Exhibits

A fossil palm frond greets visitors in the dinosaur and fossil exhibit.

A dinosaur’s footprint in coal is showcased in the Fossil section. The exhibit shows the way southwest Wyoming looked during different periods of pre-history.

The Green River Basin is well-known for its fossilized fish. Several examples are displayed.

Beaded moccassins are displayed in the Native American section.

A selection of Lakota Sioux beadwork, tobacco pouches and pipes are on display in the Native American Exhibit.

A flintlock rifle found near the Green River is displayed with items in the fur trade or mountain man exhibit.

In this diorama, a woman weeps as her husband lowers their child into its grave along the Oregon Trail. As a preacher says a few words, other wagons continue their westward journey.

Artifacts found on the historic trails that once crossed Sweetwater County are on display.

John Wesley Powell began his historic journeys down the Green and Colorado Rivers from the town of Green River, Wyoming. The Powell exhibit explains the trip and offers insight into the tribulations faced by the explorers.

A beaver skull sits on top of the mountain man showcase. Children (and adults) are welcome to touch it and a fur pelt.

The Probate Court Seal for Green River County, Utah Territory. The motto above the eagle is “Fled to Deseret!!” This area, which is now Sweetwater County, was part of Green River County, Utah Territory, from 1850-1861. In 1861 it became part of Nebraska Territory; in 1863 part of Idaho Territory; and from 1868 to 1890, Wyoming Territory.

A Civil War drum is on display in the exhibit on the US Army’s presence in southwest Wyoming.

The Spanish-American War uniform of Sgt Frank Kidd is on display. Kidd, who was in “Torrey’s Rough Riders,” was later undersheriff of Sweetwater County and worked for the post office.

A set of china used by the Union Pacific railroad is part of the train exhibit.

Union Pacific Railroad china is displayed next to a UPRR station master's uniform in the railroad section.

Telegraph artifacts and train objects help tell the story of the railroad’s importance in Sweetwater County.

Coal miner lamps and tools are on display in the mining exhibit.

A coal car filled with coal mining tools in the mining exhibit.

Chinese children’s clothes.

A pair of shoes, a vase and an abacus in the Chinese exhibit.

All that is left of the once 140 foot Chinese dragon that was paraded through Rock Springs Chinatown in the late 1800s are its glass eyes.

The centerpieces from the altar of the Chinese Joss House in Rock Springs are shown in front of a Chinese tapestry.

An eastern European accordian is on display in the section on immigrants to Sweetwater County.

A band uniform from a Labor Union brass band that performed in Rock Springs in the early 1900s is on display in the mining section.

A Slovenian woman’s national costume is on display in the section of Immigrants in Sweetwater County. The dress was worn in Rock Springs in the 1940s-50s.

A Colt pistol and a Sharps buffalo rifle owned by Sweetwater County Sheriff William A. Johnson are on display in the law and order exhibit.

Pistols used by “Big Nose” George Parrot and his partner are on display in the Law and Order exhibit. Parrot was lynched in Rawlins and his skin used to make a pair of shoes and a doctor’s bag.

A Winchester rifle dropped by a member of Butch Cassidy’s Wild Bunch during a chase by the Sweetwater County Sheriff’s posse is on display in the Law and Order showcase.

The hat worn by lawyer Gerry Spence when defending Ed Cantrell is displayed in the law-and-order section "1970's Boom times. A slot machine from before World War II is displayed on the right.

This wooden box decorated with a hand-painted American flag was once used to transport mail to gold miners in Colorado by entreprenaur S. I. Field. Field later founded the city of Green River. The box is part of the exhibit on the Pony Express and the Overland Stage coach company’s operations in Sweetwater County.

Ranching items are on display in the section explaining life on the land. The ranching exhibit tells the story of the large sheep and cattle ranches in the county.

A wedding dress worn in Green River in 1903 is on display in the Woman’s History section of the museum.

A pair of kerosene lamps from the steamboat “Comet” are displayed in the transportation section. The Comet was used in 1908 on the Green River.

The display "Fireman, Save My Child" tells the story of the Rock Springs and Green River fire departments and features early lapel ribbons worn by firemen of the two cities, a metal toy fire truck dated 1932 with the names of Rock Springs firemen painted on it, and the uniform coat and hat presented in 1908 to James T. Moriarty, Green River's first fire chief.

The famous Lincoln Highway came through Sweetwater County. A sign and other artifacts illustrate the story of early automobile travel.

Part of a propeller blade from a US Army DH-4 airplane flown in the 1919 first transcontinental air race illustrates the aviation in Sweetwater County exhibit. The famous pilot Amelia Earhart landed at Rock Springs in 1931. Her story is told along with flying the mail by airplane in the 1920s and 30s.

A temporary exhibit celebrating the 100 year anniversary of the Wright Brothers' flight includes many items from the early days of aviation.

Early motoring items are displayed in the Transportation section.

Several ventriloquist’s dummies are on display in the Home Entertainment exhibit. The dummies were once used by a professional ventriloquist in England before he moved to Rock Springs.

An exhibit on the development of toys includes a Shirley Temple doll and an erector set.

A Victor Victrola XVI is on display next to a player piano in the home entertainment section.

For years anglers have enjoyed fishing in the Green River. The creation of the Flaming Gorge Reservoir has added to the county’s reputation as a fishing center. The lake is well-known for kokanee salmon, channel catfish, and various varieties of trout — lake, brown, and rainbow. In this exhibit on fishing, tackle used in the early 20th century is displayed over a cutthroat and brown trout.