features of the annual event. Large fields right in the foothills of the Bighorn Mountains, with no fences, provide a breathtaking background for the wild
D AY S
events and place spectators in the middle of the action. The annual event began in 1989, when local ranchers wanted to honor King, owner of King's Saddlery and developer of "Sheridan style" tooled leather. According to the Big Horn Equestrian Center, "the clubhouse is rockin' and rollin' both days into the evening. Everyone is welcome at the clubhouse." The Big Horn Equestrian Center is just outside Big Horn, 12 miles south of Sheridan. Follow Coffeen Avenue (U.S. Highway 87) to Big Horn, then turn left on Bird Farm Road. Follow the signs to the equestrian center. Check the Big Horn Equestrian Center’s website for dates and details on the event, www.thebhec.org.
Bighorn Mountain
Bluegrass
F E S T I VA L
It will be a weekend of bluegrass and folk music as the lights come up on the ninth annual Bighorn Mountain Bluegrass Festival July 12-14. The festival showcases folk, bluegrass, Americana old-time and acoustic music. One of this year’s feature artists is the Byron Berline Band. Three-time national fiddle champion Byron Berline and his band will return for their second performance at the festival. Other featured artists include Don Edwards, The Quebe Sisters Band and Houston Jones. The festival is hosted at the Johnson County Fairgrounds. Those attending the festival will be able to pitch a tent or park a camper and enjoy the entire weekend. If you happen to have a musical instrument with you, pull it out and join with other music enthusiasts throughout the festival camping area. Making a return to the festival is the 70 D E S T I N A T I O N S H E R I D A N
Bluegrass Camp for Kids. The camp provides an opportunity for children ages 9 to 13 to learn or perfect their skills with the guitar, bass, banjo and mandolin or to improve their vocal skills. Campers will also get to participate in daily jams, square dances, art, and, if interested, private lessons. The cost for the festival is $75 for weekend passes ($85 at the gate), $35 for Friday, $50 for Saturday and $25 for Sunday. Tickets can be purchased in Sheridan at the WYO Theater or in Buffalo at the Buffalo Chamber of Commerce, the Sports Lure or Joy Video. Tickets can also be purchased at Hansen Music in Billings and Haggerty’s Musicworks in Gillette. Those interested in camping at the fairgrounds should remember that it is $15 per day for tent camping and $30 per day for electricity. Limited spacing is available for those needing electric hook-ups and will be handled on a first come first served basis.
LOCAL EVENTS
Third Thursday
S T R E E T F E S T I VA L
Courtesy photo
A shopping extravaganza with a festive flair, Sheridan's Third Thursday Street Festivals will once again highlight our summer months. Beginning in June, from 5-9 p.m., Sheridan's Main Street from Loucks Street to Alger Avenue and Grinnell Plaza will be flooded with shoppers searching for deals, enjoying food and drink from local and out of town vendors, listening to live music and generally enjoying the city's historic downtown. Third Thursday provides community members a chance to enjoy the beautiful Sheridan summers with outdoor shopping and a chance to interact with friends old and new. Sponsored by the Sheridan County Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Sheridan Association, the event will include special highlights for each festival. Some of last year's favorites included a cowboy auction right before the SheridanWyo-Rodeo. August brought out area food critics for the Blue Ribbon Steak Cook-off.
Although each event was successful, DSA Executive Director Stacie Coe said July and August bring the most people downtown to enjoy the festivals. She added that while it is difficult to keep attendance numbers for an event that has no admission cost, an estimated 2,500-3,000 people attend each of the July and August events. Attendance for the other months’ events average approximately 2,000. Coe said the highlights this year are not planned yet, but the steak cook-off is a sure thing. Live music will also be featured at each event. For more information on the Third Thursday Festivals, visit www.sheridanwyomingchamber.org or call 307-6722485.
Courtesy photo
Taste
OF SHERIDAN
The Taste of Sheridan is a relative newcomer on the Sheridan stage of summer events, but has taken August by storm. In 2011, more than 1,000 people attended the tasting at Thorne-Rider Park, which featured local fare and cold beverages from areas restaurants and catering businesses. In 2012, approximately 18 local vendors fought for the "Best Taste" award, which was won by Sheridan Memorial Hospital/Sidewalk Café in the event’s first two years. Each vendor provides a "taste" portion of several dishes, each judged by attendees at the event. The North Main Association hosts the 72 D E S T I N A T I O N S H E R I D A N
event, raising money for the nonprofit organization's mission of revitalizing the North Main Street neighborhoods in Sheridan. The 2013 event will be Aug. 11 and will feature local musicians. For ongoing updates on the Taste of Sheridan in 2013, see www.tasteofsheridan.com. For more information on the North Main Association, visit www.northmainassociation.org.
LOCAL EVENTS
SHERIDAN COUNTY
Fair
Sheridan County 4-H youth, family, friends and community members always have fun at the Sheridan County Fair, scheduled in 2013 for July 31 through Aug. 5 at the Sheridan County Fairgrounds. The fairgrounds are located on West Fifth Street just past Sheridan Memorial Hospital. According to county 4-H organizers, the normal animal shows will be in place, featuring market and breeding categories. In addition, a category for alpacas will be in place for the 2013 fair. The fair's dog and cat shows allow children to participate in obedience and show categories as well. Outside the animal arena, exhibits will include projects from 4-Hers in cat-
Aspen Malkuch, 9, of Sheridan, watches the dog agility event with her dog, Dalia, during the Sheridan County Fair.
egories including cooking and baked goods, robots, photography, leather craft and others. Children participating in those exhibits who receive blue ribbon recognition or higher will also have the opportunity to sell their projects in a silent auction. Participants in 4-H range from 8-18 years old. The fair's livestock auction will be at 6 p.m. Aug. 5. Other major events around the fair will include a Dance in the Dirt, tractor pull and safety fair. Always a fan favorite, pig wrestling will also return to the fair this summer. Come cheer on your favorite team as they wrestle in mud to place a pig in a Delani Cunningham, 9, of Sheridan, cleans her sheep Lily in preparation for the Sheridan County State Fair barrel.
at the Sheridan County Fairgrounds.
B ig West
Sheridan Press file photos
ARTS FEST
Under the big Wyoming sky, visual artists and musicians from across the Mountain West gather on the Sheridan College lawn to display and sell their work at the annual Big West Arts Festival each summer. The two-day festival is packed with fine arts booths, a welding rodeo, activities for both children and adults, beverage and food vendors, and live music with an imported wooden dance floor to boot. “It’s not a western arts festival but rather an art festival in the Big West,” the event motto states. The artists’ booths feature a variety of media, from authentic Native American to classic oil paintings and quilts.
The seventh annual Big West Arts Festival will be Aug. 3-4. The event is free and open to the public. Proceeds from the event are recycled into the festival funds or benefit the programs associated with activities; for example, the proceeds from the auction following the welding rodeo will be allocated to Sheridan College welding program scholarships.
Adam Helvik and his mother Cinda Boe work on thier project "Wild and Free" during the welding rodeo in 2012 at the Big West Arts Festival at Sheridan College. Sheridan Press file photo
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John Collins of Buffalo, Wyo. grimaces as he braces himself against the horse Legends in the Bareback Riding event of the Sheridan-Wyo-Rodeo. Sheridan Press file photo
SHERIDAN-WYO-
Rodeo
From bucking broncs and mad bulls to the World Championship Indian Relay Races the Sheridan-WyoRodeo is always sure to provide entertainment and excitement for the entire family. Sheridan’s premiere event is held each July at the Sheridan County Fairgrounds and the 2013 week of events will run July 6-14 with evening rodeo performances July 1013. The annual event has been around for decades and features topnotch rodeo competitions each year as well as a number of activities all week to keep families busy. A staple of Sheridan’s summers, the rodeo is sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and 2013 will
be the fourth consecutive year that the rodeo is sanctioned as an elite Milion Dollar Tour Silver Rodeo, making it one of the top 30 PRCA rodeos in the U.S. Surrounding the four nights of rodeo performances is a week of special activities that include bed races, boot kick-offs, carnivals and a duck race. In past years, the rodeo week excitement has included a large music concert, but recently the SheridanWyo-Rodeo board decided to skip the big concert and expand the boot kickoff event to include music, food and the usual fun. For a complete listing of 2013 Sheridan-Wyo-Rodeo events and additional information, visit sheridanwyorodeo.com. Darnell Johnson, of Pueblo, Colo., competes in the calf roping competition during the SheridanWyo-Rodeo. Sheridan Press file photo
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2 013
SHERIDAN-WYO-RODEO SCHEDULE July 6 • Chris LeDoux Spur and Spike Memorial Golf Tournament July 8 •American Indian Art Show and Sale • Rodeo Royalty Welcome and Horsemanship July 9 • Rodeo slack • American Indian Art Show and Sale • Rodeo Royalty pageant • Sheridan-Wyo-Rodeo Boot Kick-off Party July 10 — Kid’s Night (Kid’s 12 & under just $7) • Rodeo slack • American Indian Art Show and Sale • Carnival • First PRCA rodeo performance and World Championship Indian Relay Races July 11 — Patriot Night (Wear red) • Rodeo slack
•American Indian Art Show and Sale • Carnival • Second night of PRCA rodeo performance and Indian relay races July 12 — Tough Enough to Wear Pink Night (wear pink) • Kiwanis pancake breakfast • Sneaker and Spurs Rodeo Run • Beds Along the Bighorns race • Rodeo slack • Parade • Miss Indian America reunion powwow • American Indian Art Show and Sale • Kiwanis Duck Race • Carnival • Third night of PRCA rodeo performances and Indian relay races • Street dance downtown July 13 — Celebrating 83 years of rodeo (wear ‘old timey’ cowboy clothes) • Rodeo slack • Miss Indian American renuion
luncheon • American Indian Art Show and Sale • Carnival • Final PRCA rodeo performance • Street dance July 14 • Bob King Memorial Team Roping • Miss Indian America reunion church service • American Indian Art Show and Sale • Tailgate party and polo game
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IT’S
Covered
K E N NA i rO N craft Covers
by Paolo Cisneros
Employees work on the production floor of Kennon Covers. Photo by Justin Sheely
76 D E S T I N A T I O N S H E R I D A N
Building a cover large enough to protect a Boeing 747-8 is an impressive feat of both design and craftsmanship, but for the engineers at Kennon Aircraft Covers, it’s only the beginning. Several months after the Sheridan-based company filled an order for a set of covers capable of protecting the 250-foot airliner from dust, corrosive bird waste and other potentially destructive elements, company officials are looking toward even bigger projects that might further expose the business to the global community. Prime among them: A chance to build wheel covers for the vice pres-
idential Air Force Two. Vice President of Business Development Dale Hall warns that job is still far down the road, but the recent 747-8 covers, constructed for a client in Waco, Texas, provided the business with a great deal of essential industry exposure. “It was neat to see the project start off with baby steps and eventually come full circle,” he said. Located on Sheridan’s North
Dianne Cosner makes seat covers at Kennon Aircraft Covers. The seat covers are for F16 fighter jets stationed at the Misawa Air Base in Japan. Photo by Justin Sheely
Main Street, Kennon specializes in a wide array of aircraft covers, pipe covers, custom signs and specialized medical equipment. “Everything we do revolves around materials,” Hall said. While most of the company’s initiatives focus on smaller aircraft, Kennon also provides equipment to branches of the U.S. military. Last year, Kennon’s reputation for versatility led to the company being contacted by a Fort Worth distributor who told Hall and his team about the opportunity to build covers for the pair of privately owned 747-8s. Having never taken on a job quite so large — the 747-8 can carry nearly 500 passengers and has a total takeoff weight of just under a million pounds — it was a work-intensive project for all involved. Engineers spent nearly three months designing a flannel-based cover that could adequately protect the massive plane as it sat in its cavernous hanger. Putting it together took another two full months.
“It was neat to see the project start off with baby steps and eventually come full circle. – Dale Hall
”
Constructed in nine separate sections of four pieces each, the cover rests atop the plane while massive straps wrap around the underside of the aircraft to keep it in place. Hall visited the client in Waco as the cover was put into place for the very first time. He described a feeling of extreme satisfaction at having Spring/Summer
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completed such an unprecedented task. As for its Sheridan base of operations, light manufacturing businesses like Kennon are in high demand from local officials looking to push economic development in the area. The 2007 Wadley-Donovan Report, a document outlining the area’s potential for economic growth, listed similar outfits as being essential to the future prosperity of Sheridan County. An updated workforce and education
study was recently kicked off by the Sheridan Economic and Educational Development Authority, and officials have touted the importance of attracting businesses that provide career opportunities for both university-level graduates and technically-trained craftsmen. Having been part of the community since the 1980s, Kennon has done just that. The business currently employs about 30 people. As the company continues to work toward high-profile projects
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across the country and around the world, its recent job in Texas may well serve as proof of the Sheridan company’s unique capabilities. “It shows we can do it,” Hall said. “We have the experience, the know-how, the engineering staff and the production staff to get the job done.”
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LOCAL EVENTS
B I G H O R N M O U N TA I N
Wild and Scenic
The Bighorn Mountain Wild and Scenic Trail Run will celebrate it's 21st year being held on the trails in the Bighorn National Forest June 14-15. The first race was in 1993 with less than 100 runners, but word of mouth spread fast in the ultra-running community and soon the event reached capacity. The event is known to participants from countries around the world and from every state in the U.S. The run boasts one of the
TRAIL RUN
most difficult in terrain, elevation gain/loss and spectacular scenery. The event was initially started by local trail runners interested in preserving and protecting the Dry Fork and Little Bighorn River Canyons. It's purpose was to increase public awareness of the natural beauty, rugged terrain and unique geology of the Bighorn Mountains where a pump storage hydroelectric project was proposed to be built. The run courses consisted of four distances — 100 miles, 50 miles, 50 kilometers and 30 kilometers. The 100-mile race was added in 2002 to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the annual run. The four races converge on the same trail at the head of the Dry Fork five miles before the long descent into Dayton where it finish. The event attracts more than 300 ultra runners, including 100 from the Sheridan area. The trail run is held each year on the third Saturday in June. For more information, or to register, see www.bighorntailrun.com.
BIG HORN Ashley Finnerty sits in Tongue River after the finishing the 50K race in the Bighorn Mountain Wild and Scenic Trail Run.
Gillian Johnston, left, and Joe Wayne Barry battle for ball control during the Skeeter Johnston Memorial Cup match at Skeeter Field. Sheridan Press file photos
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Polo
by Brad Estes
There’s one summer sport in Sheridan that’s hard to beat as a tourist attraction. Polo in Sheridan is played at the foot of the Bighorn Mountains in Big Horn, Wyo., and is unique in several ways. Polo began in Sheridan more than 100 years ago, originally at the Sheridan County Fairgrounds, and today the sport has grown to attract the best players in the world to Northeast Wyoming. Players spend their summers in Sheridan, performing at all levels, including one rare type of polo. Two clubs, the Flying H Polo Club and the Big Horn Polo Club, frequent the fields south of Sheridan. Flying H became one of just three clubs in the United States to offer high-goal polo in 2005. High-goal polo is played when a team’s handicap totals 17 or more. The Flying H Ranch is a working ranch with polo falling into its primary operations that include cattle, pony breeding and training. Barns built in 2005 were made to accommodate more than 100 horses, along with four tournament fields and one for practice. The two clubs play alongside each other, with Big Horn Polo Club’s games played exclusively on Sundays at the Big Horn Equestrian Center. Practice games also take place on Wednesdays and Fridays. The Flying H season runs from early July through the last Saturday in August, with tournaments beginning each Thursday and ending Saturdays at 3 p.m. Read more about the history of polo in Sheridan at flyinghpolo.com.
It’s a
BRAND NEW
Ball Game Excuse the overdone “if you build it” clichés, but Sheridan is on the verge of a serious baseball gathering. Summer sports in this northeastern Wyoming town are few in variety — primarily rodeo, polo and baseball — but deep in commitment. Western sports serve a large segment, but baseball falls into the rotation of high school athletes more often than not. In the past few years, youth baseball participation has grown from inner-city recreation district-run leagues to offer traveling competition opportunities for kids. And with a state of the art facility in the works, the sport’s supporters carry a vision of a full year of preparatory baseball. Folks like Mike McCafferty are at the root of a turnaround. McCafferty, who works as Sheridan Memorial Hospital’s CEO, has taken on a different type of healing, one that involves the sport he loves. Growing up in Omaha, Neb., McCafferty has always lived his favorite sport. Summer youth leagues like the Cape Cod League and the Jayhawk League taught him the benefits of year-round travel in development of his game. Before moving to Sheridan in 1992, he played for Creighton University where he helped the Jays win a regional tournament against USC in his junior year, moving on to finish third in the nation after winning the Western region his senior year. After coaching for a year with Creighton, when he
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by Brad Estes
Sheridan Troopers catcher Josh Loseke cleans up a play at the plate last summer. The Troopers set a record for wins in a season in 2012. Sheridan Press file photos
got to Sheridan, he involved himself in the sport right away. Sheridan’s high school Legion squad, the Troopers, was his first stop. He coached the Troop in the mid-90s before starting a family, raising his three sons as baseball players from day one. “They all play baseball among other sports,” McCafferty said. “Just the love of the game and the passion that I have for it continues through them — and with other kids, hundreds and hundreds of other kids that I’ve worked with through the years.” But McCafferty admits that he’s seen the sport slump in participation and level of play in the last 12 years, something that ate away at him, fueling his newest mission. “I think that there’s an opportunity, given the right leadership and vision, to pull it back into prominence and make it the sport that kids choose to play first over other sports,” he said. “And that’s really our goal with Sheridan Baseball Academy and Doubleday Park.” A planned state of the art baseball facility, Doubleday Park is named for the fabled 1839 inventor of baseball Abner Doubleday and is an example of Sheridan’s capacity for growth through giving. Sixty-year-old fields carry baseball in the summertime. Oatts field at Sixth Street for the little guys or Thorne-Rider Park off 11th Street where the Legion boys play — they’re
well known and even better used for three months of the year. Soon after the frost melts from their fields you’ll have a tough time finding a parking place until the kids have to return to the classroom in August. “Redle Field is fantastic,” McCafferty said. “Redle Field and Thorne-Rider Stadium are great fields. In high school I didn’t have a field like ThorneRider to play on. Nothing like it. So when I came here and I saw it and I coached, I was amazed. Thorne-Rider Stadium and Redle Field are tremendous. Babe Ruth has done a lot of work with the recreation department and the Sheridan Athletic Association to really make it attractive for that 13- to 15year-old age group. Now we feel like getting down to the youngest of kids and having the opportunity to expand and to create a destination is really important.” That’s where Doubleday comes in, under the plan of the Sheridan Baseball Academy, the seven-board member nonprofit organized to fundraise and plan. Land donated by local philanthropist Neltje north of Sheridan sits waiting for the project that will feature an indoor hitting facility, four little league fields and an eventual championship field serving as a destination for regional tournaments. “It would be great for people around the state and the region to think of Sheridan as a
The photos and artist renderings to the right depict plans for Doubleday Park. The indoor hitting facility is the first part of the Sheridan Baseball Academy's plans. They plan to break ground this summer. The indoor facility will feature state of the art bullpens and ample throwing space. Eventually, Doubleday Park will be home to four fields and, in the final phase, a fifth championship field. Sheridan Press file photos
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hub for baseball whether it be tournaments, or camps, those to love the game. If we can’t get those little kids loving basekinds of things,” McCafferty said. “All of those things are ball at an early age then we’ve lost them. And that, we bepossible. It’s an untapped thing. We have the capacity to do lieve, through our vision to bring baseball back into that with the facilities that we have in this community to sup- prominence, starts not only with that inspiration and having port people coming to town. Being able to have the vision, good coaches and teachers of the game, but with a strong and talking to people to make that happen, is not a problem facility.” That part of the equation is even further along than the in Sheridan.” The city has seen a sports boom in the past five years. A dirt work at Doubleday as McCafferty and parents like Matt hockey rink, Sheridan Ice, has ballooned that sport’s partic- Lube have organized two traveling leagues that Sheridan ipation in both girls and boys of all ages from nearly zero lacked in the past. Two programs; Little League, ages 8-12; prior to the rink’s existence. Soccer is a huge youth sport and Babe Ruth, ages 13-15 are already producing the results here. Traveling tournaments in late spring flock to the base they intended. Talent level increases from new-age of the Bighorns, with youth participafundamental-builders meant to ention numbers trickling into two high courage liking things as rudimentary school state championships in the past as practice. Eventually, kids as young five years. Redle Field is fantastic. Football has always been Sheridan’s as 8 throw a ball and it goes where fall classic. Two state titles, the first they wanted it to go, they know how – Mike McCafferty since the early ‘90s, returned the to watch a count and find balance in Broncs to the spotlight in the last three their swing. “When they can start hitting the years. McCafferty, and many others like ball, it’s fun,” McCafferty said. “They start to have fun, and then when you put those kids with him, see that opportunity for Doubleday. However, nurturing an early love of baseball is more than other kids who can do that, it’s pretty fun.” The two programs have seen state champions as recently just “if you build it.” Facilities by themselves don’t always as 2012, and their opportunities to travel to high order fakeep kids coming back. “It all starts with the kids,” McCafferty said — as young cilities at regional tournaments only ecourages their develas 9 years old and even sooner. “It all starts with the little opment in the game, in more ways than one. “We see that having an impact on the Legion program kids, and the inspiration that they have to play, to get better, over the last couple years, and as far as I can see, over the next decade, that there’s going to be some strength back in the Legion program,” McCafferty said. Two red sculptures sit at what will be the entrance of Doubleday Park. They can be seen from Interstate 90 north of town. Right now, the field surrounding the gate is vacant. The immensity of the Doubleday project is daunting. A projected $2 million cost in total, phase one would is estimated at more than $500,000. But, McCafferty has city support, a longtime mayor who believes in baseball. All of a sudden that large fundraising sum doesn’t seem so far out of the realm of possibility for the nonprofit SBA. McCafferty also has the support of parents and their kids and those families aren’t going anywhere. McCafferty, for example, has kids ages 11 and 17 that he can use as a longterm, very real guage of what they’re trying to do through visible progression from little league to high school. Inspiring a generation sounds like a big task, but in this case it’s as believable as listening to a lover of baseball talk about baseball. “We hope that sometime this summer we’re going to be able to break ground on the indoor hitting facility,” McCafferty said. “I think that’s a real thing. We’re still talking a couple years down the road for the fields and so on, you have to realize, it’s a 60-year plan, this is something for the future of the community that we think is really important to position us to be a destination. “It’s one aspect of a larger kind of commitment by people in this community to make sure we’re a hub for several things.”
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J entel
ARTIST COMMUNITY
From left: Michelle Moode, Brittany Faulkner, Sarah Klein, Mollye Miller, Jennifer Kelly, Claire Brandt Courtesy photo
in a renovated barn, while the writers' studios, located in a small log cabin, are cozy, warm spaces, complete with a welcoming armchair in front of a crackling fireplace. Each morning, the residents commute the 20 yards to their respective studios from their shared home, a large, colorful and eclectically decorated house, a mix of the antique and modern that Mary Jane Edwards, executive director of Jentel, describes as "Neltjeized." Neltje, the same local artist known locally for her ongoing philanthropic work, founded Jentel — an anagram of her name — in 2001 with the Brushes & Bubbles aim of creating the ideal artist residency program, one she 307.673.2878 ~ 645 Broadway ~ Sheridan, WY 82801 would hope to
At the end of a winding dirt road, between Ucross and Banner, lies Jentel, a unique juxtaposition of an artist residency program with a working cattle ranch. Surrounded by hills topped with sage and sweeping views of he Bighorn Mountains, Jentel offers a stimulating yet relaxing environment to four visual artists and two writers each month. Each artist is assigned a studio. The visual artists work in airy rooms with gleaming white walls and high ceilings
Custom Framing Local Art
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attend. She will occasionally pop by the residents' house, not far from her own home, for a cup of coffee or a Scrabble match. Neltje remains the sole benefactor of the Jentel Foundation. "It's a very generous gift of time and space," Edwards said. She describes Jentel as "a safe place where you can make (artistic) decisions that are not safe," furthering creative development. Toward the end of their stay, the artists introduce the projects they have created at Jentel to the public at "Jentel Presents," a free event held at 5:30 p.m. the first Tuesday of each month at the Sagebrush Community Art Center in the Historic Train Depot located at 201 E. Fifth St. in Sheridan. The Jentel residents, typically from metropolitan areas, can meet and question real-life Wild West inhabitants and Sheridan residents can meet and question metropolitan artists. Visit www.jentelarts.org for more information.
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F O R WA R D SHERIDAN Forward Sheridan's primary mission is to develop, attract or incubate industry and business, utilizing the vision of its potential entrepreneurs and its invested partners. Recently, Forward Sheridan's success can be documented through the attraction of a new manufacturer to Sheridan and with the launch of the Sheridan Hi-Tech Business Incubator. One good example: Vacutech. The Tucker family relocated their customengineered vacuum systems from Centennial, Colo., to Sheridan in Decmber 2011. The decision to relocate, build and open a new manufacturing plant took less than 18 months. Vacutech, which dates back to 1959, builds vacuum systems that are used in commercial car washes. The company also engineers and builds custom vacuum systems for mining, aircraft and hospital interests. They have a global reach with their clientele.
In October 2010, Forward Sheridan relocated its offices to the Sheridan HiTech Business Incubator, located east of the city near the Wingate Hotel. The primary function of the incubator is to provide office space, support and technical assistance to those businesses who seek partnerships in this area. Forward Sheridan was founded in 2005 and Jay Stender, a native of Sheridan, has been its executive director since 2009. Anthony Spiegelberg, a local Wells Fargo Bank executive, chairs the group’s board. Stender believes the Sheridan area has a number of assets ready to attract new industry and grow existing business, including: • Knowledge-based assets. A good education system locally, including Big Horn High School, a Blue Ribbon School; Sheridan High School with its arts and music programs and Sheridan College, a community college on the move with a president and new curriculum suited to meet the needs of a growing city.
• Culture. Sheridan has a good base of cultural attractions that add to the quality of life, including concerts, theatre and art through various galleries and the busy schedule of the WYO Theater, a city landmark. "Through the tradition of polo," Stender said, "remarkable people have come through here, have decied to live here and have lifted the community with their commitment to the arts. They have connections to the people who create jobs." • Infrastructure. Recent renovations of streets and sewer systems, an expanding local hospital with specialized care for cancer and cardio-vascular patients and a rich employment base are other reasons for economic development here. "We are in a pro-growth mindset here in Sheridan," Stender said. "We have interaction with economic development professionals at the state and national level. People want to live here and we help them relocated or expand their business."
Sheridan Press file photo
Back row, from left: Anthony Spiegelberg (Chair), Dave Ferries (Treasurer), Bruce Garber, Jay Stender, Sheridan County Commissioner Steve Maier, Dick Kindt (Secretary), Kim Cannon (Counsel). Front row, from left: Mark Kinner, Dixie See (Vice-Chair), Ron Patterson, Mark Law and Mayor Kinskey (Ex-Officio). Members not present: Brian Kinnison, City Councilor Alex Lee, Aaron Sopko, Dick Weber and Dr. Paul Young. 88 D E S T I N A T I O N S H E R I D A N
HAPE
S addlery
Sheridan has been unusually lucky in producing an impressive number of famous western saddle makers. From Don King to Rudy Mudra, Otto and John Ernst to Bill Gardner, Sheridan has been known for years as a hub of fine saddle making and leatherwork. One of the most talented of these men was Chester Hape, who started Hape Saddlery in 1964.
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by Christina Schmidt
Wayne Hape, left, and his father Chester Hape. Wayne Hape is the current owner and operator of Hape Saddlery, which his father started almost 50 years ago. Courtesy photo
"I never thought about it as a talent," said Hape. "Leather fascinated me when I was 10 years old. I would look at this tooled stuff in the saddle shops downtown and said 'that is what I want to do.' By the time I was 12, I was a decent tooler. By the time I was in my teens I could walk in any saddle shop and get a job."
“
It can be plain and just as good (for working), but you add this kind of artwork to it and then it is a piece of art. – Chester Hape
” Hape worked with, learned from and eventually taught some of the best saddle makers in Sheridan. He said that saddle makers in the area often shared and discussed their work with each other, with each artist eventually branching off and creating his own distinct style. In 1976, Hape received the contract to build trophy saddles for the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. The 10 saddles were given annually as top prizes for each of the 10 events at the National Finals Rodeo. Hape held the contract for 13 years. Hape credits his saddle making ability not only to artistic talent, but to his years living and working on a ranch and using horses and saddles every day. "When I was growing up I was riding all the time," said Hape. "I knew what all this stuff was used for and how it had to be made. At one time that was a problem with saddle
makers. They worked for a maker and learned to make saddles, but none of them rode a horse anywhere and didn’t know anything about riding. That is like building a racecar and not knowing how to drive. That was my advantage, riding all the time." If you don’t know much about horses, it may be hard to visualize that each horse and each rider’s body shape is different. Saddles need to fit a rider comfortably, so that he or she can ride and work all day. Equally, the saddle should fit the horse properly to avoid soreness and areas of rubbing. “If you take your rolly-polly horse and put a narrow saddle on him and ride him all day, he is going to be hurting,” said Hape. Hape made both simple saddles with little leatherwork and fancy tooled saddles that were often used by riders who competed in rodeos or horse shows. "It can be plain and just as good (for working), but you add this kind of artwork to it and then it is a piece of art," said Hape. Hape estimates he made 600 or more saddles over the course of his career. However, due to declining health, he stopped making saddles several years ago. "I just kind of slowed
down," said Hape. "It got to where I couldn’t do the work I had always done and that is not satisfactory, so I just quit. I wanted to do good work or none at all." Hape's last saddle is now on display at the Tom Balding Bits and Spurs store. More of his saddles can be seen at the King's Saddlery Museum and are on display at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City and the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame in Colorado Springs. "I made a couple mistakes on it and I said that is it, I am not doing it anymore," said Hape, about the last saddle he made. "I couldn't maintain that quality. It was hard to give something up you had done for so long." However, this was not the end of Hape Saddlery. Five years ago, Hape's son Wayne, who was raised
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in Sheridan but had been living in Alaska for almost 20 years, returned to Sheridan and continues to operate Hape Saddlery. Like his father, Wayne Hape learned to tool and do leather work at a young age. "I always enjoyed the artistic part of it," he said. "I always wanted to stamp as good as dad. It was a little frustrating. I didn’t realize he was one of the best in the world and his work was what I was trying to do. But I learned from the best. Hand-
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work is something else. Not everybody can do it. You have to have a craftsman ability as well as artistic ability to do that." “Waylon (Wayne Hape’s son) just loves going out there to the shop,” he continued. “It is exciting and it was exciting for me too. At that time, dad was running a ranch and at night we would go in his shop while he was working. My sisters and I would get pieces of leather and play. It was really fun." Wayne Hape now operates Hape Saddlery out of a shop at his home. He continues to make saddles and has also expanded out to other areas of leatherwork, creating belts, musical
instrument cases, clocks, photo albums and other items that are accessorized with leather. Wayne Hape estimates it takes him 80 hours to create a saddle, though adding tool work and carving adds additional time. “It is the quality,” said Wayne Hape, about the benefits of a custom saddle. “Like anything else, handmade, it is made of the best materials and made custom for the person and the horse. A barrel racing saddle is completely different than a roping saddle and different from a saddle someone uses for trail riding. It can be made exactly how they want it, for the use they are going to use it for." Hape said he is able to receive saddle and other leatherwork orders from around the country and can be reached through his website at www.hapesaddlery.com.
Sheridan County
C E N S U S D ATA According to 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data, Sheridan County is home to 29,116 residents. The city of Sheridan has 17,444 residents. Sheridan County • 29,116 total residents • Median household income 2006-2010: $48,141 • Percent of people 18 years and older with a high school diploma: 92.7 percent • Percent of people 25 years or older with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 23.1 percent • Persons below poverty level: 11.2 percent • Persons per square mile: 1,596.3 • Mean travel time to work: 17.9 minutes
City of Sheridan
Stor y Community
• 17,444 total residents • Male: 8,646 • Female: 8,798 • Under 18: 13,613 • Largest age group: 50-64: 3,677
• 828 total residents • Male: 423 • Female: 405 • Under 18: 118 • Largest age group: 50-64: 280
Town of Ar vada
Ranchester Community
• 43 total residents • Male: 26 • Female: 17 • Under 18: 5 • Largest age group: 35-46: 18
• 855 total residents • Male: 432 • Female: 423 • Under 18: 278 • Largest age group: 50-64: 160
Town of Clearmont
Town of Dayton
• 142 total residents • Male: 64 • Female: 78 • Under 18: 43 • Largest age group: 50-64: 40
• 757 total residents • Male: 376 • Female: 381 • Under 18: 192 • Largest age group: 50-64: 197
Big Horn Community • 490 total residents • Male: 244 • Female: 246
• Under 18: 144 • Largest age group: 50-64: 117
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SUMMER EVENTS Cale nd ar JUNE • June 1-2 — Hoop Jam. This three-on-three street basketball tournament provides wholesome family entertainment with 18 courts and approximately 800 participants. A registration and welcome barbecue is held the Friday before. For more information, call 307674-1632 or visit sheridanhospital.org. • June 8 — Park2Park run/bike/stroll. This trek takes participants from South Park to North Park and back, or 10 miles roundtrip. Those wishing to take the challenge can walk, bike or run the pathways. Wellness activities will be held at different parks along the way. For more information contact Sheridan City Hall at 6746483. • June 14-15 — Bighorn Mountain Wild and Scenic Trail Runs. Hundreds of runners from across the world will compete in 100-mile, 50-mile, 50k or 30k races
beginning Friday and finishing Saturday. The trail run home base is in Dayton. For more information, visit www.bighorntrailrun.com. • June 20 — Third Thursday Street Festival. Head downtown to partake in Sheridan’s monthly summer street festival featuring food and beverage vendors as well as booths from area organizations and businesses. The monthly summer event also features live music. • June 22 — Miss Wyoming Scholarship Pageant. This year’s event will feature Miss Wyoming 2012 Lexie Madden, who won third runner-up for Miss America 2012. The preshow will begin at 7 p.m. and the pageant at 7:30 p.m. at the WYO Theater. For more information, call 674-8946. Jay Stender,
JULY • July 4 — Fourth of July at the Big Horn Equestrian Center and Ucross. These
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annual community fireworks shows are sure to wow the family. For more information, see www.sheridanwyomingchamber.org.
money raised goes directly to the foundation. For costs and other information and to sign up, contact Vicki Kane at 307-752-0567.
• July 5-6 — Chris Ledoux Memorial Golf Tournament at the Powder Horn. On Friday, a 7 a.m. practice round is held and at 6 p.m. a barbecue, auction and live entertainment kicks off. A four-person scramble tournament starts at 9 a.m. Saturday and is open to the public. The event began in 2007 as a fundraiser for the Chris DeDoux Memorial Foundation, a foundation established by the LeDoux family after the loss of the singer-songwriter and World Champion Bareback Rider Chris LeDoux. All
• July 6 — KARZ Rod Run. Almost 200 hot rods, muscle and classic cars and trucks will be on display on Sheridan’s historic Main Street. Awards presented to winners are judged by the public. Also, poker run cruise and picnic for participants Sunday. For more information, contact Bob Gates at bob@karzclub.org or visit www.karzclub.org. • July 8-14 — SheridanWyo-Rodeo Week. An entire week’s worth of rodeo entertainment includes art shows, rodeo slack, a bed
SUMMER EVENTS c on t in ued.. .
race, pancake breakfast, carnivals and more. For a complete list see page 73 or visit sheridanwyorodeo.com. • July 12-14 — Bighorn Mountain Festival. Head to Buffalo for a weekend’s worth of bluegrass music, classes and festivities at the Johnson County Fairgrounds. For more information, visit www.bighornmountainfestival.com.
• July 29-Aug. 3 — Sheridan County Fair. Support local youth as they show off their projects and livestock at the Sheridan County Fairgrounds. For more information, call the Sheridan County Fair Association at 307-672-2079.
AUGUST
• Aug. 3-4 — Big West Arts Festival. For two days, the Sheridan College campus grounds become a metropolis of visual and performing • July 18 — Third Thursday art. The event is free and Street Festival. Head down- open to the publicor more town to partake in Sheriinformation visit www.bigdan’s monthly summer street westartsfestival.com. festival featuring food and beverage vendors as well • Aug. 11 — Taste of Sherias booths from area organi- dan. This gathering of foodzations and businesses. The ies is held at Thorne-Rider monthly summer event also Park on the north side of the features live music. city and typically features more than 15 of the city’s • July 25-28 — Dayton culinary delights to be Days. A parade, race and judged by attendees. Beer, weekend’s worth of fun in wine and soda are also Dayton at the foot of the available for purchase. Live Bighorns. For more informa- music also highlights the tion call Dayton Town Hall event. For more informa307-655-2217. tion, visit www.tasteofsheridan.com.
• Aug. 15 — Third Thursday Street Festival. Head downtown to partake in Sheridan’s monthly summer street festival featuring food and beverage vendors as well as booths from area organizations and businesses. The monthly summer event also features live music. • Aug. 23-25 — Story Days. Activities start with a Dutch oven cookoff and a historical walk of Story on Friday. Other events will include the annual fireman's breakfast on Saturday. For more information, contact Marc Strahn at (307) 6833270 or (307) 752-8010.
the event to be held at Whitney Plaza. For more information, visit www.sheridanwyomingchamber.org. • Sept. 19 — Third Thursday Street Festival. Head downtown to partake in Sheridan’s monthly summer street festival featuring food and beverage vendors as well as booths from area organizations and businesses. The monthly summer event also features live music.
SEPTEMBER • Sept. 7 — Sheridan County Chamber of Commerce Brewfest. A fun time of beer sampling, live music, and a variety of food vendors. Unlimited beer sampling from more than a dozen different breweries from all over the region and from three beer distributors. Live music will also highlight
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Wyoming INFORMATION CENTER Looking for information on local hotels, restaurants and entertainment? Visit the Wyoming Information Center located on the east side of the Interstate 90 Fifth Street exit. The center offers friendly specialists to aide with any travel needs, 24-hour public restrooms inside the building, a kiosk where you can check out the area's different points of interest, a children's playground, a mini-museum and a picnic area with panoramic views of Sheridan and the Bighorn Mountains. The information center and museum are owned by the state and operated by the Sheridan County Chamber of Commerce and Sheridan Travel and
WHAT
YOU’LL
• 24-hour public restrooms • One-on-one assistance from travel specialists • Information kiosk • Brochures on area's points of interest • Dog-walking area
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Tourism. The information center is equipped with a flatscreen television, computers with Internet service and wireless access. Parking at the facility is ample and able to accomodate vehicles of all sizes. There is also an RV waste disposal site for the convenience of travelers. The Chamber of Commerce and information centter can be contacted at 307-672-2485 or through www.sheridanwyomingchamber.org. STT can be contacted at 307-673-7120 or www.sheridanwyoming.org. Summer hours (mid-May to mid-October) for the information center are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays the rest of the year.
FIND
THERE
• Picnic area • RV waste disposal site • Parking • Panoramic view of the Bighorn Mountains • Wyoming Game and Fish regional offices nearby
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16
Accents of Wyoming
52
D&J Coins
81
KWN Construction
32
ACT
93
Dairy Queen
85
Little Willow Traders
30
Affordable Autos
87
Dalton’s RV
74
Davis Gallery
86
Memorial Hospital of Sheridan County
Days Inn
11
Devil’s Tower KOA
78
Dog Paw Pottery
62
Allstate Insurance/ Jeff Rickett
74
Apsaalooke Casino
92
Balanced Living
60
Barbwire Living
96
Big Bear Taxidermy
63
Downtown Sheridan Association
Bighorn Design
93
Eaton’s Ranch
Bighorn Mountain Bluegrass Festival Big Horn Smokehouse
Ebia Hearing 71 61
ERA Carrol Realty Fiberhouse
87 81 42 13 32
Sheridan Community Land Trust
54
Sheridan County Museum
28
Sheridan Internal Medicine
79
65
Sheridan Motor
66
Mint Bar
90
Sheridan Stationery
66
Motel 6
3
Northeast Wyoming Pediatric Associates
66 & 85
OK Corral
93
On the Rocks
41
Over the Moon
29
Perkins Family Restaurant
59 100
Powder Horn
Sheridan Travel & Tourism
2
Silver Spur Bar
63
Stone Mill Construction
79
Strahan & Associates
78 & 87
Streetwear Clothing
38
Subway Restaurant
20
Summit Realty
5
Tegeler and Associates
96
91
The Body Shop
85
Black Tooth Brewery
35
First Federal Savings Bank
33
Powder River Heating & AC
Boot Barn
98
First Interstate Bank
78
Ptolemy Data Systems
16
The Sports Lure
58
Bozeman Trail Gallery
12
Forward Sheridan
89
Quick Printing
92
The Sports Stop
57
Brinton Museum
31
Gina’s Beauty Bar
62
Rahimi’s Taxidermy
62
Tom Balding Bits & Spurs
39
Candlewood Suites
79
Hando’s Service Center
84
Ranchester Liquor
63
Century 21/BHJ Realty
51
TruBuilt Builders/ Woodland Park Storage
47
Hospital Pharmacy
96
Christiansen Enterprises
63
38
45
18
Turned Antiques
Jill Flack - Summit Realty
REMAX/ Bighorn Properties
City of Sheridan
19
Kendrick Golf Course
54
ReVamp
67
Twisted Hearts/Solitude/ Red Velvet Bakery
21
Riverside Paint
97
Robbins Dermetology
90
Rocky Mountain Discount Sports
Coffeen Plaza Dental Corner Grocery
65 64
Kilpatrick Creations King Ropes
85 75
VA Hospital
4
Vagtmand Services, LLC
54
54
Valley Meat Company
62
Rocky Mountain Exteriors
64
Valley Motor Honda
69
No Appt. Necessary Free Estimates
Sackett’s Market
28
Warehouse 201
99
Security State Bank
29
Wash Yer Woolies
79
See the experts in
Sheridan College
Wells Fargo
81
29
Westview Healthcare
46
43
Wyoming Audiology & Hearing
87
Cottonwood Properties 94 & 95
Kosma Heating & AC
Collision Repair
66
24 & 25
Sheridan Commercial Sheridan County Chamber of Commerce
851 Riverside • 673-0783 • Sheridan, WY
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COM