CASPER, Wyo: The National Historic Trails Interpretive Center (NHTIC) will offer a temporary exhibit looking back at Wyoming's territorial designation and growth toward becoming the 44th state.
"Railroad Territory" will be available during normal business hours from July 1 through July 28. This exhibit’s goal is to connect participants with public lands, and in turn with America’s natural and cultural heritage.
This free exhibit features historic maps and long-forgotten railroad photographs to remind viewers that construction of the Union Pacific portion of the transcontinental railroad was only the beginning for Wyoming's development.
"Wyoming's potential as a state was unlocked by railroads," said NHTIC Director Chris Wilkinson. "Natural resource development and reclamation were running at full throttle during the late nineteenth century in the Rocky Mountain west. Only railroads could ensure Wyoming's place in the nation's economic growth."
Admission is free and open to the public during regular business hours, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday throughSunday.
For more information, please contact the NHTIC (307) 261-7780.
The NHTIC is a public-private partnership between the BLM and the National Historic Trails Center Foundation. The facility is located at 1501 N. Poplar Street, Casper, Wyoming.
As we approach the 50th anniversary of the National Trails System Act, there are 30 congressionally designated National Scenic and Historic Trails in the National Trails System. National Historic Trails are extended trails that closely follow a historic trail or route of travel that is of national significance. The BLM now protects nearly 6,000 miles of 18 designated trails in 15 States, and the BLM also manages thousands of miles of trails under study for potential designation.
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management
