Wyoming Historical Society holds annual trek in Hot Springs County

by Aley Philp

The 70th Annual Trek of the Wyoming Historical Society took place June 20-23 in and around Hot Springs County, Wyoming. Over 150 people from around Wyoming and the United States participated in the event. The three-day event visited historic locations in Thermopolis, at area ranches traveling along the Old Yellowstone Highway, and made the trip out to Anchor Dam, Arapahoe Ranch, Legend Rock Petroglyphs, the ghost-mining towns of Gebo and Crosby and the historic Kirby Jail.

Presentations over the weekend were a downtown walking tour of Historic Thermopolis by Hot Springs County Pioneer Association President Ray Shaffer; "Owen Wister and his ties to Hot Springs County" by Jackie Dorothy; "The Life Lessons of Lester Hunt" by Senator Cale Case; and a special blessing and presentation by members of the Shoshone and Arapahoe Tribes including singing and the prestigious "Hoop Dance."

The event kicked off summer with a reception and live entertainment Thursday night at the infamous Hole in the Wall Bar located in the Hot Springs County Museum and Cultural Center. Part of the Museum's "Outlaw Days," it was hosted by HSCMCC, the Wyoming Historical Society, and the Hot Springs County Historical Society.

On Friday, over 100 people in nearly 40 vehicles traveled south along portions of the Old Yellowstone Highway to visit an historic cabin. The property where the cabin sits, almost exactly on the Bridger Trail, was once part of "The Sheep Queen" Lucy Morrison Moore's and has been part of Philp Sheep Company for more than 80 years.

While there, sitting in what is now lush green grass, nestled between red hills and a strong flowing stream, attendees were told tales of what it was like growing up and working in the area every summer running sheep. Coming up each summer to what was once "just a shack" according to Diana Philp Currah, they would camp out there on that spot. They would get fresh milk from their neighbors, the Picards at the De Ranch, a few miles away, and forage for mushrooms, a rare treat. For several weeks each spring or early summer, a shearing crew and their families comprised of members of the Arapaho tribe would bring tents and stay there as well. The wool was then wagon-driven, or, in later years, hauled by trucks, down to the train station in Lysite.

In 1963, the cabin was built from logs out of the Dubois region. The horse corral was already there, built from railway ties. A saddle shed was added, built by Rob Philp and Grant Shippen, and, in the 1970s, larger pens up the draw were planned over many late nights by lantern-light and built under the direction of Frank Philp and Shippen.

Listening to these stories and others of colorful characters, attendees were treated to some authentic Dutch oven cooking as Rob cooked fried potatoes and onions, Elizabeth Philp and Diana cooked up ham and beans and several delicious desserts from old recipes of their mother's, Ann Good Philp, who attended a cooking school in Edinburgh, Scotland. She came to Wyoming following WWII to marry John Philp.

On Saturday, everyone piled into three school buses and headed to visit Anchor Dam, where John Vietti told the tale of the "dam that won't hold water;" followed by a drive through the Arapahoe Ranch and Hamiliton Dome oil fields to get to Mary Wojciechowski where she enlightened the visitors at Legend Rock Petroglyphs to the importance of the area to the Shoshone and their journey to the healing waters of the mineral hot springs.

Taking the cut off dirt road of Sand Draw, the attendees stopped at the ghost mining town of Gebo, where local author Lea Cavalli Schoenewald told them the unique history of the town which once was the largest in Hot Springs County. Several of the attendees of the Trek were born in Gebo. In their 90's, they came back with their families to pass down stories and visit once more. If you know where to look towards the hills, you can see where the sagebrush doesn't grow was the football field and, on the rocks above, a faint "GHS."

Established in 1907 but never incorporated, there was nothing left of the town by 1971 when the final buildings were bulldozed. What remains is one large fan leading to the coal mines, some cornerstones of houses on "Rock Row," and the cemetery.

Traveling two miles down the road, they visited the historic Kirby Jail, where some rowdy residents of all three of the towns (Gebo, Crosby, and Kirby) might have spent the night after having too good of time in the wilder town of Kirby. Sitting along side the railroad tracks, where Burlington Northern trains still run through, is now home to Wyoming Whiskey and a few residents.

The 70th Annual Trek concluded Saturday night with a dinner in Hot Springs State Park overlooking the terraces and the swinging bridge spanning the river lit beneath a clear night sky.

The Wyoming Historical Society's 71st Annual Trek will be held in Converse County in 2025.