What is the Western History Center?
 The Casper College Western History Center, founded in 1964, is a collection of materials on Wyoming and the West, with emphasis on the history of Central Wyoming.

Types of Material in the Collections

• Books
• Maps
• Photographs
• Newspaper Clippings
• Journals/Newspapers
• Manuscripts
• Typescripts
• Diaries
• Letters
• Archival Materials
• Oral Histories
• Blueprints or Architectural Drawings
• Scrapbooks
• and more

Some of the subject areas included in this collection are:

• Journeys on the Mormon, Oregon, Overland, California, Pony Express, Bozeman, and Bridger Trails in Wyoming
• Lewis and Clark Expedition
• Cattle drives affecting Wyoming
• History of cattle and sheep industries in Wyoming
• History of the petroleum and mining industries in Wyoming
• Explorers, fur traders, mountain men who traversed Wyoming
• Artists and photographers whose works reflect life in Wyoming
• Indian wars in Wyoming and the adjoining states
• Indians who roamed Wyoming --- Arapaho, Assiniboin, Atsian (Gros Ventre), Arikara, Bannock, Cheyenne, Crow, Dakota (Sioux including Brule, Ogalala, Teton), Hidatsa, Kalispel, Kutanai, Mandan, Nez Perce, Salish (Flathead), Shoshoni, Siksika (Blackfeet, Blood, Piegan), Ute, Pawnee (if on the Oregon Trail) and prehistoric Indians of the area, i.e., Sheepeaters
• Ethnic groups in Wyoming
• Outlaws and lawmen of Wyoming
• Military posts and ghost towns in Wyoming
• Archaeology and anthropology in Wyoming

What kinds of materials are included?

Books and Periodicals
There are approximately 8,000 volumes in the Western History Center. Most of these volumes are cataloged in WYLDCat, the statewide database.

The Western History Center also houses several periodical titles. The table of contents for many of these titles is available in a searchable database located in the Center.

• Connect to the WYLDCat (coming soon)

Maps
There are almost 250 maps in the Western History Center, including plat maps and Sanborn Insurance maps for the City of Casper dating back to 1898. Many of these can be located utilizing the WYLDCat system.

• Connect to the WYLDCat (coming soon)

Photographs
There are over half a million (500,000+) individual images available in the photograph collection. Most of these images have been indexed in local databases, available for searching in the Western History Center office. The Casper Star-Tribune, the Casper Journal, the Casper Area Chamber of Commerce, the Casper College, Frances Seely Webb Collection and the Chuck Morrison Collection contain the largest number of images. Prints may be viewed in the Western History Center during regular hours, or by appointment. In most cases copies may be obtained for under $10.

• Click to visit our Photograph Gallery.

Archival Materials
Archival materials can include manuscripts, typescripts, diaries, letters and other original materials. The David Collection and the Mokler Collection are both noteworthy for their size and quality.

The archival collection at the Western History Center is comprised of nearly 350 linear feet of material. Databases provide access to much of this material and can be searched in the Center during regular hours.

Western Vertical File
This is a file of materials from newspapers published in Wyoming arranged by subject. Although some contemporary material has been collected, the emphasis is on items of historical interest.

• Western Vertical File Subject Headings (Alphabetical Listing)

Cemetery Records and Obituary Database
The Natrona County Genealogical Society has provided the Western History Center with a copy of the database they used when preparing the three-volume Natrona County, Wyoming, Cemetary Records. This database also incudes an index of obituaries. This database is available in the Western History Center during regular hours.

Casper College Western History Center

About the Center

Center Usage Information

Use Agreements

Photograph Gallery

Gifts and/or Donations

25th Annual Women's History/Western History Celebration

Contact:
Kevin Anderson
Archivist
Casper College
125 College Drive, LI 203
307-268-2680
kevinand@caspercollege.edu

The Center is housed in the Goodstein Foundation Library at Casper College.

Department Hours:
Monday—Wednesday 8 a.m.—6 p.m.
Thursday 8 a.m.—4 p.m.

Appointments available for scholarly research.