Laramie’s Living History — People
A series of stories prepared for the Albany County Museum Coalition, an alliance of institutions that promote Laramie’s historic and cultural resources. This series originally appeared in the Laramie Boomerang.
The people who comprise the Albany County community come from several social strata, ethnicities, and races.
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Stuck in the Blizzard of ’49; Quita Pownall relies on Strangers
Stuck in the blizzard of ‘49 - how to get home?
Laramie makes world history: First women serving on a jury.
Should women have the right to serve on a jury? That was an open question in Albany County in 1870.
THE BANKER VERSUS THE CATTLEMAN
A banker sues a cattleman over money due and an attorney gets barred from the territorial supreme court for insulting the justices.
Jane Ivinson—Laramie property owner in her own right
Albany County historical records are loaded with men who are known for their property acquisitions. Ora Haley, Edward Ivinson, Robert Homer, the King brothers are among them. But there were also women who owned significant parcels of land in early Laramie. Jane Ivinson was one of those women.
A “Laidy” Geologist: Dr. Katharine Fowler-Billings
“Look at your daughter now,” Katharine Fowler (1902-1997) wrote to her parents on a photo of herself practicing rattlesnake shooting in the Laramie Mountains.
A Charismatic Architect Comes to Laramie
When Gus Hollo (1905-1999) moved to Laramie in 1936, it was on the recommendation of his sister, Maureen Hollo Person, so she and her UW Engineering-professor spouse could have a home custom-designed by him.
First Resident of the Laramie Plains—Phillip Mandel
The man who may have been the first permanent European resident of the Laramie Plains, Phillip Mandel (1835-1917), arrived at a date not well documented, but he could have been here 10 years prior to the 1868 founding of Laramie.
The lady doctor makes Albany County home
Dr. Florence DeWitt Patrick (1858-1952) had an air of mystery about her.
Laramie Woman has a Spouse, Children, a PhD and Job at the Wyoming Penitentiary in 1899—She Did It All
Laramie is often the temporary home of extraordinary people. One was a woman who worked at the Wyoming Penitentiary.
Her legacy: single beds & a Lot more – Helen Dunnewald
Helen Bishop (1891-1992), a native of Oregon, came to Laramie in 1925 to become the Dean of Women at the University of Wyoming and stayed for over 60 years
Pioneer Trabing Brothers Build A Wyoming Empire
When the young Trabing brothers, Augustus and Charles, arrived in Laramie in the summer of 1868, they were already experienced merchants, ranchers and freighters.
Laramie Mayor, Former Sheriff Both Die With Boots Off Despite Vigilante History
When Nicholas F. Spicer (1836-1907) died while still in office as mayor of Laramie, the obituary writer for the front-page story in the Laramie Boomerang said that he had been a member of a vigilante mob that had hung five men nearly 40 years earlier.
Henning Svenson, photographer; Capturing the Essence of Laramie
One of the unique things about living in Laramie is that our past, from 1905 to 1932, has been well documented by one photographer whose collection has been made available to the public.
THE TRAVELING IVINSONS
Traveling for the moneyed class was all the rage in the 1890’s. A grand tour of the “Continent” was obligatory for those with means. Edward and Jane Ivinson of Laramie did it twice.
Crusading feminist Ethel Murrell (1903-1986) brings treasures back to Laramie
When Ethel Ernest took the stage at age six in a Laramie elementary school production, there might have been a hint of great things to come from this spunky little redhead.
Simon Durlacher, men’s wear merchant whose name lives on
There aren’t many downtown merchants in Laramie who put their names in stone atop their buildings, and even fewer where the name remains after a century.
One of the county’s first MDs: A true believer in Wyoming
Dr. Hiram C. Latham (1832 - 1908) was one of the first medical practitioners in what is now Albany County, then part of Dakota Territory.
Who began the UW Geological Museum? Guess again!
Unless you’re very familiar with UW history, you probably guessed it was one of the Knights, likely Wilbur Clinton Knight or his son Sam, but you’d be wrong.
A Professor for All Seasons: Aven Nelson
What would you call someone who taught botany, zoology, physiology, hygiene, geography, and calisthenics at UW in 1887? A jack-of-all-trades? A renaissance man?