Mechanical Marvels at the Museum

These photographs were captured with the Zeiss Ikon Ikoflex camera currently on display in the Model T Room.

This twin lens reflex camera was popular in the middle of the last century, but what might surprise you is that these pictures were taken just a few weeks ago!

The large, high-resolution 120mm film that it takes might be harder to come by these days, but when the camera is loaded, it still works just as it should -- a testament to the durability of film cameras, and a reminder that the format is far from obsolete.

We hope you enjoy these pictures of the museum looking back at itself. Come visit to see the Ikoflex and many other interesting cameras in person!

Here's a link to the Ikoflex manual if you're curious about how it works: https://www.cameramanuals.org/.../zeiss_ikon_ikoflex_i.pdf

Pictures by Buck Bell

A Mighty Museum Montage, Courtesy of Tom Allen

The Museum recently welcomed photographer Tom Allen, who took hundreds of photos during his visit and edited them together into a two-part featurette available on his YouTube channel. We’d like to thank Tom for devoting so much care and attention to our collection, and for presenting our corner of Wyoming history to his audience. Tom’s slideshows offer an intriguing glimpse into our diverse and densely-detailed exhibits, as well as the land out of which the museum has grown; a particularly valuable insight for anyone who isn’t able to see it in person. Thank you again, Tom, for your eye and your enthusiasm! Links to both parts are available below, and be sure to check out the channel Tom Allen Perspective for more exciting explorations.

Part One

Part Two

The Art and Life of Merritt Dana Houghton in the Northern Rockies, 1878-1919, by Michael A. Amundson.

We're pleased to announce our first program of the summer: The Art and Life of Merritt Dana Houghton in the Northern Rockies, 1878-1919, by Michael A. Amundson.

Dr. Amundson is a professor of history at Northern Arizona University, and this presentation is based on his new book of the same title. He is also the author of Yellowcake Towns, Passage to Wonderland, and Wyoming Revisited.

Please join us on Wednesday, June 21 at 6pm in the Back Building for a discussion on a fascinating artist and his perspective on the people and places of the West.

This is a great opportunity for anyone interested in the history and art of the region. We're grateful to Dr. Amundson for reaching out to share his work.

Hope to see you there!

HARDHATS & STETSONS 2023!

We find ourselves in the year 2023. That means - somehow - it’s been about four years since our last Hardhats & Stetsons fundraiser, and that means it’s about time we brought it back! This Saturday, February 18, come to the Waterhole #3 in Marbleton to join in the fun and help us raise money to renovate the historic Big Piney Texaco Station! We’ll have a silent auction, a loud auction, door prizes, and refreshments, so you don’t want to miss it. We’ve got tons of great items for you to bid on! The money that we raise will be matched up to $11,000 by a generous grant from the Wyoming Community Foundation, ensuring that every contribution made will go twice as far in helping to support and expand this museum that we all love. We’ve missed this event the last few years, so it’ll be great to get back in the saddle. Hope to see you there!

— Buck, Assistant Director

Please send us your research questions!

If anyone out there is researching (or just curious about) local history, please contact us! We have a wealth of resources available, from artifacts to newspapers to photographs, and we’re always happy to be of assistance. Our Research Center is organized, free to use, and stocked with coffee. You can come and use it yourself, or you can reach out with your question or topic and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.

As a museum, our mission is to preserve and share local history, and we always love being able to put that goal into practice. If you have a name, date, event, or photo that you’d like to know more about, we’d love to hear from you. Email us, send a message over social media, or give us a call at 307-276-5343.

Buck Bell

Assistant Director

assistantdirector@grvm.com

Grand Opening 2022!

Hello, everyone!

Another summer is almost upon us, so it's time to announce that we'll open for the season on TUESDAY, JUNE 7!

From there, as usual, we'll be open from 11-5, Tuesday through Saturday.

Come visit on our opening day for free refreshments. Hope to see you there!

Also, be on the lookout for new social media posts here and on our other platforms. It's time to dust off the virtual cobwebs!

Some old favorites will be returning, like On This Day in Wyoming History and our Saturday Scavenger Hunts, as well as a host of new features, games, and opportunities (both scheduled and spontaneous!) to engage with your local history museum.

In addition to all that, stay tuned for news on upcoming events, like guest speakers and movie nights.

Thanks for your continued support, everyone, and happy almost-summer. GRVM Season 32… coming soon!

Buck Bell

Assistant Director

Summer of 2020

The Summer of “Whelp” as it will be known in the history books…

… okay, maybe not, but the sentiment is there! Just like every other museum on the planet, we have had to sacrifice a lot of our events and regular programs in the name of public health/safety. While our museum is OPEN, we will miss seeing our community participate, support, and enjoy our museum through our programs.

“Whelp, maybe next year.”

With that said, we’re figuring out new ways to get a few ‘Movie Nights‘ under our belt this summer. For those of you who haven’t attended before: Movie Night is a free event put on by the GRVM where all are welcome to join us for a classic western movie chosen by the staff.

Even though this summer will be different, we hope to see you here or interacting with our various online platforms!

Check out our newest project:

COLLECTIONS, a show produced, shot, and edited here at the GRVM where the staff goes through various archival boxes that have been accumulated over our 30 year history.

Newsletter 2020

Check out our 2020 Newsletter here!

Please Don't Ride Buster

“I think a lot of conflict in the Wild West could have been avoided if town planners had just made the towns big enough for everyone.”

— Unknown.

Hello, all! We here at the GRVM figured we’d provide you with an update with the goings on at your local museum. Especially now that world events have escalated drastically over the last few weeks, it might be nice to just kick back and read about a small-town’s efforts at historical preservation.

Let’s kick it off with Buster. Buster is our horse. You’ve probably noticed him, as he is right out front of our museum proudly showing himself off. He’s pretty easy to work with; he’s patient, he doesn’t ask for much, and he’s pretty slick. But there is one thing Buster can’t stand… and that would be people climbing on him.

Most of our visitors will notice that the GRVM is right next to the bar, so you can imagine that some patrons see Buster as a challenge. He ain’t. He’s a proud employee of the GRVM. Any attempt at riding him will probably cause damage to yourself or Buster.

Buster is extremely photogenic and would love a picture or selfie with you! Other than that, just leave him to his work.

Moving on! What has the crew been up to? Well now that college has been moved online, the seasonal staff has returned early to start preparing for the (maybe) summer season. Director Clarica Pinkerton has the newsletters ready to go for April 1st. These will be available as a hard copy for those of you who ordered one, and an online copy will also be available here!

If you want to become a member and be recognized in future newsletters, go to the Donations page! OR you can go to our Patreon. This would allow you to make a reoccurring contribution.

The pandemic is yet to affect us in a huge way as of right now. Since there are so few of us, we can come into work. How are all of you doing? What can the GRVM do to make your quarantine a better experience? We’re workshopping a few ideas that we think you might like. But if you have any more ideas please leave a comment!

Stay safe, stay healthy, and stay cool!

Jeff Bell

Assistant Director

Grand Opening 2019!

Readers,

The day is finally here! The GRVM is open for business. Today is our Grand Opening so if you want any snacks or a look at the GRVM come on by! Otherwise our hours will be the same:

Tuesday-Saturday 11:00am - 5:00pm.

Admission, as always, is free. Please remind your friends and family so that they can come by and experience Wyoming history at no cost!

If you want to support the GRVM you can go to the donations page and/or follow us on social media. If you’ve visited us before, we would love to hear from you! Leave a review on TripAdvisor and Facebook.

Thank you for your continued support! We can’t wait to see you!

Jeff Bell