WyoHistory.org | The Online Encyclopedia of Wyoming History

Featured Topics

Indigenous People in Wyoming and the West

“Then I breathed freely:” Black Women Vote in Wyoming, 1870

On the morning of September 6, 1870, Wyoming women prepared themselves for a momentous day—the first election since the Territorial Legislature had passed the world’s first woman suffrage bill. Among the voters were women from Wyoming’s Black communities. They were the first Black women in U.S. history to vote.

The Outlaw and his Lawyer: Butch Cassidy and Douglas Preston

He was a member of Wyoming’s Constitutional Convention of 1889, a signer of Wyoming’s State Constitution, a member of the Wyoming House of Representatives and served two terms as Wyoming’s attorney general, but Douglas A. Preston is remembered for being the lawyer for Butch Cassidy, the outlaw.

Wyoming Grasshoppers Then and Now

“Why not eat insects?” Jim Wangberg asked this in 1987, and it set off more than a classroom discussion. At the time, Wangberg was department head of plant, soil and insect sciences at the University of Wyoming. His question was particularly pressing following Wyoming’s big grasshopper years in 1985 and 1986, with densities of up to 100 grasshoppers per square yard in some locations. That many grasshoppers can devastate an agricultural based economy.

Mary Godat Bellamy, Wyoming’s First Woman Legislator

The first woman to serve in the Wyoming legislature, Mary Godat Bellamy laid the groundwork for future generations of women in politics. Inspired by the first generation of Wyoming’s suffragists—such as her childhood babysitter Esther Morris—Bellamy devoted her life to women’s rights and reform movements. Read more about Bellamy’s remarkable life.

Wyoming’s Immaculate Pioneer

William H. Zindel took a gamble on Wyoming when he moved to the territory six years before statehood. He boosted two Wyoming towns, earning a reputation for his cleanliness, opulence, and shrewd business sense. Read more about Zindel and his enormous diamond ring in Nancy Tabb’s "William H. Zindel: Wyoming’s Immaculate Pioneer."

The Latest from Our Blog

Researching Early Black Women Voters in Wyoming

Jennifer Helton draws back the curtain to discuss her investigation into Black women voters in Wyoming, 1870.

Keep Reading

"Two Pull Better Than One”: The Love Story of Grace and Agnes

Grasshoppers Tender Grasshoppers Tough

Exhibits at the State Capitol

Education

Explore WyoHistory.org’s education packages, designed for classroom use.

View the Education Page

Interactive Map

Explore Wyoming’s history using our interactive map of articles.

View the map

Historical Topics

Contributors

The WyoHistory.org monthly newsletter includes updates of new articles on the website, info on history-related events, news about our contributors, etc. Add your name to the list to stay informed about all things history in Wyoming.

Learn More and Sign Up

February 2025