A Few of FR's Finest...Every Day...03-30-04...Wyoming ~ Like No Place On Earth

Mama_Bear

[Mama_Bear]

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day

Free Republic made its debut in September, 1996, and the forum was added in early 1997. Over 100,000 people have registered for posting privileges on Free Republic, and the forum is read daily by tens of thousands of concerned citizens and patriots from all around the country and the world.

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day was introduced on June 24, 2002. It's only a small room in JimRob's house where we can get to know one another a little better; salute and support our military and our leaders; pray for those in need; and congratulate those deserving. We strive to keep our threads entertaining, fun, and pleasing to look at, and often have guest writers contribute an essay or a profile of another FReeper.

On Mondays please visit us to see photos of A FEW OF FR'S VETERANS AND ACTIVE MILITARY

If you have a suggestion, or an idea, or if there's a FReeper you would like to see featured, please drop one of us a note in FR mail.

We're having fun and hope you are!
~ Billie, Mama_Bear, dansangel, dutchess, Aquamarine ~

Please join us as we make a cyber-visit to another great state in this Union of ours.

Over the past several months each "Finest" hostess has profiled her home state and I will be presenting the other states in random order. Please FReepMail me if you would like to participate in spotlighting your state. I would love to have your input on what you would like to see highlighted.

Today we are visiting the beautiful state of Wyoming. Saddle up and come on along.

These are the states we have presented to date:

05-23-03 Alabama 06-27-03 Maryland 07-11-03 Vermont 07-25-03 Utah 08-05-03 Texas 08-22-03 Nevada 08-26-03 Wash DC 09-05-03 Tennessee 09-17-03 Florida 09-19-03 Minnesota

10-03-03 New Mexico 10-14-03 Georgia 10-17-03 Louisiana 10-22-03 Michigan 11-04-03 South Dakota 11-14-03 California 01-09-04 South Carolina 02-06-04 West Virginia 02-20-04 Oregon 03-09-04 Pennsylvania

The "Equality State",
The "Cowboy State"

Since long before the area known as Wyoming became a state in 1890, civilization has been using the Southern corridor of this state for transportation, creating a rich heritage to be shared with visitors.

From dinosaur tracks to wagon tracks to railroad tracks to modern interstate highways, join us for a tour of an area rich in history called "the corridor".

What is the "Wyoming Corridor?"

The corridor is a significant historic transportation route containing rich resources from Wyoming's past. Prehistoric animals roamed the expanse, the mountain men explored the region and historic trails (Oregon, Overland, Mormon and Pony Express) crossed the landscape. Fossils, stage stops, railroad depots, roundhouses, seven National Register downtown areas, mining and timber camps and historic ranches all tell the story of the exploration and settlement of the state. The Old Lincoln Highway, Route 30, and today's Interstate 80 connect the resources of the auto age. Present day mines, oil fields, commercial areas, modern public facilities, and our people continue the saga.

The first tracks across Wyoming were American Indian trails connecting villages with hunting grounds. In the early 1800s, fur trappers and mountainmen refined these dim trails into a travel network between the Rocky Mountains and the Mississippi River, then the western boundary of the United States.

In 1841, the first of the great Covered Wagon Trains ventured west along the fur trade route. Mountainman Jim Bridger built his trading post beside the wagon road in 1843. During the next 25 years some 500,000 Americans would "go westering" along the famed Oregon, California and Mormon trails.

Other tracks would follow. Members of the Cherokee Nation joined the 1849 California Gold Rush, pioneering a new route across southern Wyoming. Their Cherokee Trail would become the Overland Stagecoach Trail in the late 1850s. The Pony Express thundered its legendary track across Wyoming in 1860-61.

In 1868-69, the tracks of the Union Pacific Railroad replaced the covered wagon trails. The 2,000-mile journey to the west coast could now be made in days instead of months. In 1913, the Lincoln Highway made transcontinental automobile travel a reality along a route that would become US-30 and, finally, I-80, completing Wyoming's long and rich transportation history.

Click here for a brief account
of Wyoming's Rip-Roaring Past....
Railroads and Outlaws.

Evidence of all the old Trails can be found in Tracks Across Wyoming country. Visit historic Fort Bridger and the museums in every city or town. Or simply stop at any of the countless road-side historic sites to contemplate the wonder-filled past. Sometimes you can almost hear the rumble, shout and bawl of a distant wagon train.

Wyoming's southwestern desert country was once a vast inland sea. Lake Gosiute was the home of a great variety of fish, amphibians, birds reptiles and mammals that are now perfectly fossilized in the shale layers of the ancient sea bed. Fossil Butte National Monument west of Kemmerer explores and presents the flora and fauna of this long gone semi-tropical wonderland.

Wyoming boasts the first major find of dinosaur fossils at Como Bluff near Medicine Bow. Como Bluff bone quarries supplied dinosaur displays to most of the worlds museums during the late 1800s. New discoveries are being made every year. Visitors can experience Wyoming's Jurassic Park at the University of Wyoming Geology Museum in Laramie, the Wyoming State Museum in Cheyenne and at Western Wyoming Community College in Rock Springs.

Sparsely populated Wyoming has the smallest population of any state, and almost two thirds of the residents live in urban areas.

"Wyoming" and "Cowboy" are synonymous. You can't have one without the other. Cowboys drove their great herds of cattle north along the old Texas Trail to the grass-rich prairies of eastern Wyoming in the 1860s. Flocks of sheep were not far behind, heading for the high, semi-desert country of south-central Wyoming.

Huge ranching operations were established, with land holdings measured in thousands of sections, not acres. The Swan Land and Cattle Company, headquartered in Cheyenne and Chugwater, once ran cattle from central Wyoming to west-central Nebraska. Sheep ranches prospered near Rawlins and Rock Springs. At one time, more sheep were sheared at the Wolcott pens than anywhere else in the United States.

Rodeo is Wyoming's favorite pastime. All along the corridor, communities celebrate the heritage of the cowboy with rodeos of all sizes. Leading the list is Cheyenne Frontier Days, "The Daddy of 'em All." The world's largest outdoor rodeo has been happening for ten days every July for over 100 years. You'll find smaller, "up close and personal" rodeos in places like Pine Bluffs, Laramie, Encampment, Rawlins, Rock Springs, Kemmerer and Evanston, to name a few.

America's First National Park

Long before any recorded human history in Yellowstone, a massive volcanic eruption spewed an immense volume of ash that covered all of the western U.S., much of the Midwest, northern Mexico and some areas of the eastern Pacific. The eruption dwarfed that of Mt. St. Helens in 1980 and left a caldera 30 miles wide by 45 miles long.

That climactic event occurred about 640,000 years ago, and was one of many processes that shaped Yellowstone National Park--a region once rumored to be "the place where hell bubbles up." Geothermal wonders, such as Old Faithful, are evidence of one of the world's largest active volcanoes. These spectacular features bemused and befuddled the park's earliest visitors, and helped lead to the creation of the world's first national park.

Fur trappers' fantastic tales of cauldrons of bubbling mud and roaring geysers sending steaming plumes skyward made their way back east. Several expeditions were sent to investigate, opening the West to further exploration and exploitation. In 1871, Ferdinand Hayden led an expedition that included artist Thomas Moran and photographer William H. Jackson. They brought back images that helped convince Congress that the area known as Yellowstone needed to be protected and preserved.

In 1872, President Ulysses S. Grant signed a law declaring that Yellowstone would forever be "dedicated and set apart as a public park or pleasuring ground for the benefit and enjoyment of the people."

Old Faithful, the most famous of all geysers, erupts more frequently than any of the other big geysers, although it is not the largest or most regular geyser in the park. Its average interval between eruptions is about 91 minutes, varying from 65 - 92 minutes. An eruption lasts 1 1/2 to 5 minutes, expels 3,700 - 8,400 gallons (14,000 - 32,000 liters) of boiling water, and reaches heights of 106 - 184 feet (30 - 55m).

The largest active geyser in the world is Steamboat Geyser in the Norris Geyser Basin.

Old Faithful WebCam

Other Interesting Wyoming Links

Wyoming Ghost Towns
Ridin', Ropin', Ranchin' Cowboy School
Wyoming Pony Express Stations



And lastly, a few important
facts about our featured state....

Wyoming is known as the "Equality State" because of the rights women have traditionally enjoyed there. Wyoming women were the first in the nation to vote, serve on juries and hold public office.

In 1869, Wyoming's territorial legislature became the first government in the world to grant "female suffrage" by enacting a bill granting Wyoming women the right to vote. The act was signed into law on December 10 of that year by Governor A.J. Campbell.

Capital. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cheyenne
Nickname. . . . . Big Wyoming, Equality State, Cowboy State
Motto. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ."Equal Rights"
Admitted To Union. . . . . . . . . . . . July 10, 1890-44th State
Size. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97,914 square miles, 9th largest state
Highest Point. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gannett Peak, 13,804 feet
Lowest Point. . . . . . . . . . . . .3,100 feet Belle Fourche River
Average Annual Precipitation. . . . . . . . . . . . . 14.5 inches
Population (2000 Census). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 493,782



The following websites provided information
and graphics for this presentation...

Tracks Across Wyoming
United States Resources: Wyoming
Wyoming, General Information

THIS WEEK'S THREADS 03-29-04...Military Monday

Opinions by our own 'King of Ping' The guy's good, folks!

Thanks, Mixer!

1) Click on the graphic to open the Calendar.
2) Once there you can click on any month and even click to the right to go into next year. Once you are in the month that you joined FR you will need to click on the number in the calendar and then an add item screen will come up.
3) In the next box enter your name in the "Calendar Text" field and then click on submit.
4) If any of the screens fail to load simply click on refresh in your browser and that will usually fix it.
5) If all else fails or simply if you want me to do this for you send me a FReepmail and I will gladly do it for you. ~Mixer

[Mama_Bear]

Good morning, Amy.

I love this poem you've found. You are just so good at finding the perfect poem for every occassion, even for our cyber-travels around the country.

Have you been to Wyoming?

[Mama_Bear]

Mornin', Aeronaut. Seems like it's been ages since I have been able to spend any time here. It's always good to see familiar friendly faces, and your plane too!

[Aeronaut]

Good morning Mama. It's always good to see you, too.

[Mama_Bear]

Hi Meekie!

This is like a homecoming for me. Between being out of town for several days and the perplexing computer problems I've had (and still have) since I returned, seems I've been away for a long time.

It's wonderful to be able to spend time with you all, in between crashes. LOL

[dutchess]

Hi Lori. As always, you've done a wonderful job. Beautiful and informative. Heading out to work...hopefully can spend some meaningful time here later. Have missed you sistah!!!!! Hope you got you son all settled in!

[Mama_Bear]

new Wyoming resident here!

How lucky you are to be able to live in such a beautiful state with such vast, wide open spaces to explore.

[Angelwood]

Beautiful vista -- thanks. Have a great day!

[Mama_Bear]

Good morning to you, tglsTakoma!

I agree with you, Wyoming is beautiful. I was there many years ago, for too brief a visit, but I remember how breathtaking the Grand Tetons looked from the car window as we traveled through on our way to Yellowstone. And, I'll never forget the sulfur smell coming from the "paint pots" in Yellowstone. I will forever associate that memory with Wyoming. Yellowstone is a fascinating place to visit.

I am so happy you stopped by with your recollections. :-)

[FreeTheHostages]

Good morning! Wyoming fun fact: the percentage of persons that voted for Bush minus those that voted for Gore was 41 percent in the 2000 election, the second-largest Republican/Democrat vote gap. (The largest was Utah.) Definitely a red state!

[Mama_Bear]

Beautiful presentation!

Good morning, Mayor, and thank you. It's a small miracle that I was able to finish it. My computer is very sick and has taken to rebooting itself out of the blue for no apparent reason. It crashed at least 10 times yesterday and, of course, whatever I was working on went into a black hole somewhere. I learned to save after everything I did, but it was quite difficult making any progress at all.

I watched the old faithful cam for a few minutes. Kinda cool..

I checked the webcam last night when it was just stars. It's amazing how brightly the stars showed up without city lights interfering. But the daytime view is much more interesting...although, it would be even better if the scene refreshed a little more often.

Have yourself a great day!

[FreeTheHostages]

I've been to Cheyenne Frontier Days! The nearby military base serves this HUGE pancake breakfast to one and all. (They do it because they have a unit that's prepared to do mass disaster food delivery, and this keeps 'em in practice. A hold-over from the Cold War days.) It's a great line to be in! You almost have to jog, the line goes so fast. They serve tens of thousands of pancake breakfasts in record time! You'll never have such a big meal served to you so fast!! I recommend it.

Everyone should see frontier days. You can fly into Denver and just rent a car and drive north into Wyoming for next to nothing.

I had a friend who lived in Wyoming who I visited while I was there. A friend from college. He had fallen in love with a shepardess!! A woman he had met who was herding sheep through his neck of the woods. Can you imagine? 'Twas true. That woman had a lovely tan, too. Ah, it didn't last. He moved back to New York City and she was a country girl.

Hee hee, this sounds like one of LadyX's posts, doesn't it, if I may presume? I'll ping her too.

[GailA]

Good Morning FRiends

Coffee's on

[Mama_Bear]

Wyoming "Where men are men and so are some of the women"

LOL. I was thinking about the fact that women were first able to vote in Wyoming, and I bet it must have been because, after the long, torturous and perilous journey to get to Wyoming, no one was going to tell them what they couldn't do once they got there. LOL.

In my home county the Republican primary is the one that counts. If you win that you are elected. Our veterans are loved as much as our horses.

LOL, and that is a good thing. Thanks for coming by and helping us pay tribute to your great state.

Have a great day in Cowboy Country!

[Big Horn]

Wyoming home of Dick and Lynne Cheney. "Powder River let her buck".

[Pippin]

GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY!

I pinged as many of the veterans and those currently serving in the armed forces as well as thier families and friends as I could remember but I'm sure there is more out there so y'all can tell them for me as I say

THANK YOU!!!!!!

For your service and sacrifice!

[SLB]

Good morning and thanks for the Wyoming tribute. Please have a quick look at my profile. I guess I am a Wyoming lurker!

I was born and raised in Wheatland, about half way between Casper and Cheyenne. Wouldn't trade it for all the tea in China. Growing up there in the 50's and 60's was fantastic, especially when coupled to a dad who loved the outdoors. We fished and hunted together like best friends. We didn't know what we were missing in not having TV, we had the great outdoors. The first time I smelled the sickly sweat smell of pot was in Vietnam when I was 20 years old and thought a haystack was on fire. A little innocent? Maybe, but it was sure a heck of a good way to grow up.

Sadly to say, I left Wyoming 35 years ago for what I thought were greener pastures. Are they? I don't think so. I have not been back for 16 months, since my dad's funeral. What a wonderful sight, the little cemetary on a barren hilltop with the mountains on the horizon, what a final resting place!

[Mama_Bear]

Hi Lori. As always, you've done a wonderful job. Beautiful and informative.

Thank you, Sis.

Heading out to work...hopefully can spend some meaningful time here later. Have missed you sistah!!!!!

Oh, and I have missed you too! Everything seems to be working against me. I arrived home to severe computer problems. Still don't know what the problem is, but it was sure tricky trying to get this presentation ready in between crashes. So far, so good. I haven't crashed once this morning. But I guess it is too much to hope that my machine fixed itself. LOL

Hope you got you son all settled in!

Well, not quite. He was still in a big mess when I left. I had forgotten how chaotic moving a household is....especially combining two households and navigating around two kids and a Pug that were constantly underfoot. But, as crazy as it was, I enjoyed every minute. I always do when I get to spend time with my son and his family. :-)

Hope to see you after work. Have a great day. HUGS!

[Mama_Bear]

Good morning, Angelwood. So nice to have you stop by and help us celebrate our featured state.

You have a wonderful day too. I heard on the news yesterday that it is cherry blossom time in DC. One of my favorite memories from my growing up in DC was the beautiful cherry blossom trees in full bloom.

[Billie]

Good morning, Sistah Beah. Thank you for another lovely post with lovely graphics about another lovely state. Wyoming is a state that someday I hope to visit. Am partial to anyplace that loves horses though! :)

[ST.LOUIE1]

Morning, fuzzy! : )