Even in its early days, the University of Wyoming offered a practical education. Here, Professor Gilkenson oversees students in the University’s iron foundry. Ironworkers were highly valued in a railroad town like Laramie. In time, the University of Wyoming also became known for its geological work and curriculum. Geology professor Wilbur Knight noted, “The hills surrounding us are … Continue reading The Iron Foundry
» READ MOREThe Morrill Act of 1862 offered 30,000 acres of Federal Land per each representative of the state to establish a Public University. The purpose of the land-grant colleges was: “without excluding other scientific and classical studies and including military tactic, to teach such branches of learning as are related to agriculture and the mechanic arts, … Continue reading University of Wyoming History
» READ MOREThe building known as “the world’s oldest cabin” is a structure made of fossilized dinosaur bones just east of Medicine Bow, Wyoming. Thomas Boylan, an owner of a local service stop, assembled the cabin in the early 1930s from bones he had collected while working for various sheep operations in Wyoming some years earlier. His … Continue reading The Builder of the “World’s Oldest Cabin”
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Dr. Wilbur Knight is one of the primary reasons that the University of Wyoming’s Geological Museum has long enjoyed its top-notch reputation. Knight served as the assistant territorial geologist of Wyoming from 1886-1887 and was appointed state geologist in 1898. He joined University of Wyoming’s faculty in 1893, and became the curator of the Geological Museum … Continue reading University of Wyoming Geological Museum
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The aerial view of the University of Wyoming campus in this photograph shows how the city of Laramie was expanding to the east, bordering university property at 9th Street. The Green Hill Cemetery is at the top left of the picture. Corbett Field can be spotted at the top right, next to Half Acre gym. … Continue reading Aerial View of the University of Wyoming Campus
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In 1999, the University of Wyoming considered closing its physics and astronomy department citing a decline in the number of physics and astronomy majors. If they had done so, UW would have been the only state university without such a program. Not only did the University of Wyoming avoid closing the physics and astronomy program, but it … Continue reading The Physics Lab
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Grace Raymond Hebard may not have been the first woman in Wyoming to break the “glass ceiling,” but her achievements were nevertheless remarkable! Not only was Hebard the first woman admitted to the Wyoming State Bar in 1898, plus the first woman to practice law before the Wyoming Supreme Court, she was also an engineer, suffragist, … Continue reading Grace Raymond Hebard
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Dr. Wilbur Knight served as the assistant territorial geologist of Wyoming (1886-87) and was appointed state geologist in 1898. He joined the University of Wyoming faculty in 1893, and in addition to his instructional responsibilities, served as curator of the Geological Museum. Knight led many expeditions into the Wyoming heartland, famous for being one of … Continue reading Dr. Wilbur Knight
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A course in assaying — the process for determining the amount of a certain metal contained in an ore or alloy — was one of University of Wyoming’s School of Mines’ early offerings taught by Professor Wilbur C. Wright. For a number of years, assaying was provided to the citizens of Wyoming for as little … Continue reading Assaying Class
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Aven Nelson was one of the original founding faculty members of the University of Wyoming. Nelson came to the university in 1887, the year it was founded. He served UW for 55 years before retiring in 1942. Nelson was the University of Wyoming’s first professor of botany, as well as the university’s 10th President. In … Continue reading Aven Nelson Leading Students to Centennial, WY
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