Steam Notes Cheyenne Depot Museum’s Quarterly Newsletter

In this Issue * Museum News * Looking Back...

* Upcoming Events

Winter 2015

Board of Directors Jack Knudson President

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015 will be one of the most memorable, exciting and unique years as we celebrate some significant milestones for our cultural and entertainment

Lucas Buckley Vice President Ken Dugas Treasurer

related events. This event season will mark the 10th anniversary for Depot Days, the 10th anniversary for the Celtic Musical Arts Festival, and the 20th anniversary for the Wyoming Brewers Festival! There are also new things

Kevin Moffett Secretary

coming soon to the museum as our staff is hard at work to complete the first

Bill Benskin Ex-Officio

phase of exhibit changes this year. This has been made possible because of your

Mary Randolph Jerry Moberly

support and many other benefactors for which we are truly grateful. We invite you bring your family and friends to see what’s new and join us for an extraor-

Brittney Lewis

dinary year in the museum and on the plaza at the Cheyenne Depot Museum.

Mark Archer

-James Bowers Executive Director

Ernie Shriner Lisa Osvold

Meet the Staff

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James Bowers Executive Director



Candi Homan Gift Shop Manager

Katrina Tayson Bookeeper Kerry Skidmore Museum Librarian

Lindsey Taylor Events & Marketing Director Gina McGee Administrative Assistant



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Museum News By Kerry Skidmore A Facelift. The first 1/3 of the museum is changing. Museum exhibits are nearing a decade of service and the museum has begun a reconfiguration of exhibition areas with to the goal of providing a multidisciplinary learning and viewing experience which is relevant to all age groups. Starting at the entrance we discovered that our displays on the Transcontinental Railroad focus largely on construction—a “Prairie to Promontory” approach and in some cases they resemble a newspaper pasted on the wall. Using the theme “The Transcontinental Railroad Experience,” we are replacing the interpretive panels with larger font, color information displays. In addition we are adding floor dioramas on surveying and construction as well as gadgets exemplifying an aspect of the Experience and provide additional touch and visual opportunities. This exhibit is due for completion 1 April and the transformation is exciting to watch. There are two exhibits we also hope to have opened by 1 April: In a dark, remote corner of the museum a cauldron of “Mulligan Stew” will be boiling in the “Hobo Jungle”. Our exhibit “Bindlestiffs & MushFakers” examines the heritage of the American hobo and their contemporaries the Tramp. Be sure to look for them this summer – out of sight from the everyday railroad world… The main exhibition area at the big luggage scale will soon again house, “The Freight Agent.” Extending from the original freight agency office (behind the scale), the surviving freight department desk, the agents paperwork, and a parcel scale will join the baggage scale and a baggage cart to show the days when railroads moved your packages “positively” overnight. A New Arrival. Last September the museum received a baggage cart attributed to the Colorado & Southern Railroad (The line called at the Burlington Depot—now our Depot Plaza—and ultimately ran as far north as Wendover Wyoming). Unfortunately the cart, left out to the elements for 75 years, arrived in a heap.

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But the museum staff, partnering with community sponsors and a skilled volunteer, meticulously restored the cart to its appearance at its first day at work in 1930. From sandblasting and metal prep to lumber and hardware to paint the support Cheyenne provided to make this possible proved once again Cheyenne can make miracles. Our Collections. Beginning in 2012 high-quality glass exhibit cases have been donated to the museum and now the challenge is to fill them with quality artifacts. To date we have been steadily adding to our collection and our ability to display a group of objects on a particular aspect of our railroad heritage is improving. However we have empty shelves in several cases. We are now publishing quarterly a list of the high-priority artifacts needed to properly exhibit the important aspects of railroading. This “Needs List” addresses our immediate and priority needs. At this time the “Needs List” is too lengthy to include but I am happy provide you with one—as well as the quarterly updates—by email. Contact me: [email protected]. Items on our needs list likely will see immediate and permanent exhibition. The Cheyenne Depot Museum is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and all donations to the museum have tax deduction options. The museum is now well prepared to catalog display all donations. Plans for a Museum Operations webpage are underway and the list will be featured. The Mystery Object. Mr. Tom Klinger of Wheat Ridge, Colorado, identified our Fall Mystery Object as a “Johnny Stove”. The Johnny Stove’s came with a water jacket so a family could make hot water without heating the whole house in the hot summer. He suspects the logo on the door is “Montgomery Ward.” Is he sure of the identification. Yes—it looks exactly like the one being used as a planter in his front yard. In this issue we turn from “What the Heck??” To “Where the Heck??”

Pictured is Union Pacific’s coal-fired turbine locomotive No. 80. Soon to be featured in a museum display, the number 80 was a Rube Goldberg delight. However we do not know where the picture was taken hopefully the distinctive water tower and shop are a clue for you. Again please email me at [email protected] Cheyenne Depot Days and the 2015 RailART Show and Sale are quickly approaching. The museum will again host the art exhibit and sale. Please come check out the quality art and photography with the 2nd floor view—you might even see a Big Boy…. Page 5

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How would you like to be a part of the old Model layout Wild West history of Cheyenne in the 1800’s? Docents Your chance is here as the Cheyenne Depot Host/Hostess Museum looking forJury volunteers. You’ll be CulturalisCommittee helping this living legend alive with your Displaykeep Designers help and supportSupport for various tasks and Administrative projects such as assisting with the UC&N Logistical Support Layout Specialdisplays, Events tours, special events and much more. SoProjects for a unique, historical and Special rewarding experience as a volunteer, contact Event Photographer the Cheyenne Depot Museum. We look forward to having youinjoin our team. If you are interested volunteering for the Cheyenne Depot For more information Museum, please call the office at www.cheyennedepotmuseum.org/volunteer 307-632-3905 or e-mail: Office: 307-632-3905 [email protected]. Email: [email protected]

Thank you for your support! We want to thank our members for their unwaivering support ! Cheyenne LEADS Jane & Stephen Adams Marty Albright Rod & Sue Anderson Suzanne Anderson Melvin Anderson Bess Arnold Scott Baker Roxie Barclay-Augustine Kenneth Barrow Doug & Susan Barton William Beaman Bill & Patty Benskin Scott & Kaye Binning Robert Boltz Karla Bradley Rod & Marjorie Brand Richard Brooks Lucas Buckley Gene Burchette Gordon TE Campbell Andrew Caster Thomas Conrad Earl & Tena Craghead John Curley Charles De Fond Marietta Dinneen John Dobel Bill Dubois Ken Dugas Cooper Dwiggins Jeffery Eddings Willam Ensign Myke & Dick Erickson Michael Finzel Richard Gano Shirley Garrett-Robinson Richard Giovale William Grant Pamela Hanson Ray Harris Mary Hartman Stan Hartman Carol Holland Thomas & Lynn Hutchings Jerry Isbell

Annual Fund Campaign Donors

Nancy Johnson Thomas & Carol Toft Kathy Johnson Sheryl Van Pett Thomas Giovale Richard & Diane Kaysen Leland Walton, Jr. Recco DBA 5 R company Cynthia Kennedy Richard Warner Robert and Sandra Kidd Allen & Candace Webb Dennis Paden Stuart Roland Jack & Sharon Knudson Richard Webster Richardson Construction Bonnie Lawson Kurt Wegelius Gary & Betty Priebe Harland Lenander Weston B.White Shirley Robinson Diane Levy Albert Wolff Aver Woodley Ostlund CPAs LLC Ed Lichtenfels John Mark Wolff Jim Ehernberger Beverly Lockman Mike Wright Jimmy Kosmo Larry Lombard Curtis Zachman James Hurt Helen Louise Jo Patricia Zunker Nick Huth Eleanor MacMillan Harold & Debbie Stromberger Richard McCleery Michael Pollare James & Helen McCracken Thomas Folz Vanelda Mellblom William Ensign Stephen Messer James Keith Andrew Miller Howard Junker Jerry Moberly Stephen Kalthoff Tonya Moore Anthony & Barbara Andrikopoulos John Muhlenkamp John & Dori Samson Gary & Ruth Neely Robert Stanley Brion Oakley Sue & Rod Anderson Carrie R O'Brien Jack Knudson John & Mary Ostlund John Parker JohnPapproth Richard Burlingame Paul & Patricia Stenback Josiah Jenkins Roger Paustian Phil Van Horn Larry & Cherie Pettyjohn Donald Pope Sue Prindiville James Lefebre Richard Raburn Calvin Schick Mary Randolph John Rogers Earl & Ruth Reynolds Melvern Finzer Karen Rogers John & Barbara Rogers Robert & Lana Ross Bob Saxby Not a member yet? Visit our website to learn Donna Sheen N.B. Shuler about becoming a member or contact our office Wayne Skaff at 307-632-3905 John & Kathy Steil Cecily Stevenson Harold Stromberger Chris Tatro Gavin Timoney Page 7

Non-Profit Org U.S. Postage Paid Permit No. 35 Cheyenne, WY 82001

121 West 15th St. Suite 300 Cheyenne, WY 82001 Return Service Requested

Looking Back..... By Jim Ehernberger

Wyoming State Tribune & Cheyenne State Leader June 8th, 1922