McMichael enjoys life in Thermopolis

Among the residents at The Pioneer Home is Elsie McMichael.

Now 90 years old, McMichael came from a family of 15 and was born in McLaughlin, S.D. Though her mother passed away when she was just a baby, her sister-in-law took her in and raised her in Isabel, S.D.

McMichael attended school for eight years in the small community, then had a bit of high school before she quit. She worked a bit in Isabel, doing a bit of farming, but noted the "time were rough."

1970 saw McMichael's coming to Thermopolis, where she met a man - later her husband - who worked in an oil field and also did some farming. Her husband later passed away and she remarried, though her second husband also passed.

Over the years, she has also said goodbye to all her brothers and one sister.

There were good times and bad times, she said, recalling her years, noting in particular she spent a lot of time going to barn dances as she didn't have a lot of money to go running around.

A resident of The Pioneer Home for four years, listening to McMichael recount her work history in town sheds some light on the Thermopolis business community of the past. She worked at The Manhattan Café at 526 Broadway, and later at the same location when it became the B & B Café. She also taught quite a bit and worked at the Wyoming Boys' School, and worked a bar that used to be across the street from the post office.

Taking it easy now following, McMichael said she likes Thermopolis as a whole. Though things have changed a lot in town, she said, "I wouldn't want to live anywhere else."