The Oilfield and Meeteetse

The oil industry has played a significant role in the Meeteetse area since the turn-of-the-last-century. It accelerated after geologist Thomas Harrison discovered the Oregon Basin field in 1908. Making the Salon Wiley ranch his headquarters, Harrison and Wiley teamed up with the oil company ENALPAC and then set out to find commercial quantities of oil. It was a struggle, at best, as Harrison and ENALPAC could not avoid the unmarketable natural gas that seemed to appear everywhere they drilled. Although ENALPAC eventually found oil and gained control of the field, the history of Oregon Basin would ultimately be written by another group, the Ohio Oil Company. It was the Ohio led by James Donnell that entered the scene in 1921, solved the natural gas issues that had plagued ENALPAC, and made the Oregon Basin the productive field it is today.

Other discoveries in the Meeteetse area soon followed that at Oregon Basin as companies, large and small, began prospecting at Grass Creek, Little Buffalo Basin, and many other locations. Two companies, however, would dominate in Wyoming during these early years: John D. Rockefeller’s Standard Oil and Donnell’s Ohio. It was the ability of these companies to solve Wyoming’s transportation, market, and low price issues that propelled them ahead of other producers in the state. The establishment of pipelines that transported their oil to railheads, then to refineries, was a key to their success, as was the overall financial strength of their organizations. The Ohio was the most successful of all companies operating in northwestern Wyoming. Under Donnell’s leadership, the Ohio experienced enormous growth and entered the areas of retail sales and refining as early as the 1920s.

The Oilfield and Meeteetse not only summarizes the history of the major fields around Meeteetse, such as Oregon Basin, Grass Creek, Little Buffalo Basin, and Fourbear Field, but it also provides a general view of the oil industry in Wyoming. The candid images provided by Marathon Oil Corporation and those rare images from the photo archives of the Meeteetse Museums (including the 1914 gas explosion and fire at Little Buffalo Basin) help tell the stories of a century-long struggle to find oil and overcome the problems caused by the state’s geographic isolation.

In honor of its first century of operation in Wyoming, the exhibit also features a special section detailing the colorful history of the Marathon Oil Corporation. By using images provided by Marathon, this section covers Marathon’s development from its birth as the Ohio Oil Company in 1887 to its present position as a leader in the global petroleum industry.  Emphasis in this exhibit, however, is given to Marathon’s role in Wyoming and the Meeteetse area.

Exhibit will continue through December 21. For more info: meeteetsemuseums.org, 307-868-2423, or email info@meeteetsemuseums.org.

Now is the time to observe Wyoming’s native sage grouse on their leks (courtship areas). During this annual ritual, (late March through early May), males are competing for mates

The sage grouse is the ultimate Wyoming status-seeker. Sage grouse leks can attract more than 200 males. The dominant males are usually in the center of the lek. They are the ones who do most of the breeding. Spotting males is easy because the front of the bird is white.
Hens come to the lek when they are ready to mate. They are camouflaged so well that they can be difficult to see, but this feature makes nesting safer. After breeding at the lek, the hens lay about seven or eight eggs in a scrape on the ground, usually near some protective vegetation such as sagebrush. The hens incubate their eggs for 22-24 days. Young hatch downy and are ready to leave the nest as soon as their down is dry. Females guard the broods for about 10 weeks. During this time the chicks’ diet is composed of insects, especially grasshoppers. As they mature, their diet shifts to vegetable matter, mostly forbs in the spring and early summer, then sagebrush as herbaceous vegetation cures. During winter, the birds can be found in large flocks in areas of extensive sagebrush.

• Arrive at the lek at least one hour before sunrise.
• Don’t drive on or near the lek and park away from the edge of the lek.
• Turn off the engine and lights and stay in your vehicle.
• Use binoculars and spotting scopes to observe birds.
• Don’t make loud noises or sudden movements.
• Do not leave the lek site until the birds do.
• Keep your pets in the vehicle or, better yet, leave them at home.
• Do not trespass on private land.
• Postpone your visit if roads are muddy.

Flying Eagle Gallery will feature Sallie Wesaw, Thermopolis/Riverton artist, in a month-long exhibit at the gallery. Wesaw is a former pottery teacher from Central Wyoming College. Her current work covers a broad range, including pottery sculpture, painting with acrylic, glass, pastels, felting and basketry. She has been described as a “playful dabbler with serious skills” and her work as “thoughtful and intriguing.”

An artist’s reception will be held May 11, 6-8 p.m. and is open at no charge. Flying Eagle Gallery is located at 518 Broadway in Thermopolis.

Improve your business skills for today’s markets 

NATIVE AMERICAN EXPO: THE BUSINESS OF ART

MAY 31, Fort Washakie, Frank B. Wise Complex, Wind River Reservation

Open to all – Free but advance registration required Call Vickie@wrdf.org.
Sponsored by Wind River Development Fund
Topics and speakers 
* Business Side of Art – Chuck Egnaczak, Works of Wyoming director
* Taking Your Idea to Market – Gayle Wilson, manager, WOW Gallery, Laramie
* How to grow an arts business in rural America: Cultural Heritage Tourism at work – Ellen Sue Blakey, Hot Springs Greater Learning Foundation
* My business is on Facebook, now what? – Fabian Lobera, Pitch Engine, Lander
* Marketing business on Facebook, grabbing a following on Twitter – Patrick Adam Lawson, Technology Center, Northern Arapaho Tribal Industries

Click here for larger version of poster

SPEAK UP NOW

DEADLINE EXTENDED TO MAY 15!!

** What’s happening?

Wyoming State Parks Historic Trails & Sites is conducting a statewide Concessionaires Master Plan. This includes Hot Springs State Park in Thermopolis. They are asking for public input. (This means you!) Deadline: MAY 15.

What is it for?
The state parks wants to find out what the public would like to see in each of the state parks where concessions exist (such as Hot Springs State Park). They are asking:
* What visitor services would we, the public, like to see improved, enhanced or removed?
* What new visitor services would we like to see added or introduced?

How does this affect Thermopolis?
Your input can help determine what services are developed in the future. For several years, the community has been working on a dream — the Big Horn Basin Nature & Discovery Center in Hot Springs State Park. Now is the time to let the state know that we intend for it to become reality.
A Joint Powers Board set up by Hot Springs County and the Town of Thermopolis has been working on the Center development and potential funding. Hot Springs Greater Learning Foundation has worked closely with the Joint Powers Board and supports the project.

What would the Center do?
The facility is designed to:
* help visitors learn about the importance of Hot Springs State Park and the Big Horn region;
* let people know more about our regional natural resources throughout the Big Horn Basin, what they can do and visit;
* provide activities for all ages, including a school of traditional arts and skills to provide training and jobs in our region;
* act as a destination site and centerpiece for rural regional economic development.

This one-page summary shows the positive economic impact the facility will have on the Big Horn Basin.

What can you do?

Let state leaders know the Big Horn Basin Nature & Discovery Center is important to the community, the region and the state.
To make it easy for you to be part of the discussion, the state parks has designed a new interactive website. You can add your ideas, “like” other good ideas, use sticky notes to make comments, even add photos of ideas you have for visitor services.
Deadline: April 15! Don’t wait until the last minute — you may miss some great ideas!
Join the Discussion!

State Parks Website: wyoparks.state.wy.us/ideas.
The site uses Crowdbrite social media software. Set up an account, it’s free. Visit as many times as you want.
Need help? See the user guide at http://www.crowdbrite.com/images/pdf/UserGuide.pdf.

7 a.m.-9:30 a.m. Pancake Breakfast, County Fair Bldg. Free.

10 a.m. – Parade

11:00 a.m. – Program in Bicentennial Park (downtown) – (speakers to be announced)

1-6 p.m. Music & entertainment, Hot Springs State Park Pavilion (see below)

3 p.m. Gunfight re-enactment

5 p.m. Buffalo burger dinner, Kiwanis Shelter, Hot Springs State Park

7 p.m. Thermopolis Cowboy Rendezvous PRCA Rodeo, Fairgrouds

9 p.m. Community dance, Fairgrounds building

Free entertainment includes (but is not limited to, Bluegrass jammers, John Brooks & Friends, a Gift of the Waters presentation, line dance demonstration and participation, Cody Burrows & Friends, Centennial Choir, Hometown Music with the Stetlers, Glenda Ramsey & friends, Wally Van Antwerp, Cowboy Poetry by Dick Hall, the Hunt Girls, the Christian School Quartet, Rita Bishop Dancers, Cowboy musician/poet Hub Whitt, and Casper performer Rashal Gerrells.

A chalk art demonstration and contest will also be held in Hot Springs State Park during the day. (Details to be announced.)

2 Theater: High School Double Drama: Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde; Frankenstein. School District Auditorium.

3  All types music jam, Southside Station, Thermopolis 6-8 p.m.

10 Bluegrass/acoustic music jam, First Presybterian Church basement, Worland, 6-8 p.m.

13 Hot Springs County Schools High School Pops Concert, 7 p.m., High School auditorium.

17 Bluegrass music jam, Southside Station, Thermopolis, 6-8 p.m.

21 Hot Springs County Schools Middle School (5-8th) Pops Concert, 7 p.m., High School auditorium.

23 Joy of Dance Recital: iPod Shuffle.

25-26 Big Horn Bowhunters: Sean Kostlecky Scholarship Shoot fundraiser for statewide scholarships), Thermopolis

JUNE

7  All types music jam, Southside Station, Thermopolis 6-8 p.m.

21 Bluegrass music jam, Southside Station, Thermopolis, 6-8 p.m.

22 Hot Springs County Centennial Days – Pancake breakfast, parade, speakers, music & entertainment, Buffalo burger dinner in state park, rodeo, dance

The Community Garden in Hot Springs State Park will be open for public viewing during the June 22 100-year anniversary celebration.

For information on all the educational resources available from Wyoming Game & Fish, click here.