Backstory

Backstory: Stuck truck amuck under McKinley St. Bridge

CASPER, Wyo. – There seems to be a pattern with the McKinley Street railroad bridge. Starting next week on Oct. 6, the street surrounding the bridge will be intermittently closed... Read more »

10/02/20 2:46 PM

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

09/29/20 1:27 PM

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

09/25/20 5:33 PM

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

09/21/20 2:05 PM

Backstory: Casper’s Armory crumbles after tough preservation fight (PHOTOS)

09/07/20 10:30 AM

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

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

Backstory: This lost Casper hotel was a Palace in name only

The name of a Palace Hotel brings thoughts of luxury and grandeur. The Palace Hotel in San Fransisco, for instance, is recognized nationally as a historic landmark in that area.... Read more »

04/26/19 7:35 AM

Backstory: Scene of long-forgotten crash unearthed in found photos

Update: Additional information on the crash and vehicles was sent by readers to Oil City News after this article was first posted. It has been added at the end. It’s... Read more »

04/11/19 11:36 AM

Backstory: The life and fiery death of Casper’s swanky Riverside Club (Photos)

A column in the June 17, 1964 Casper Tribune reads almost like an obituary to a beloved friend. In Irving Garbutt’s “Off the Cuff” column, the writer mournfully memorializes one... Read more »

04/05/19 10:42 AM

Backstory: Found photo brings back ghost of Casper’s Spaniol Motors

A long-forgotten photo of a big American coupe parked in front of a dealership was recently brought back to life. The nugget of Casper’s past is one of thousands of... Read more »

02/18/19 2:15 PM

Backstory: When Sears introduced ‘ultra modern’ shopping to Casper

Sears was once considered one of the most innovative and modern retailers in America. All that excitement and innovation seemed forgotten when Sears ended its run in Casper with barely... Read more »

02/04/19 3:10 PM

Hear Historic Radio Broadcasts Made During Pearl Harbor Attack in 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 »

12/07/18 12:55 PM

Backstory: The Parkway Plaza, now at a crossroads, was once Casper’s place to be (Photos)

The sprawling Parkway Plaza has been a fixture of Casper life for so long it’s difficult to imagine when it didn’t exist. The hotel, with over 300 rooms and whopping... Read more »

12/06/18 4:40 AM

BACKSTORY: 1938 War of the Worlds broadcast prompts Casper discussion, no panic reported

It has become synonymous with "mass hysteria."

10/30/18 3:52 PM

Backstory: Murder at the The Reef Lounge

This is our third Backstory feature on The Reef Lounge. See the first two here and here. The Reef Lounge opened in 1961 on the corner of First and Center... Read more »

10/24/18 4:00 AM

Backstory: ‘Coaches turned into death traps’ in 1923 train wreck near Casper

On September 23, 1923, a Chicago, Burlington & Quincy passenger train hauling nearly 70 people lumbered out of Casper’s station just after 8:30 p.m. The train pulling luxury smoking, sleeping... Read more »

09/10/18 3:33 PM

Backstory: Remembering Arcade Bar, one of downtown Casper’s longtime watering holes

There aren’t many images of the Arcade Bar on file at the Western History Center at Casper College. In spite of its current elusiveness, it was for decades one of... Read more »

08/24/18 12:44 PM

Backstory: More photos of Casper’s mysterious tiki lounge The Reef have surfaced

In a Backstory published earlier this year, we told you about a long-lost elaborate tiki lounge located on the corner of First and Center Streets right next to The America... Read more »

08/16/18 5:48 AM

Backstory: The Playdium in downtown Casper offered games, records and a Shetland pony

Long before the days of video games, Casper youth needed something to help keep busy during their free time. An arcade would seem to be a perfect solution. There isn’t... Read more »

08/08/18 5:20 AM

BACKSTORY: Before the Rialto, Webel ruled a downtown corner

The Rialto Theater on the corner of Second and Center Streets is one of downtown Casper's most recognizable landmarks.

07/04/18 6:45 AM

Backstory: A horse walks into a bar…no joke

Tales of dusty cowpokes bellying up to the bar while riding their faithful horse is a well worn trope in Casper. There are indeed photos of horses inside the old... Read more »

06/14/18 4:47 PM

Backstory: A Lost Old Garage Gets New Love

The building is on the National Historic Register list, even though half of it was hidden under a 70s-era addition when it was nominated. Casper’s historic Fire Station No. 1... Read more »

05/31/18 1:34 PM

Older Posts

Backstory

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

Backstory: Casper’s Armory crumbles after tough preservation fight (PHOTOS)

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

Backstory: This lost Casper hotel was a Palace in name only

Backstory: Scene of long-forgotten crash unearthed in found photos

Backstory: The life and fiery death of Casper’s swanky Riverside Club (Photos)

Backstory: Found photo brings back ghost of Casper’s Spaniol Motors

Backstory: When Sears introduced ‘ultra modern’ shopping to Casper

Hear Historic Radio Broadcasts Made During Pearl Harbor Attack in 1941

Backstory: The Parkway Plaza, now at a crossroads, was once Casper’s place to be (Photos)

BACKSTORY: 1938 War of the Worlds broadcast prompts Casper discussion, no panic reported

Backstory: Murder at the The Reef Lounge

Backstory: ‘Coaches turned into death traps’ in 1923 train wreck near Casper

Backstory: Remembering Arcade Bar, one of downtown Casper’s longtime watering holes

Backstory: More photos of Casper’s mysterious tiki lounge The Reef have surfaced

Backstory: The Playdium in downtown Casper offered games, records and a Shetland pony

BACKSTORY: Before the Rialto, Webel ruled a downtown corner

Backstory: A horse walks into a bar…no joke

Backstory: A Lost Old Garage Gets New Love

Crime

Animals

Calf and cow moose illegally killed in SW Idaho; five total so far in October

Recent Arrests (10/28/20 – 10/29/20)

Woman arrested after ‘brief’ foot chase, faces felony Child Endangering

Five reports of dogs ‘harassing, attacking and mutilating deer’ in Lander area

Former maintenance worker accused of felony burglary

Obituaries

Latest News

Obituaries: Harned, Eagle, McCoy, Curtis, Woods, Homan

Obituary: Rivers Dixon Kent Stilwell

Obituaries: Lundblade, Christian, Pekuri, Mosteller

Jerry Jeff Walker, Texas singer and songwriter, dies at 78

Obituaries: Reed, Cuin, Stairs

Community

Community

Flu activity still minimal in Wyoming; estimated 400K hospitalizations, 22K deaths in U.S. last season

Here are the winning entries for our recent LION award (Best Visual Journalism Project)

Calf and cow moose illegally killed in SW Idaho; five total so far in October

A Refreshing Thursday

NCSD’s COVID cases increase to 20 this week; two staff reported positive Thursday

Wyoming

AP

Former Wyoming US Sen. Alan Simpson recovering after stroke

Calf and cow moose illegally killed in SW Idaho; five total so far in October

WYDOT Releases Construction & travel report for Friday’s UW football game

Trump officials end gray wolf protections across most of US

PHOTOS: Beaver relocated to help reconnect floodplain, create vegetation in northern Wyoming

Promoted

Community

Family matters: WPDN’s Steve Emery expands into family practice

Meet the judges of this years Dancing with the Stars of Casper

Casper’s Own Western Heritage Consulting & Engineering Featured in LAND Magazine

Don Halberg running write-in campaign for Natrona County Coroner

PHOTOS: This family business aims to carry the people they serve through the times they need it most

Galleries

#OilCityProud

Here are the winning entries for our recent LION award (Best Visual Journalism Project)

David Street Station runner-up in Strong Communities Award (PHOTOS)