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Wyoming Humanities awarded $2,000 Spark Grant to two Wyoming organization in October: Hot Springs County Pioneer Association and Wyoming Stock Grower’s Land Trust.

The HSCPA project is “A Historical Podcast & Presentation of the Pioneers who Inspired Owen Wister’s The Virginian.” The story of many of these pioneers who inspired this famous book, such as ranchers Dick Washakie and Elizabeth Short, will be included in a podcast, “Pioneers of Outlaw Country,” and featured in a historical presentation at the Hot Springs County Museum. First-person narratives from the museum archives will be used to tell the story, and descendants of the pioneers who personally knew Owen Wister will be interviewed for their oral history. It’s anticipated that the podcast will launch in 2024, with a public event at the Hot Springs County Museum planned for Feb. 10.

WSGLT’s grant is for a new program “Inspired by the Land – 25 Years of Conserving Wyoming Working Lands.” This project is intended to be an inspirational and educational photo display that will present Wyoming’s working landscapes as historical and active locations that foster unique human attachments to and connections with specific places. The exhibit will tell the story of the relationship between Wyoming’s natural history and the people that played a role in establishing the state, and it will highlight how those legacies are honored and lived out today.  The exhibition will be displayed during the 2025 Legislative Session in the Capitol Connector through July 2025, with hopes for it to travel the state after that time.

Spark Grants are awarded based on communities’ needs and programs designed to spark new insights and perspectives. Funding is provided by the state of Wyoming through the Wyoming Department of State Parks and Cultural Resources. Grantees, who receive up to $2,000 with this opportunity, provide equal or greater matching funds and in-kind contributions. Wyoming Humanities’ grants generate significant social and economic impact five times greater than state funding.

For more information about Wyoming Humanities and its grants or sponsorship opportunities, visit https://www.thinkwy.org/grants.