Backstory

Backstory: ‘The West’s Finest Air Conditioned Shopping Center’ changed Casper retail nearly 60 years ago

CASPER, Wyo. — On the far southern side of Casper, among the foothills, sagebrush and wind-swept prairie, a 17-acre site was being touted by its developers as a state-of-the-art glimpse... Read more »

10/20/21 2:50 PM

Backstory: Casper clothier Harry ‘The Man in the Barrel’ Yesness was a showman at heart

10/07/21 5:29 AM

(PHOTOS) Backstory: Casper’s downtown Gladstone Hotel tower had grand past, faces unknown future

09/30/21 2:38 PM

(PHOTOS) Casper nonprofit brings faith-based service and recovery program to foot of Laramie Peak

CASPER, Wyo — About 24 participants of the Wyoming Rescue Mission’s Discipleship Recovery Program took their fellowship and faith-based recovery practices last week to the Hank Raymond Recovery Camp in... Read more »

05/23/21 4:04 PM

Casper College archivist layoff fuels growing concern over ‘irreplaceable collection’

CASPER, Wyo. – Casper historians, students, journalists and researchers have viewed the massive collection at Casper College’s Western History Center (WHC) as an essential and invaluable resource for decades. “I... Read more »

05/18/21 9:07 AM

Backstory: Historic photos give glimpse at Casper’s mostly-gone small grocers

CASPER, Wyo. – A recent Backstory column looked into Casper’s early neighborhood grocery store boom during the first half of the previous century. At one point Casper and the surrounding... Read more »

05/07/21 8:17 AM

Backstory: Trove of photos document vintage Casper in glorious color

CASPER, Wyo. – A deep collection of color photos gathered by the Casper Area Chamber of Commerce over the decades preserve a long-gone era.

04/21/21 2:20 PM

Backstory: When a beloved, aging Casper school was sacrificed for a midcentury masterpiece

CASPER, Wyo. – Casper’s Washington School was documented with photos and nostalgia during the end of its final school days in June, 1960. The location on the corner of First... Read more »

04/14/21 12:10 PM

Today in Wyo History: unique state-run workers’ comp act signed in 1915

CASPER, Wyo — On February 27, 1915, Wyoming Governor John B. Kendrick signed the “Wyoming Worker’s Compensation Act”, codified in Wyoming statue 27-14-101 . According to historian Patrick T. Holscher,... Read more »

02/27/21 4:27 PM

Casper homeowner looks for clues on baptismal certificate found during remodel

CASPER, Wyo. – Tricia Provence and her boyfriend Billy Lytle didn’t expect any surprises as they went to work removing a wall in Tricia’s Casper home recently. Billy, experienced in... Read more »

02/24/21 2:56 PM

New Fort Casper exhibit has at least one story for every letter of the alphabet

CASPER, Wyo — The staff at the Fort Caspar Museum has organized a new way to explore Casper’s history, according to release Saturday. The “A, B, C’s of Casper History,” ... Read more »

12/12/20 4:52 PM

‘It is no joke:’ How Americans first heard of the Pearl Harbor attack Dec. 7, 1941

Pearl Harbor was attacked on this day in 1941, sending the United States into what would become World War II. In this age of instant and constant information, it’s almost... Read more »

12/07/20 2:10 PM

(PHOTOS) Hazard tree becomes David Street Station’s 2020 centerpiece through volunteer efforts

CASPER, Wyo — When Kevin Hawley, executive director of Downtown Development Authority, saw architect Lyle Murtha and engineer Bob Lower’s designs for a “frozen pond” skating rink around a Christmas Tree... Read more »

12/01/20 9:46 PM

Black 14 launch 180-ton food initiative with UW, Mormon Church

October 30, 2020 by Angus M. Thuermer Jr, WyoFile The University of Wyoming’s famous 1969 Black 14 football players are teaming with historic adversaries to deliver up to 180 tons of food... Read more »

10/31/20 10:28 AM

Backstory: Stuck truck amuck under McKinley St. Bridge

CASPER, Wyo. – There seems to be a pattern with the McKinley Street railroad bridge. In October 2020, the street surrounding the bridge was intermittently closed as crews worked to... Read more »

10/02/20 2:46 PM

UW’s Heart Mountain symposium ties WWII internment to contemporary displacement issues

CASPER, Wyo — The history of Japanese American people incarcerated in Wyoming and other locations during World War II will be explored this October by the University of Wyoming (UW)... Read more »

09/29/20 1:27 PM

Pennsylvania hunters, robbed last week, bring loaned gear and pizza to Casper PD

CASPER, Wyo –Though unsuccessful in their elk hunt in the Bighorn mountains, bowhunters Daniel Toomey, Jake Meals and Hunter Lefever began their return journey to Butler, Pennsylvania with a better... Read more »

09/25/20 5:33 PM

Theater company’s cemetery tour will revive figures from Casper’s past

CASPER, Wyo — Edness Kimball Wilkins, Lucy Morrison, and Verda James are among the illustrious figures from Casper’s past that will be revived by actors of the Casper Theater Company... Read more »

09/21/20 2:05 PM

NWS: September record highs observed Saturday, including Casper, some triple-digits

CASPER, Wyo — As projected, Casper saw record high temperatures for the date of September 5, according to the National Weather Service (NWS) in Riverton. From a low of 45... Read more »

09/06/20 10:35 AM

Wyoming toad, once thought extinct, makes gains in native Laramie region

CASPER, Wyo — Nearly 700 Wyoming toads were released recently in a continued team effort to maintain a species endangered and exclusive to the Laramie area, said Wyoming Game and... Read more »

08/31/20 4:39 PM

Casper’s legacy of college rodeo action to be featured on ESPNU

CASPER, Wyo — Two decades’ worth of College National Finals Rodeo action from the Casper Events Center will be featured on the college sports network ESPNU next Tuesday, according to... Read more »

08/31/20 2:40 PM

VIDEO: Giantess Geyser emerges from six year dormancy in Yellowstone

CASPER, Wyo — On Tuesday, August 25, 2020, Giantess Geyser erupted to life after an atypically long six-and-a-half years of dormancy, said Yellowstone National Park officials said on Saturday. The... Read more »

08/29/20 5:38 PM

(Aug. 1, 1985): 12 fatalities as deadly storm floods Cheyenne

CASPER, Wyo— Wyoming may be 4” below normally precipitation in 2020, but on August 1, 1985 a slow-moving thunderstorm dumped up to 8 inches on parts of Cheyenne in about... Read more »

08/01/20 2:18 PM

Backstory: Parades of Casper’s Past (Photos)

This post was first published on July 9, 2019, and has been updated with additional photos. Like countless communities around the globe, Casper loves its parades. Casper College Western History... Read more »

07/07/20 7:00 AM

Today in Wy history: (1937) Climbers make first technical Devil’s Tower ascent

CASPER, Wyo — On Monday, June 28, 1937, Fritz Weissner, Lawrence Coveney and William P. House became the first climbers to make a technical ascent of Devil’s Tower. Previous summits... Read more »

06/28/20 3:18 PM

Centennial re-dedication of Mills monument marking death of Caspar Collins July 5

CASPER, Wyo — On Sunday, July 5th at 1:00 pm, the Fort Caspar Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (D.A.R.) and Mills town officials will hold a rededication... Read more »

06/22/20 6:47 PM

Today in Wyoming history: (1931) USS Wyoming rescues submarine attempting Arctic crossing

CASPER, Wyo — On June 14, 1931, the ship the USS Wyoming rescued the submarine Nautilus in the Atlantic Ocean. The USS Wyoming was on a training cruise with midshipmen... Read more »

06/14/20 2:48 PM

Backstory: Wyoming-born J.C. Penney thrived for decades in Casper (Photos)

CASPER, Wyo. – A little store started in Kemmerer, Wyoming, grew up to be one of the biggest retailers in the country. Now, along with so many legacy retailers, its... Read more »

05/25/20 7:32 AM

Backstory: Casper restaurant had bootlegging, gambling, prostitution and shooting on the menu

CASPER, Wyo. – Hidden on hundreds of negatives in yellow Kodak boxes at the Casper College Western History Center are untold ghosts of the city captured decades ago. The trove... Read more »

05/13/20 6:00 AM

Backstory: Casper Drive-In Theaters did social distancing before it was cool

CASPER, Wyo. – With the stress and social disruption of the COVID-19 global pandemic upon us, it would be great to escape reality for a couple of hours in a... Read more »

04/22/20 2:14 PM

Backstory: Snow-covered scenes from Casper’s past (PHOTOS)

CASPER, Wyo. – It’s understandable to feel a little hopeless this time of year. The first snow of the season is usually met with excitement and glee, coupled with the... Read more »

02/06/20 2:24 PM

Hidden Casper: Long-lost Chevy relics appear during Nolan renovation

CASPER, Wyo. – Relics from automotive’s early days are being unearthed as crews strip decades of additions and construction away from an old car dealership and furniture store. Now known... Read more »

01/29/20 3:19 PM

Backstory: Footage from 1930 shows Casper and Salt Creek Oil Fields in operation

CASPER, Wyo. – Film footage posted online gives a visual lesson on life and work in the oilfields during the 1930s. The film, posted by archive firm Periscope Film, was... Read more »

01/02/20 10:51 AM

Backstory: Color photo of Casper’s first McDonald’s brings 1960s back to life

CASPER, Wyo. – A color photo of the Golden Arches in Casper captures a moment when the town was growing east during its post-war boom. The photo, shot on color... Read more »

12/05/19 1:02 PM

Backstory: Remembering the Rex, Casper’s first luxury theater (Photos)

CASPER, Wyo. – The lot at 124 South Center in downtown Casper has likely been a parking lot longer than it was anything else. Its longest resident, other than the... Read more »

10/08/19 2:16 PM

Siblings unite after nearly 30 years of searching

CASPER, Wyo. — Natrona County Undersheriff Mark Sellers was born in Denver in 1967. His biological mother put him up for adoption and a family in Colorado Springs brought Sellers... Read more »

07/19/19 2:29 PM

Backstory: Yes, Virginia, this Casper hotel has crazy history

CASPER, Wyo – The red brick building on the corner of First and Market Streets is a quiet place these days. The building is currently home to several recently built... Read more »

05/20/19 2:13 PM

Older Posts

Backstory

Backstory: ‘The West’s Finest Air Conditioned Shopping Center’ changed Casper retail nearly 60 years ago

Backstory: Casper clothier Harry ‘The Man in the Barrel’ Yesness was a showman at heart

(PHOTOS) Backstory: Casper’s downtown Gladstone Hotel tower had grand past, faces unknown future

Backstory: Casper’s Commissary Mall was once the town’s major ‘supermarket’

Backstory: Casper Drive-In Theaters did social distancing before it was cool

Casper museum preserves memories, stories of Wyoming veterans

(PHOTOS) Casper nonprofit brings faith-based service and recovery program to foot of Laramie Peak

Casper College archivist layoff fuels growing concern over ‘irreplaceable collection’

Backstory: Historic photos give glimpse at Casper’s mostly-gone small grocers

Backstory: Trove of photos document vintage Casper in glorious color

Backstory: When a beloved, aging Casper school was sacrificed for a midcentury masterpiece

Today in Wyo History: unique state-run workers’ comp act signed in 1915

Casper homeowner looks for clues on baptismal certificate found during remodel

New Fort Casper exhibit has at least one story for every letter of the alphabet

‘It is no joke:’ How Americans first heard of the Pearl Harbor attack Dec. 7, 1941

(PHOTOS) Hazard tree becomes David Street Station’s 2020 centerpiece through volunteer efforts

Black 14 launch 180-ton food initiative with UW, Mormon Church

Backstory: Stuck truck amuck under McKinley St. Bridge

UW’s Heart Mountain symposium ties WWII internment to contemporary displacement issues

Pennsylvania hunters, robbed last week, bring loaned gear and pizza to Casper PD

Theater company’s cemetery tour will revive figures from Casper’s past

NWS: September record highs observed Saturday, including Casper, some triple-digits

Wyoming toad, once thought extinct, makes gains in native Laramie region

Casper’s legacy of college rodeo action to be featured on ESPNU

VIDEO: Giantess Geyser emerges from six year dormancy in Yellowstone

(Aug. 1, 1985): 12 fatalities as deadly storm floods Cheyenne

Backstory: Parades of Casper’s Past (Photos)

Today in Wy history: (1937) Climbers make first technical Devil’s Tower ascent

Centennial re-dedication of Mills monument marking death of Caspar Collins July 5

Today in Wyoming history: (1931) USS Wyoming rescues submarine attempting Arctic crossing

Backstory: Wyoming-born J.C. Penney thrived for decades in Casper (Photos)

Backstory: Casper restaurant had bootlegging, gambling, prostitution and shooting on the menu

Backstory: Casper Drive-In Theaters did social distancing before it was cool

Backstory: Snow-covered scenes from Casper’s past (PHOTOS)

Hidden Casper: Long-lost Chevy relics appear during Nolan renovation

Backstory: Footage from 1930 shows Casper and Salt Creek Oil Fields in operation

Backstory: Color photo of Casper’s first McDonald’s brings 1960s back to life

Backstory: Remembering the Rex, Casper’s first luxury theater (Photos)

Siblings unite after nearly 30 years of searching

Backstory: Yes, Virginia, this Casper hotel has crazy history

Crime

AP

Colorado daycare owner gets 6 years for hiding 26 kids in basement

Sheriff’s office: thermal imaging tech has special response, search-and-rescue applications

Oil City Police Calls (10/20/21 – 10/22/21)

Natrona County Arrests (10/21/21 – 10/22/21)

FBI: Dental records confirm remains are Brian Laundrie’s

Obituaries

Latest News

Obituaries: Condelario, Gassman, Riley

Obituaries: Nicely, Bryant, Olson, Johnstone

Obituaries: Dalton Jr., Fischer, O’Donnell, Matthews

Obituaries: Davy, Mascarenas, Eachus

Obituary: TONY C. SCHOTT

Community

Community

Sheriff’s office: thermal imaging tech has special response, search-and-rescue applications

Week of record COVID deaths, hospitalizations in Wyoming closes out with 389 new confirmed cases

Casper Parks & Rec: Aquatic Center leisure pool to remain closed

Dirty Axe in downtown Casper to permanently close

Poinsettia sales to benefit David Street Station

Wyoming

Community

Week of record COVID deaths, hospitalizations in Wyoming closes out with 389 new confirmed cases

Williams sworn into State House of Representatives

WDH outlines eligibility changes for COVID-19 boosters

Wyo Dems, GOP in pitched battle over special COVID legislative session

Where are the workers? Cutoff of jobless aid spurs no influx

Promoted

Community

Local realtor dancing for a great cause as one of Casper’s stars

Last call to attend this year’s Dancing With The Stars of Casper

Brunch and Breast Health at Outpatient Radiology!

Western Heritage Consulting & Engineering ensures the journey to ranch ownership is a dream

Mental Illness Awareness Week: There is help, and hope

Galleries

City

(PHOTOS) ‘Hell Yeah’: Haunted skeletal smackdown wows drivers on Casper street

PHOTOS: Central Casper home gets spooky Halloween makeover