The Reliance Tipple in Sweetwater County, one of only two coal tipples still standing in Wyoming.

The “boney pickers” at the Tipple in 1943 are, left to right, Annie Krek, Christine Cukale, Zabia Mangelos, and Sumiko Hattori.

(Sweetwater County, Wyo. - March 26, 2024)     The Sweetwater County Historical Museum is continuing its celebration of Women’s History Month with a wonderful photo from World War II, when women entered the civilian workforce as millions of men were called to serve in the armed forces. The women in the photo are “boney pickers” on the job in 1943 at the Reliance Tipple.

Read more: Women’s History Month - Women War Workers at the Reliance Tipple

Photo Series – The evolution of Wyoming’s state seal, from territorial designs to the final version adopted in 1893.

(Sweetwater County, Wyo. - January 13, 2023)     Wyoming’s state seal was officially adopted just under 130 years ago, but two of the proposed seal designs that preceded it caused quite a scandal.

Read more: Wyoming’s State Seal Scandal

(Sweetwater County, Wyo. – December 29, 2022) The Sweetwater County Historical Museum often fields questions from visitors about the origins of the pedestrian viaduct and underpass in Green River. Decades ago, distinguished local historian Marna Grubb provided an excellent summary of those origins in one of her many articles.

Marna was a regular contributor to Echoes from the Bluffs, a series of accounts about Green River and Sweetwater County history that ran in the Green River Star from 1998 to 2003. The articles were later incorporated into a four-volume book set published by the Green River Historic Preservation Commission and are available for purchase at the Sweetwater County Historical Museum. They may also be found at county libraries in Rock Springs and Green River.

Read more: Green River’s pedestrian viaduct and underpass

Photo Series – The site and legacy of the first Rocky Mountain Rendezvous, held in 1825 in what is now southern Sweetwater County.

(Sweetwater County, Wyo. – July 26, 2022) With the Fort Bridger Mountain Man Rendezvous scheduled for September 2 through September 5, staff at the Sweetwater County Historical Museum issued a reminder that the very first Rocky Mountain Rendezvous took place in 1825 in what is now Sweetwater County.

Read more: The first Mountain Man Rendezvous was in Sweetwater County