Things We Love: Green River loves to share history

"History is who we are and why we are the way we are," Historian David McCullough said.

From organizations to individuals, Green River loves history, and loves sharing it.

One of the main sources of preserving and sharing history in our community is the Sweetwater County Historical Museum. The museum not only provides interesting displays and exhibits for people to check out at any time, but the staff there is constantly coming up with new programs and sharing new information.

One of the museum's most unique offerings is the Vintage Firearms Research Program, where the public can bring in historical guns and have the museum staff research them to discover more information about their origin. This service is provided to the public at no charge. One of the most recent firearms the museum studied was a relic of the Indian Wars manufactured in late 1875.

"What made the project particularly intriguing was the possibility that the carbine is a 'Custer Gun,'" a museum press release explained. "That is, a firearm issued to the 7th Cavalry, Lt. Colonel George Custer's regiment, used at the Battle of the Little Big Horn on June 25, 1876, and picked up by Native Americans."

Museum Staff Member Dick Blust, who typically does the research for the Vintage Firearms Program, emphasized that it was "possible" the gun could be a Custer Gun, "as U.S. military ordinance records identifying seventh Cavalry/Little Big Horn firearms by specific serial number have not survived. Serial number ranges however, do exist and the carbine's number falls within that range."

The museum added that one documented Little Big Horn Colt Single Action Army revolver was auctioned in 2022 for over $750,000.

Another fun feature the museum has put into place to specifically highlight local history is "Sweetwater Snapshots" - pictures of local people and events with explanations of their place in our community's history. The Snapshots can include everything from old buildings to old basketball teams, as in a recent Snapshot sharing the Green River High School Basketball Team from 1937.

This month, in recognition of Black History Month, the museum shared special releases about important Black members of our community through history, from Civil Rights Pioneer Elizabeth Frances "Bess" Beane Crouch, who refused to comply with segregation in Green River, to Rock Springs resident Bonnie Mae Fermon, who was likely the first Black graduate of the University of Wyoming.

The museum also helps share history with future generations, regularly offering programs for local students. This month Green River High School students in Ruth Foerster's 11th grade U.S. History class received a special presentation on "The Cold War in Sweetwater County and Wyoming." The museum's outreach program was launched five years ago and works with educators, parents, and parent-teacher groups.

History is also important to the individual members of our community. One such individual is Timothy Laboria, who lives at Castle Rock Rehabilitation Center, and is passionate about sharing his love for history, especially topics like Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War. Laboria often gives recitations of speeches like the Gettysburg Address for holidays and special events, and enjoys making scrapbook pages with quotes and photos, emphasizing that he wants to share history because of its relevance to our lives today.