Museum director receives award

An article about Green River's U.P. Depot earned the Sweetwater County Historical Museum's director an award from the Wyoming State Historical Society.

Brie Blasi took first place in nonfiction publication for the article, "The Green River Passenger Depot: A Symbol of Community and Prosperity." The article initially appeared in the Green River Star as part of the museum's long-running "Echoes from the Bluffs" column. The article was included in the fourth volume of the "Echoes from the Bluffs" book series from the museum.

"It personally feels great to receive the award," Blasi said. "It's more important that it was recognized for its effort to bring the community together behind the depot."

Blasi said the article was originally published in 2014 when the depot was the focus of public discussion.

The city took over the depot at that time and several ideas regarding its potential uses were topics of discussion. According to Blasi, the project's perception wasn't positive and the aim of the article was to educate residents about the depot's history and its role in the city's survival.

Blasi said the depot, as well as the Carnegie Library building, were part of a boosterism effort by town leaders when rumors circulated about Union Pacific abandoning Green River. A group of residents petitioned Union Pacific to build a larger depot reflecting the town's important role for the company, which would also prove the town's importance to residents and business owners in the community. They were successful and the depot, the second largest passenger depot in Wyoming, was built in 1910.

Blasi said Green River in 2014 experienced a similar period of economic insecurity and loss of faith in its future. The article aimed to show residents history could repeat itself with community investment in downtown properties. Since its original publication, Blasi said the depot's story has become one of the major points in the argument for saving the building and plans for its renovation continue to be discussed.

During the city's 150th anniversary celebration last year, Blasi hosted tours of the building, which became one of the event's most popular attractions.

Blasi said popularity of the tours show the efforts to gain public support for the depot, which include the initial article she wrote, have taken root amongst residents.