Circle J Ranch event 2016

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Harvest Party, City Park in Lander Wyoming! October 1, 9 am - 12 noon
Harvest Party, City Park in Lander Wyoming! October 1, 9 am – 12 noon

MY WYOMING

A Trip Down Memory Lane in Sheridan plus Buffalo and Two Mountain Passes

By Bill Sniffin

As readers of this column know, I am no fan of the “new” JC Penney Company.

It is my contention that old James Cash Penney (whose first store was right here in Wyoming, in Kemmerer), is spinning in his grave as how his successors have managed to ruin that company.

But I loved the old Penney’s and I took a trip down memory lane at that company’s long-time store on Main Street of Sheridan recently. There, smack in the heart of the town, is an old-fashioned Penney Store, complete with a basement, a half upstairs and, well, the only edifices missing were the pneumatic tubes sending sales tickets flying around the store.

My first Penney store experience was in Oelwein, Iowa, and it was a scene right out of the movie, A Christmas Story. And that store 60 years ago looked just like the one there in Sheridan today.

Here in Lander, when I first came to work at the Journal, one of our biggest advertisers was the JC Penney Store, again, right in the heart of our downtown.  And yes, it had a half upstairs and it had a basement.  I think tubes were still there which would whistle sales tickets from the various cash registers back to the bookkeeping department. Even by today’s standards, these tubes were space age. Amazing.  They provided a way to quickly move information around prior to the age of computers.

On this trip, we took two different scenic drives on our way to and from Sheridan.

First, we traveled to Greybull so we could take US 16 up Shell Canyon and over the mountain. The weather was beautiful and we even stopped and checked out the Dinosaur tracks outside of Shell. Also, took a photo of the canyons there at the Big Horn Mountains that seem to form a “W” and a “Y” — is that there or was I just imagining it?

Near Burgess Junction I ran into Ed Kingston at the Elk View Inn.  First met Ed 15 years ago.  He has done well and aged better than me. The lodge is beautiful. It and Bear Lodge plus a few other lodges make that area a snowmobile and ATV mecca.

We encountered terrible fog descending into Dayton and on our way to Sheridan and settled into a rainy trip.

Bob Grammens and Kim Love had me on the radio for a couple of mornings and that was sure fun. Radio appears to be struggling in some communities, but not Sheridan. Lots going on in that area. Don’t touch that dial!

Although energy is a big deal in the Sheridan area, you would not notice it by how the Main Street feels.  It is certainly lively including a new store started by a 13-year old boy. Amazing.  His name is Luke Knudsen and he started a store called The Old General Store, which features antiques.

Another neat store is the Best Out West store owned by Christy Love, Kim’s sister.

The remodeled Sheridan Inn is a real treat. The old strucure originally built by Buffalo Bill Cody is now a true modern classic.

One of the premier craft breweries in the state is the Black Tooth establishment, which exists in an old auto garage.  Great beer and a great location.

Our trip was designed as loop drive so we headed south to Buffalo and were impressed by how busy the Sports Lure store was there in the main business district. Small towns are lucky to have local-owned stores like it and the Office to cater to local needs.

It is hard not to love Buffalo’s Occidental Hotel. What a beautiful job its owners have done to restore it.

This is the heart of Longmire country but despite looking for them, none of the characters were to be seen on this day. Longmire is the name of a popular TV series based on books by Craig Johnson of Ucross.

While in Buffalo, I also looked for the infamous “Bench Sitters,” made popular by the Sagebrush Sven columns in the Buffalo Bulletin.  It was the wrong time of day to see them, too, I guess.

Heading home, we headed up into the cloudy Big Horn Mountains over Tensleep Pass.  Ran into fog, rain, slush, snow and wind but got through it.  Lots of highway construction on the very top. The flag people were dressed like Eskimos.

Worland and Thermopolis were both quiet on this wet Friday evening, although it was sure tempting to take a dip into a hot thermal pool on a cold, wet shivery night.  But we kept on going.

Got home just as the sun was going down, which was our goal. Hate that driving at night in a storm.

What a great loop drive it was, though. The passes were full of amazing color.  I am sure the rain and snow pretty much wiped out most of those pretty leaves, which impressed us at the time. This all occurred during the fall solstice, which here in Wyoming, truly marks a real change of seasons.

 

 

 

 

Downtown Sheridan Wraps Up Summer!

3rd Thursday Sheridan Logo July 2016

From the Downtown Sheridan Association…

The days are getting shorter, and I for one look forward to a little slower pace…but, honestly there is still so much going on and so many reasons to visit downtown, I never do seem to get much time to unwind!

This week, our final 3rd Thursday will feature the Craft Brothers and the Sheridan High School varsity teams pep rally. Be sure to stop by the main stage for the first ever “flash mob” to be held on Main Street at 7pm!

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The following Thursday at the weekly farmers’ market on Grinnell Plaza, CATO Ranch and the Cottonwood Shop are sponsoring the first “Sheridan Amateur Chopped” contest! A lively crew of local foodies will be cooking up some delicious meals comprised mostly of locally raised meats and produce. The last Thursday of September, the 29th, the Sheridan Farmers’ Market sponsored by Landon’s Greenhouse, will close out the downtown market season here on Grinnell Plaza. However, Saturday, October 8, the DSA will again cosponsor the Sheridan Local Food Expo/Fall Harvest Market. This year’s event will take place October 5th through October 8th, kicking off with a premier screening of the PBS/Farm to Fork Episode of, “Compost” at the Sheridan Public Library on Wednesday the 5th at 5:30pm.

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Friday, October 7th is the Farm to Plate Gala Dinner at the Barn in Big Horn. A four course seasonally inspired dinner prepared by Chef Antonia Armenta Miller, of CATO Ranch, will be paired with wines from Jackson Hole Winery. The tickets are $75 each. This fee helps raise funds to benefit the Local Foods Expo group with a portion of the proceeds also benefiting the local youth programs that promote our commitment to support, promote and educate the community on the importance of buying and eating locally. For more information, please contact Bonnie Gregory at 307-752-5712.

The weekend will wrap up on Saturday with the Farmers’ Market Fall Festival at the Whitney Academic Center on the Sheridan College Campus. Sponsored by Wyoming Roofing, this market combines the Sheridan & Landon’s Farmers Markets from 9am till 11am with live music by Crooked Mountain and featuring other seasonal events. The morning market will be followed by a discussion panel entitled, “Eating, Growing & Selling” at noon. For more information, please contact Donald Legerski at 307-683-7849 or email sheridanlocalfoods@gmail.com.

 

Finally, the Historic District Promotions Committee continues to focus on year-round shop local campaigns that help to increase awareness of what our downtown has to offer as well as create incentives and enthusiasm for local shoppers during the off-holiday season. The October Hunting for Bucks shop local campaign incorporates the ever popular hunting season as well as rewarding locals for shopping downtown by offering “chamber bucks” as a weekly prize for shoppers throughout the month of October. The City of Sheridan has generously agreed to sponsor the campaign again this year. Last year, the first Hunting For Bucks campaign was a huge success with $800 in chamber bucks distributed to 21 lucky shoppers.

For more information, please call 307-672-8881 or email

 

3rd Thursday Sheridan for July is Coming! JULY 21

WY Public Radio third blockresized 2016 festival ad

3rd Thursday Sheridan Logo July 2016

Downtown Sheridan Association’s

Third Thursday Street Festival !

JULY 21 ON SHERIDAN’S MAIN STREET

from 5pm to 9pm

featuring on the Main stage

GARY SMALL & ONE EARTH

at the Bank of the West stage

Doug Andrews

3rd Thursday Sheridan sponsors 2016

Thanks you to these sponsors! Funded in part by Sheridan Travel & Tourism and the City of Sheridan.

 

Big Horn Basin Folk Festival – Catch it this August 6-7 in Thermopolis!

WY Public Radio third blockresized 2016 festival ad

click on the image above for a full list of Big Horn Basin Folk Festival Events & Details!

“Hear Me Now” — Wyoming Storytellers Take Spotlight

By Ellen Sue Blakely

Images provided by Hot Springs Greater Learning Foundation

For a full schedule of presenters during “Hear Me Now” Storytelling Circle, August 6-7, see www.wyomingfolkfestival.com. Other weekend events include the Gift of the Waters Pageant Days, Kiwanis Craft Fair and the Big Horn Basin Folk Festival, with music performances all day, demonstrators, workshops, food vendors, juried art show & sale and kid-friendly activities.

When we were kids and all the cousins gathered for the annual Fourth of July ice cream and watermelon feast, our great aunt Kate kept all of us in line by expounding on a “haint” she called “Rawhide and bloody bones.” For years, we assumed Aunt Kate had made up this scary haunt of a creature.

It turns out that Kate had borrowed and adapted “Rawhide” from an Irish tale — probably one she had heard as a child from her grandparents who had come from the Emerald Isle. Aunt Kate is long gone; but, to this day, her scary rendition still brings chills and laughter to the now-aging cousins.

That’s the power of story. If you have ever sat around a campfire and told (or listened to) ghost stories or tall tales, you know its spell. Those who study stories as an art form say telling stories is the oldest art form; and from it grew poetry — rhyming was a way of remembering a longer story.

Although there has not been an organized effort at preserving Wyoming’s stories in recent years, our people have always been inveterate storytellers. Mountain men told plenty of whoppers when they gathered at the fur-trading rendezvous. Music and storytelling were common in the Native American tipis, cowboy bunkhouses, farmhand shacks and homestead cabins. It still is. Given half a chance, today’s outfitters, hunters and fishermen will regale listeners with tales about the “ones that got away.”

This year, Wyoming is taking a step to share our long-standing storytelling tradition at “Hear Me Now,” the state’s first organized Storytelling Circle. (The concept of a “storytelling circle” harks back to those days of campfires and tipis.) The event is part of the Big Horn Basin Festival, August 6-7, 2016, in Hot Springs State Park, Thermopolis. “Hear Me Now” is sponsored by Hot Springs Greater Learning Foundation with a ThinkWyoming grant from the Wyoming Humanities Council. Additional support comes from the National Endowment for the Arts, Wyoming Cultural Trust Fund and Wyoming Arts Council.

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“Hear Me Now” will be moderated by Spencer Bohren, nationally known musician and storyteller. Although Bohren now lives in New Orleans, Wyomingites still claim him as their own since he grew up in Casper, and his family still lives and plays music there. Bohren maintains strong ties with the state, presenting educational programs in the schools and public performances in Wyoming communities throughout the year.

Professional storytellers telling tales throughout the day are Michelle King, Basin; Catherine Ringler, Powell; Marilyn Braaten, Thermopolis, and Jennisen Lucas, Cody. The group recently formed the Big Horn Basin Storytelling Guild to promote the art of storytelling.

Echo Klaproth, Shoshoni, former Wyoming poet laureate, and Dick Hall, Thermopolis, cowboy poet, will bring poetry into the tent. Mike Hurwitz, who will be performing at the Big Horn Basin Folk Festival during the weekend, will drop by with his own brand of Western stories. Karl Milner, who specializes in mountain man skills, will add a story or two from the mountain man era. Annie Hatch, Wyoming Arts Council folk arts specialist, will give a bit of historical perspective on the art of Wyoming storytelling. Miss V, sometimes called “The Gypsy Cowbelle,” will talk about her adventures homesteading in Wyoming.

As a special feature, Spencer Bohren will perform his nationally acclaimed “Down the Dirt Road Blues,” 11:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m., Sunday, August 7, in the Storytelling Tent. Bohren uses historic music instruments as he tells how one song moved from its African roots to blues to rock and roll.

“Hear Me Now” is free and of interest to all ages. Visitors can “come sit a spell” and — if you are so inclined — you can even add your own tales — true or otherwise — during the open microphone opportunities.

After all, if you don’t tell your favorite story, who will?

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Ellen Sue Blakey of Thermopolis is a textile artist, rug braider, author, musician and occasional storyteller. You can hear and see her story about rug braiding and Depression-era women on youtube. If you attend the Storytelling Circle, look her up, say the magic words “Uncle Charlie”; she may just tell you the story of Charlie, the sheriff’s hat, a blackberry pie, and how he came to Wyoming.

 

SHOP WYOMING: Laramie’s Curiosity Shoppe Cool Gifts for Dad (or you!)

LJD WLM Spring 2016 2

THE CURIOSITY SHOPPE

Laramie, Wyoming

206 S. 2nd St. Historic Downtown Laramie

307.745.4401

www.curiosityshoppewy.com  /   facebook   / email

We really dig shopping at the Curiosity Shoppe, a treasure trove of Laramie gifts. The location is a long-time Laramie staple, a Hallmark store that does so much more and today has evolved into a hip locale to find your favorite people a kickin’ gift. New owners Alec & Jodi Shea bring their passion and community drive to the store, and it shows when you walk in the door. Alec knows his customers, their families, their careers, their hobbies … and if he’s out hitting some awesome Wyoming water way or coaching a Little League game (yup, he’s multi-talented), the lovely Kristen is a wealth of information and help.

The store carries Alex and Ani, as well as a wide variety of Wyoming-made products and Pandora jewelry and home decor. Just a sampling of what they have to offer follows … along with a new giveaway shared June 15 …

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WY FOODIE: Laramie’s Chalk ‘n Cheese Begins Platter & Wine Flight Nights & Much More!

 

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LARAMIE’S CHALK ‘N CHEESE BEGINS EXCITING NEW EVENTS IN MARCH!

We are so excited for Laramie’s Chalk ‘n Cheese, located in Historic Downtown Laramie at 209-211 S. 2nd St. (Yes, you read that right – walk through the lovely brick archway between the two buildings for lots of gourmet yumminess + antiques!) Cyndi & Misty, the two energetic & fun-loving owners of Chalk ‘n Cheese, were the recipients of the latest retail liquor license awarded in Laramie, and they are putting it to fabulous use! Starting in March 2016, enjoy Meat & Cheese Platter Nights, PLUS W ine Flights, where these two lovely foodies will assemble a scrumptious tasting for you! These nights will fall often on Thursdays & Fridays, but also stay tuned for their special events such as full, multi-course dinners and CHARMED events (which I can’t spoil the surprise on those, they must be experienced to understand!). Be sure to RSVP – see contact info below!

Be sure to spin by and check out their array of fine wines & liquors for sale, including many Wyoming-made brands. They have creative ideas for cocktail pairings, and can help you find the right combinations you’re looking for! Be sure to come back after you’ve sampled your purchases and write your favorites on their wall … and check out their beautiful display features, refurbished out of previously loved antique pieces!

Visit Chalk ‘n Cheese online , or give them a call with questions or to RSVP for an event/platter night at 307.742.1800.  And if you haven’t liked them on Facebook already, please do so so you can stay up-to-the-minute with events & specials!

 

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SHOP WYO: The Bent & Rusty Cotton Company, Laramie, WY

Hometown half page adWashakie Museum Fall 2015 WLM

Bent Rusty Cotton Company1 14We love The Bent & Rusty Cotton Company in Downtown Laramie! Be sure to keep up with their Facebook page for their regular barn sales (next one, November 28!), sales & specials!  Also … find your favorite Dead Drift Fly apparel in store! When you’re in Laramie, be sure to eat at J’s Steakhouse in Laramie, and enjoy (and SHOP!) Bent & Rusty while there! Below is just a little taste of what you can find in their shop at 117 E. Grand Avenue in Historic Downtown Laramie!

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The Bent & Rusty Cotton Company

Address:  117 E. Grand Avenue  — Laramie, Wy

Phone:  307.460.9265

Website:  www.thebentandrusty.com

Facebook

 

Do you own a Wyoming store or business you want featured on our Shop WYO blog? It’s easy & inexpensive! Shoot us an email at editor@wyolifestyle.com for details!

 

 

 

 

SOLD!!! Wyoming Real Estate: 111 Grand Ave Laramie, WY; Mountain Valley Properties

MVP Logo

 

113 E. Grand Ave. Laramie WY 82070

307.742.3000   www.mvprealestate.com   info@mvprealestate.com

 

THIS PROPERTY IS SOLD

Everything old is new again in this exceptional dual use historic downtown Laramie building. Exceptional location, exceptional renovation, and now an exceptional price! The top level offers top shelf living quarters with 12 foot ceilings, gourmet kitchen, fantastic bed/bath combo, and more than just a touch of whimsy. The main level is currently operated as a restaurant/wine bar (OK, it’s a Speakeasy), with a converted commercial kitchen area, but can just as easily be used as retail or office space. And, even the basement is finished, and features a sauna, steam room, office, shop, and more. The list of improvements are astounding and lengthy — please contact our office for more details, or better yet, a tour of this incredible downtown find! Business and Pleasure collide at an incredible price of $460, 000… All measurements and information contained herein is deemed accurate, but not guaranteed. Please verify if material to purchasing decision. Sellers are considering this sale to be part of a 1031 tax exchange, and all offers must contain language reflecting such. This listing also appears as a commercial listing on the Laramie MLS.

$460,000

Click here to visit Mountain Valley Properties’ listing & learn more…

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Downtown Rock Springs – Blues & Brews and Art Work!

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Create art to color the pedestrian underpass in
Downtown Rock Springs

 Rock Springs, WY –  The Rock Springs Main Street/Urban Renewal Agency is pleased to announce the Art Underground Gallery, an exciting new project designed to bring life, color and art to the pedestrian underpass in Downtown Rock Springs.  The gallery is also meant encourage the community to get involved in adding color and creativity to our public spaces. Residents of all ages are invited to create an individual mural that will be displayed in the underpass, semi-permanently.

A limited number of primed canvases (2’ by 4’ plywood) are available for the community to pick up, free of charge.  They can be picked up from the Rock Springs Main Street/URA office at 603 S Main Street in Downtown Rock Springs.   Completed canvases should be returned to the Rock Springs Main Street/URA office by September 1, 2015.  Because there are a limited number of canvases, they are available on a first come, first served basis.  Once all canvases have been given out, we can no longer accept entries.

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Guidelines for murals:

  • All artwork must be the artist’s individual work in design and execution.
  • Work must be able to withstand outdoor display; two coats of marine grade primer are highly recommended.
  • Work must be suitable for all ages.
  • Committee has the right to determine the suitability of work.
  • All mediums and themes are welcome.
  • Canvases will be displayed in the pedestrian underpass which can be somewhat dark so artists are encouraged to created pieces that are bright and colorful.

The installation will be unveiled at a ribbon cutting and public reception on September 16. Submissions will be photographed and posted on the Downtown Rock Springs Facebook page.  For entry forms and more details, visit DowntownRS.com, or call 307-352-1434. Special thanks to Superior Lumber & Bloedorn Lumber for the supplies.

 

Blues & Brews – Another Success August 08, 2015!

Downtown Rock Springs has a few Blues & Brews glasses left for purchase at the office! Two glasses for $10 via their office at 603 S. Main!

 

Blues n Brews RS August0 8 2015

Blues n Brews glasses Aug 08 2015

WY Main Streets: Rawlins DDA/Main Street Wins National Award; Downtown Laramie Depot Restoration Fundraiser

Rawlins DDA 2015

From the Wyoming Business Council:  Rawlins wins 2015 Great American Main Street Award

RAWLINS DDA/MAIN STREET WINS PRESTIGIOUS GREAT AMERICAN MAIN STREET AWARD IN ATLANTA!

ATLANTA – Rawlins today became the first community in the northern Rocky Mountain region to win the prestigious Great American Main Street Award (GAMSA).

Rawlins Downtown Development Authority/Main Street Executive Director Pam Thayer and staff along with board of directors, city council and Junior Main Street members, and downtown business owners and volunteers will officially receive the award during today’s opening plenary between 2 and 4 p.m. MDT at the 2015 National Main Streets Conference in Atlanta.

Thayer launched Rawlins’ Main Street efforts in 2006.

 

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”Nine years ago it was overwhelming, but as we moved through the steps, it became a little clearer,” Thayer said. ”And sitting through these classes (at the National Main Streets conference), all I can think about is how much more work we have to do.

”For me, the award represents filling up our tank. It’s getting the gas to keep us moving forward.”

Rawlins was a GAMSA semifinalist last year, a first for a Wyoming Main Street program member, and was given the inaugural One to Watch award. Wyoming Main Street is a Wyoming Business Council program.

“We are so proud Wyoming is home to the first GAMSA recipient in the northern Rocky Mountain region,” Business Council Chief Executive Officer Shawn Reese said. “Rawlins is an outstanding example of how a community can work together to achieve downtown development and enhanced quality of life.”

The National Main Street Center (NMSC) was created in 1980 as a subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Each year, the NMSC recognizes the country’s best examples of comprehensive commercial district revitalization. Winners are selected from a nationwide pool of applicants by a national jury. Criteria include strength of the Main Street in creating an exciting place to live, work, play and visit; commitment to historic preservation; implementation of model partnerships, and demonstrated success of the Main Street Four-Point Approach®. There are more than 2,000 Main Street communities across the country.

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“We are honored to receive this level of recognition,” Rawlins Mayor Robert Grauberger said. “All the hard work from Pam Thayer, the board of directors, and the volunteers, plus the support from the businesses, the community and the City of Rawlins are the reasons we have won this award. We are very proud.”

The town of about 10,000 people is located along Interstate 80 in south-central Wyoming. It was founded in 1867 when surveyors for the transcontinental railroad stopped for water. Hard times hit in the late 1990s and the downtown vacancy rate topped 50 percent. Since Rawlins joined the Wyoming Main Street program nine years ago, the downtown building vacancy rate dropped from 45 percent to 10 percent and 59 private and public rehabilitation projects were completed. The total dollars reinvested in the downtown district since 2008 is about $8.5 million.

Evidence of Rawlins’ can-do spirit is seen in the rehabilitation of the badly deteriorated Rainbow Te-ton buildings, which the Rawlins DDA/Main Street converted into an entrepreneurial center, and the Carbon Mercantile, a community-owned clothing store.

Since the 2014 National Main Streets Conference in Detroit, Rawlins completed a downtown streetscaping project, a public art sculpture project and passed an ordinance that changed the district’s zoning to allow for downtown living.

“Rawlins is a textbook example of how the health of a Main Street is so closely tied to the health of its small businesses,” National Main Street Center President and CEO Patrice Frey said. “Rawlins DDA/Main Street has done a tremendous job of nurturing existing businesses, attracting new enterprise and fostering a true entrepreneurial spirit.

“With the DDA/Main Street now set on creating more downtown housing and façade improvements, we have no doubt Rawlins will only continue to grow and thrive.”

For more information about the Wyoming Main Street program, contact Program Manager Linda Klinck at 307-777-2934 or linda.klinck@wyo.gov.

 

About the Wyoming Business Council. Our mission is to increase Wyoming’s prosperity. We envision a Wyoming where industries are strong, diverse and expanding. Small business is a big deal. Communities have the highest quality of life. Wyoming is the technology center of the High Plains. Wyoming knows no boundaries. Please go to www.wyomingbusiness.org

Depot Image

LARAMIE MAIN STREET / DOWNTOWN LARAMIE:  DEPOT FUNDRAISER

THE STORY:

When the Laramie Depot was originally built, in 1924, the drains from the roof emptied into a cistern under the depot. The cistern, in turn, emptied into the city sewer.

Eventually the city had the cistern disconnected from the sewer, and french drains were installed under the downspouts.   The drains have filled up, and are no longer working, so the runoff is degrading and compacting the soil under the brickwork.

We have an engineering study in hand which lays out a plan to install drainage gutters to adequately drain the water away from the foundation of our depot. In order to install the gutters, we will be removing the brickwork, and excavating the soil that is compacting. We will replace the excavated soil with compacted base, graded away from the depot before we install the finishing layer.

We would appreciate any and all help that we can get to repair our depot.

Thank you for your interest!

Laramie Depot

Shop Wyoming: Chalk ‘n Cheese

Laramie Sweetheart Expo 2015 ad copy
Click on the image to preregister for the Laramie Bridal Expo, February 15 at Albany County Fairgrounds from 12-4 PM!
Click to connect and preregister for the Sweetwater County Bridal Expo, February 7 in Downtown Rock Springs at the Freight Station, 603 S. Main Street, from 12-4 PM!
Click to connect and preregister for the Sweetwater County Bridal Expo, February 7 in Downtown Rock Springs at the Freight Station, 603 S. Main Street, from 12-4 PM!

Yesterday I visited Chalk n’ Cheese, a delightful specialty shop inside the original Copper Kettle & Antique Fever on South 2nd Street in Downtown Laramie… and picked myself up an equally delightful bottle of raspberry balsamic vinegar AND peppermint fudge sauce. Dinner was complete.

Check out their supply of unique food items, cookware and beautiful antiques to house all of your lovely purchases! Also sign up for their newsletter, where you can learn more about the cooking classes and special events, such as their Valentine’s Day event with food, wine and dessert. Sign us up!

Visit their newest newsletter here

Like Chalk ‘n Cheese on Facebook

Gift Baskets!
Gift Baskets!
mmm, specialty cheeses...
mmm, specialty cheeses…
I chose a delightful bottle of raspberry balsamic and a lovely jar of peppermint fudge sauce...
I chose a delightful bottle of raspberry balsamic and a lovely jar of peppermint fudge sauce…

Winemaker’s Dinner Teams Table Mtn Vineyards + Altitude Chophouse in Laramie

click here for tickets & information on our Food + Photo Festival, May 30 & 31 in Laramie!

click here to vote for the People’s Choice in our photography competition! Voting closes May 28! 

Wyo Lifestyle magazine Fall 2013.indd

Table Mountain Vineyards creates amazing Wyoming wine, from the grapes to finished product — and you can sample their wine + a special menu at Altitude Chophouse & Brewery selected to perfectly accompany it. Join us for our Winemaker’s Dinner, part of our Food + Photo Festival, on May 30 at 6:30 PM. Tickets must be purchased ahead of time, and purchases close Thursday, May 29. Tickets are available on our website — click here!

The menu:

Appetizer

  • Mini crab cakes with roasted bell pepper aioli
  • Table Mountain Vineyards selection — Frontenac Gris

Salad

  • Mixed greens with fresh mozzarella, dried figs, tomatoes and balsamic vinaigrette
  • Table Mountain Vineyards selection — Cowgirl Blush

Pasta

  • Penne pasta with vodka tomato cream sauce
  • Table Mountain Vineyards selection — Cowboy Reserve

Entree

  • Chicken marsala with fresh asparagus
  • Table Mountain Vineyards selection — Rooster Red

Dessert

  • Chocolate thimbles filled with chocolate mousse
  • Table Mountain Vineyards selection — Cherry Rush

WY MAIN STREETS: Rawlins Wins National Award, Laramie Mural Project Competition

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Wyo Lifestyle magazine Fall 2013.inddRawlins Receives National Main Street Award at Conference in Detroit

The Rawlins Downtown Development Authority/Main Street program received a One to Watch Award at this year’s National Main Streets Conference on May 18 in Detroit, Michigan.

The award recognizes exceptional communities working on very innovative projects, and that are poised on the cusp of major transformation. They exemplify the idea that any great Main Street is an ever-evolving work in progress and offer inspiration for other Main Street programs.  It is the first time the award has been given.  Middlesborough, Kentucky also received the One to Watch Award.

“Rawlins DDA/Main Street is thrilled to win the One to Watch Award. It recognizes all the hard work we have done through the organization,” said Pam Thayer, executive director of the Rawlins DDA/Main Street program.  “We could not have received the award without the amazing downtown merchants, the innovative property owners, the committed volunteers and the public and private support in the community.  It truly is an award for all.”

Detroit Award 1

Representatives from Rawlins, Wyo., stand to be recognized at the National Main Streets conference May 18 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo courtesy WY Main Street program)

In March, Rawlins was named one of 10 semifinalists for the Great American Main Street Award (GAMSA), a coveted award that recognizes exceptional Main Street communities with successes that serve as a model for comprehensive, preservation-based commercial district revitalization.  Rawlins’ nomination as a semifinalist for the GAMSA marked the first time a Wyoming Main Street community has been selected.  No community from the Rocky Mountain Region has previously won the GAMSA.

“The One to Watch Award is still an amazing recognition by the National Main Street organization and we could not be more proud of Rawlins for receiving this honor,” said Mary Randolph, executive director of the Wyoming Main Street program.  “The Rawlins community has worked so hard and is very deserving of this prestigious award.”

According to Thayer, over the past several years Rawlins  has seen many successes including: A drop in the downtown’s building vacancy rate from 45 percent to 10 percent; nearly 25,000 volunteer hours in the program since its inception in 2006, which equals an in-kind contribution to the program of $523,807; and 55 private and public rehabilitation projects completed.  The total dollars reinvested in the downtown district since 2008 is about $7.2 million; and for every dollar the Rawlins DDA/Main Street incurred in costs there was a return of $9.56 returned to the downtown district.

Detroit Award 2

Rawlins DDA/Main Street members received the One to Watch award on May 18 at the National Main Streets Conference in Detroit, Mich.  (L-R)Stephanie Meeks, president and CEO of the National Trust for Historic Preservation; Pat Robbins, south central regional director for the Business Council; Eddie Archuleta, City Council, City of Rawlins; Mary Randolph, executive director of the Wyoming Main Street program;  Charel Coleman, Rawlins DDA/Main Street; Kacey Caldwell, Rawlins DDA/Main Street; Adam Mendenhall, Rawlins DDA/Main Street; Pam Thayer, executive director of the Rawlins DDA/Main Street program; Karen Fate, Senior BRC/CFP Grant & Loan Specialist at the Business Council; Patrice Frey, president and CEO of the National Main Street Center; Barbara Sidway, chair, National Main Street Center Board of Directors. (Photo courtesy WY Main Street program)

For more information about the Wyoming Main Street program, contact Mary Randolph at 307.777.6430 or mary.randolph@wyo.gov.  For information about the Rawlins DDA/Main Street program contact Pam Thayer at 307.328.2099 or rawlinsmainstreeted@rawlins-wyoming.com.

The Wyoming Main Street program was established by the Wyoming Legislature in 2004. The National Main Street Center, a subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, emphasizes a four-point approach to revitalization:  economic restructuring, design, organization and promotion.

The mission of the Business Council is to facilitate the economic growth of Wyoming. The Business Council, a state government agency, concentrates its efforts on providing assistance for existing Wyoming companies and start-ups, helping communities meet their development and diversification needs, and recruiting new firms and industries targeted to complement the state’s assets. For more information, please visit www.wyomingbusiness.org.

Laramie Main Street Announces Laramie Mural Project Naming Competition!

Mural Contest May June 2014

Hunting Prep, Laramie Main Street News, Art in Sheridan…

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NATIONAL ELK REFUGE MAKES PREPARATIONS FOR BISON & ELK HUNTING SEASONS

image from National Elk Refuge website

Wildlife managers are preparing for two upcoming hunting seasons on the National Elk Refuge. Hunting programs on the Refuge are used as a management tool to achieve optimum herd size as determined through a cooperative effort between the National Elk Refuge, Grand Teton National Park, and Wyoming Game & Fish Department managers.

The 2013 bison hunting season on the National Elk Refuge will begin on August 15 and run through January 12, 2014. Bison hunting licenses are issued by the Wyoming Game & Fish Department. A Refuge–specific bison permit is required and is provided with the State license. Individuals who have not already applied and been selected for the 2013 season are not eligible to hunt bison this season.

The Refuge bison hunting season will be comprised of 12 hunt periods of varying length, with a number of week-long breaks of non-disturbance incorporated into the season. This is intended to increase the success rate for hunters since bison, along with other animals, may learn to avoid an area with continued hunting pressure. Wildlife managers are using the hunt period structure as a tool to achieve herd objectives.

The 2013 Refuge elk hunting season will run from October 12 through December 15 and will consist of 10 consecutive hunt periods. Persons interested in hunting elk may begin applying for Refuge–specific permits beginning Wednesday, August 14. Applications for elk permits must be submitted electronically by September 25 to be entered into a computerized random draw. The results of the drawing will be posted on the application web site by September 26. 

Application for National Elk Refuge elk hunting permits is done in cooperation with the Wyoming Game & Fish Private Lands Public Wildlife Access program. Hunters may initially apply for only one hunt period per hunt unit and must already have a valid Wyoming elk license to enter the electronic drawing. Elk hunters attempting to fill two valid licenses on the Refuge during the same hunt period do not need to apply for two Refuge permits. 

Bison and elk hunting information, including general information, application procedures, regulations, maps, weapons restrictions, and access can be found on the National Elk Refuge’s web page at www.fws.gov/refuge/national_elk_refuge. Printed copies of Refuge regulations can be picked up in Jackson at the Jackson Hole & Greater Yellowstone Visitor Center (532 N. Cache Street), Wyoming Game & Fish Department (420 N. Cache Street), or the National Elk Refuge Administrative Offices (625 E. Broadway Avenue). Printable versions (PDF) of the regulations and maps are available on the web site. 

Persons traveling on Refuge roads, including Curtis Canyon and Flat Creek roads, are encouraged to familiarize themselves with hunt boundaries and be aware that hunters may be in the area.

LARAMIE MAIN STREET UPDATE

Mural by Travis Ivey 

Thanks to over 160 backers, Laramie Main Street reached their fundraising goal for the Laramie Mural Project before their deadline of July 21st and then, the donations kept coming in! When all was said and done, they raised just short of $20,000!!!

mural plan, by Travis Ivey

They have already begun to use those donations to expand the Laramie Mural Project. Check out the new murals going up downtown at 3rd and Kearney, behind the Big Dipper at 111 Ivinson and in the alley behind the Curiosity Shoppe. 

Be sure to mark your calendar for an event like you’ve never seen in downtown Laramie! Move in Weekend, Aug. 23 – 25 they will be hosting the Downtown Mash Up featuring the Gem City Car Classic and Laramie Fiber Arts Festival. This is a joint event between the University of Wyoming Athletic Dept., Laramie Main Street, DLBA and the fiber art galleries downtown.

Ever wondered what was above your favorite downtown businesses? Now is your chance to find out! Join Laramie Main Street on Friday, August 16 from 3 to 7 p.m. for a self-guided tour of the lofts and apartments downtown. Everything from cozy one bedroom units to expansive family lofts.

Tickets are $10 in advance, $15 the day of and can be purchased with cash, check or credit card from the Main Street office at 207 Grand Ave. or by calling 307-760-3355.

The Upstairs/Downtown tour is designed to promote residential space and living in the historic district as well as raise funds for the Laramie Main Street Alliance.

EVANSTON — ROUNDHOUSE FESTIVAL

Stop by the Roundhouse Festival this weekend in Evanston at the Roundhouse to purchase your 2013 HO collectors car. These will be available at the this weekends Roundhouse Festival. This year’s car commemorates the Lincoln Highway’s 100th anniversary!

SHERIDAN — SAGE Community Art Center Welcomes New Exhibits; Sheridan’s DDA Plans 3rd Thursday Fest for August

The next 3rd Thursday Festival will be held August 15! Join in for all the fun, food and music!

Check out the next round of great art exhibits at SAGE Community Art Center!