Museum hires new curator

A Colorado native became one of Green River's newest residents after being hired as the Sweetwater County Historical Museum's new curator.

Amanda Benson started with the museum Thursday, filling a position that's been vacant since the museum's executive director Brie Blasi was promoted in February. The curator is in charge of managing the artifacts and archives, along with planning as to which artifacts should be displayed.

Blasi also said the curator plays a role in conducting historical research and tours of the museum. Historical research is a major function of the museum, as the staff often receive research requests from people looking for information about ancestors who lived in the area.

Benson grew up near Colorado Springs, Colo., but moved to North Carolina later. While Benson studied at the University of Wyoming, her parents moved to Fort Morgan, Colo., a small city of nearly 11,000 residents in Northeastern Colorado.

One of the reasons she applied to work at the museum was due the Green River's similar size, having approximately 2,000 more residents than Fort Morgan, Colo. Having earned her masters degree in Seattle, she was ready to return to the small city kind of life.

"I definitely wanted to go back to (a small, close-knit community,)" Benson said.

While at the University of Wyoming, she majored in history and international studies, while her masters degree from the University of Washington is in museology, focusing on the management of museum collections and disaster preparation and management for a collection.

While only being in Green River for the last week, Benson said she has developed an interest in local geology, learning about rock formations like Castle Rock and the Palisades, as well as the Red Desert. When she's not working, Benson enjoys knitting and crocheting, as well as playing board games.