Slow Sunday

Sunday, September 17...

Quiet day overall, but I was surprised this morning to discover I had 9 choices for church. Later, at the museum, I learned that Casper (on the North Platte River) was one of the important stops on the westward immigration trail. I imagine some Mormons decided it looked like a pretty good spot to settle. Our campsite is adjacent to the Fort Caspar Museum (including restored fort bldgs), so we spent a couple hours soaking in local history (including geologic history determined through types of arrowheads). Casper was also a big oil town during the late 19th/early 20th century. Driving to Casper, we passed through Natrona, home to the Salt Creek oil field, the largest and most significant field in the state in 1920.

Standard Oil Refinery on N. Platte River, Casper WY. 1920s
(photo from Casper College Western History Center)

The wagon below stands on a “Mormon Ferry” consisting of cottonwood dugout canoes, planking, 2 oars and a rudder. Later, using a rope and pulley system, the ferry could float a loaded wagon across the river in just 5 minutes. Apparently the Mormons were the first to construct and employ such a ferry, which was so popular with immigrants that Brigham Young left 9 young men in Casper to operate it (presumably during the summer flood season) while the rest moved on to Salt Lake. Later, other groups built their own ferries.

We first encountered the North Platte River in Grand Isle, NE.
(no ferry necessary)

After supper, Greg shooed me outside to capture some sunset photos...

BlogThoughts…  The people of Casper hold their local drum & bugle corps (the Troopers) in high esteem. The first section room of the museum was devoted entirely to this group – awards, evolution of uniforms, etc. Founded in 1957, the corps certainly has some history of its own, so – after being surprised – I was impressed at the attention devoted to it.

Troopers in competition.