A blog dedicated to those necessary and anticipated features of travel in the West. . . the highway rest stop.
Thursday, November 18, 2021
Thursday, May 6, 2021
Reopening of the Rest Stops
Governor Gordon Authorizes Funding to Temporarily Reopen 9 Rest
Areas for the Summer Travel Season
CHEYENNE, Wyo. – Governor Mark Gordon has
directed the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) and Wyoming Office of
Tourism (WOT) to partner to temporarily reopen and operate nine previously
closed rest areas for at least the duration of the 2021 tourist season.
“With the summer season just around the corner, I’m glad we will
be able to reopen these facilities to travelers,” Governor Gordon said. “We are
glad to have this chance to find a temporary solution.”
WYDOT and WOT along with the Governor's office will work together
to secure a temporary federal funding source to allow the nine rest areas
throughout the state to reopen.
"WYDOT is extremely grateful to Governor Gordon and Director
Shober for identifying new federal funds to temporarily reopen our rest areas
for the tourist season," said WYDOT Director K. Luke Reiner.
Officials closed the rest areas in June 2020 as a cost-savings
measure due to budgetary shortfalls.
The nine rest areas include:
- Lusk on US 18
- Guernsey on US 26
- Greybull on US 16
- Moorcroft on I-90
- Star Valley on US 89
- Sundance on I-25
- Upton on US 16
- Orin Jct on I-25
- Chugwater on I-25
“Each of these nine rest areas are a valuable tourism tool, said
Diane Shober, executive director of the Wyoming Office of Tourism. “Certainly,
a clean facility is important to the visitor experience, but it is also a
powerful marketing platform to distribute travel guides and other trip-planning
resources. As travelers are stretching their legs, they are also gathering
information on local events, attractions, restaurants, campgrounds and lodging,
which all can lead to extended stays and increase visitor spending.”
The rest areas should reopen ahead of Memorial Day weekend.
-END-
Saturday, June 13, 2020
Some Gave All: Henry B. Joy Memorial, Interstate 80, Albany Count...
Purple Heart Trail Memorial, Interstate 80, Albany County, Wyoming.
Henry B. Joy Memorial, Interstate 80, Albany County Wyoming.
While this blog started out with war memorials, it's covered quite a few trail markers over the years, and indeed I will now be adding that as a category here, meaning I have to go back and edit quite a few old posts. This marker, however, is only the second one I've posted on any of my blogs to highways, the other being the Black and Yellow Road near Gillette.
Some Gave All: Sweetwater Station, Freemont County Wyoming.
Sweetwater Station, Freemont County Wyoming.
There's a highway rest station on top of Beaver Rim at Sweetwater Station that I've stopped in a million times, but I've never photographed it before. Probably because there's always been a lot of people there and I felt self conscious about it. Anyhow, the other day I went through and it was just me, so I took these photos with my Iphone.
The photos here will be left large so that the details on the signs can be read. I didn't do a very good job of photographing them while there, but it was relatively early in the day and light conditions were not idea.
This is a converging location on the trail and a lot of different things are significant about the spot. It's a significant Oregon Trial spot in and of itself. It was also the location of an Army post, protecting the trail, during the 1860s. Lt. Caspar Collins, who lost his life famously leading a mixed company at the Battle of Platte Bridge Station, was stationed at Sweetwater Station.
Some Gave All: Monument to Wyoming Highway Patrolman Chris Logsdo...
Sunday, August 27, 2017
The Sundance, Wyoming Rest Stop Memorials.
I have to wonder, however, in terms of the history if this expedition changed history the way it is recalled. The Black Hills always seem to be an attractant. They attracted the Sioux who took them (in living memory in 1874) from the Crows and it seems highly likely that they would would have attracted European Americans as well. Certainly they continued to even after the hopes of gold seekers were dashed.
Tuesday, August 2, 2016
Is this spot too busy?
It has, of course, the Lincoln Memorial:
Abraham Lincoln Memorial, Interstate 80, Wyoming
It also has the Henry B. Joy Lincoln Highway Memorial:This is the very large bronze of Abraham Lincoln located on Interstate 80 just east of Laramie, Wyoming. Interstate 80 is located on what was once the Lincoln Highway, hence explaining the very large bronze, which is otherwise somewhat unusual for a Wyoming monument.
Henry B. Joy Memorial, Interstate 80, Albany County Wyoming.And it has been designated the Purple Heart Trail:This is a monument to one of the founders of the Lincoln Highway, located along its successor, Interstate 80. The art deco memorial was created in 1938, the "L" cement markers are markers for the Lincoln Highway that can be found here and there along its route.
While this blog started out with war memorials, it's covered quite a few trail markers over the years, and indeed I will now be adding that as a category here, meaning I have to go back and edit quite a few old posts. This marker, however, is only the second one I've posted on any of my blogs to highways, the other being the Black and Yellow Road near Gillette.This marker is quite elaborate and very nice, being both a suitable marker for the Lincoln Highway and a nice example of an art deco piece of art.Wyoming has also commemorated the highway, the noted individual, and the marker, with its own highway sign.All of this is located at the same rest stop on Albany County that the Lincoln Memorial is located at. Of note, this marker was moved from its original location, which might have been one that was preferred by the individual commemorated by the marker.
Purple Heart Trail Memorial, Interstate 80, Albany County, Wyoming.And it also features a marker honoring ranching in Albany and Laramie Counties:This monument is placed at the same rest stop that the Lincoln Memorial and the Lincoln Highway Memorial featured below are located. It's obviously in honor of those who have been wounded in action, and therefore eligible to receive the Purple Heart.
"Ranching from the high point" marker, Albany County, Wyoming.Does this seem like a bit much?This is a marker dedicated to agriculture in Albany and Laramie Counties, Wyoming. It's located at the same rest stop that features the Lincoln Memorial, the Purple Heart Trail marker, and the Henry Bourne Joy marker.The final paragraph of this marker is quite true and highly significant. In this region of the country, environmentalist like to take pot shots at ranchers all the time, but if they weren't here, the wild spaces wouldn't be here either.
Thursday, June 6, 2019
Lex Anteinternet: Blog Mirror: Today In Wyoming's History: June 6, 1944. Operation Overlord
Blog Mirror: Today In Wyoming's History: June 6, 1944. Operation Overlord
While the rest of the history minded world has been focusing on 1944 this week, we as usual have been focusing on 1919.
But the focus on 1944 is well placed. Today is the 75th Anniversary of Operation Overlord, the invasion of Normandy. Or "D-Day" as its sometimes commonly referred to.
We noted it on our companion blog Today In Wyoming's History quite awhile back, even though its not really a Wyoming historical item. We've posted that item below.
Operation Overlord is truly remarkable. It was the largest seaborne landing ever attempted and is likely to remain so for all time. The number of ships involved was so large its not really known and never will be. It also featured a massive airborne phase.
Contrary to the way its sometimes slightly portrayed, it wasn't a "return" of the Western Allies to Europe. The Western Allies had done that when they'd landed in Sicily on July 10, 1943.The fact that the Germans had been unable to push the Allies off Sicily made it clear how the rest of the war would go to some degree, even if a lot of hard fighting lay ahead. That was further emphasized that following September when the Allies landed on the Italian mainland.
But those operations didn't compare in scope or size to the landings in France on this day seventy five years ago. Landing in France, in a war that was as mobile as World War Two was, was a game changer. A straight path lay ahead towards Germany and the end of the war with the only question being how long it would take. Germany could not push the Allies out of Italy, but invading the German homeland from Italy was basically impossible. Things were completely different in regard to France. Following this day a relentless Allied advance from two sides, with occasional set backs, defined the character of the war against Germany.
This blog has of course tended to focus on an earlier era, although it strays occasionally. Given that, it's hard not for us to comment that with lots of posts on the course of World War One and the progress in Paris towards a treaty, June 6, 1944 seems remarkably close in time to June 6, 1919. And it is. Only twenty five years separate the two. World War Two was truly close the World War One.
Technology had certainly advanced between the two and even though there many World War One weapons in use in World War Two, the mobile character of the war, brought about by mechanization, was remarkably different. World War Two remains a war of our own era in a way that World War One doesn't quite. It's still with us.
Less with us are the veterans who fought the war. With it being seventy five years in the past, no wonder. Here too we pause. When we first posted this item on Today In Wyoming's History there were quite a few World War Two veterans left alive. There still are by that's changing daily. When we started posting on this blog, there were living World War One veterans. Now there are none.
June 6
1944 Allied forces land in Normandy, in an event remembered as "D-Day", although that term actually refers to the day on which any major operation commences. This is not, of course, a Wyoming event, but at least in my youth I knew more than one Wyoming native who had participated in it. Later, I had a junior high teacher whose first husband had died in it. A law school colleague of mine had a father who was a paratrooper in it. And at least one well known Wyoming political figure, Teno Roncolio, participated in it. From the prospective of the Western Allies, it might be the single most significant single day of the campaign in Europe.
Friday, September 16, 2016
Mormon Pioneer Memorial, Lyman Wyoming.
This is a Mormon Pioneer Memorial at the rest stop in Lyman, Wyoming. It was obviously originally a private memorial and was likely moved to its current location after the rest stop was built and Interstate 80 altered the original path of the Lincoln Highway.
Wednesday, February 27, 2019
Lex Anteinternet: More bills becoming law. 2019 Wyoming Legislature. Medal of Honor Cities.
More bills becoming law. 2019 Wyoming Legislature.
A formal bill signing has been requested for the following bills: | ||
Bill No. | Enrolled Act # | Bill Title |
SF0109 | SEA No. 0061 | Educational attainment executive council. |
SF0115 | SEA No. 0064 | Order of protection-tolling during imprisonment. |
SF0040 | SEA No. 0065 | Operation of motorboat while intoxicated. |
HB0130 | HEA No. 0095 | Wyoming Cowboy and Cowgirl Legacy Week. |
HB0204 | HEA No. 0096 | Common college transcript-implementation. |
HB0297 | HEA No. 0098 | K-3 reading assessment and intervention program. |
HB0082 | HEA No. 0104 | Veterans' skilled nursing facility. |
HB0180 | HEA No. 0106 | Mixed martial arts regulation. |
HB0212 | HEA No. 0107 | Alcoholic beverages-business flexibility. |
HJ0010 | HEJR No. 0003 | Medal of Honor cities. |
The governor will act upon these bills: | ||
Bill No. | Enrolled Act # | Bill Title |
SF0099 | SEA No. 0057 | Voting systems and ballots. |
SF0067 | SEA No. 0058 | Hospital cost study. |
SF0088 | SEA No. 0059 | Firemen's retirement fund plan b-contribution. |
SF0107 | SEA No. 0060 | Pari-mutuel fee distribution-state fair account. |
SF0120 | SEA No. 0062 | Student expulsion hearing requirements. |
SF0142 | SEA No. 0063 | County regulation of livestock grazing. |
SF0047 | SEA No. 0066 | Controlled substances education and administration. |
SF0046 | SEA No. 0068 | Opioid prescription limits. |
HB0143 | HEA No. 0097 | Presentence investigation reports-judicial discretion. |
HB0020 | HEA No. 0099 | Program evaluation standards. |
HB0062 | HEA No. 0100 | Wyoming Utility Token Act-property amendments. |
HB0029 | HEA No. 0101 | Unclaimed life insurance benefits. |
HB0113 | HEA No. 0102 | Special electric utility agreements. |
HB0125 | HEA No. 0103 | District court filing fees. |
HB0243 | HEA No. 0108 | Driver's licenses. |
A really interesting one in this set is the one that designates certain towns and cities as Medal of Honor cities. It's set out below:
Speaker of the House | President of the Senate |
Governor | ||
TIME APPROVED: _________ | ||
DATE APPROVED: _________ |
Chief Clerk |
It's a neat idea, but it contains an error. Little Powder River isn't an incorporated municipality. It used to be, but ceased to be quite some time ago.
I'm amazed that there's seventeen Wyomingites associated with the Medal of Honor, but then this notes that it does go back to the Civil War. At one time the Medal of Honor was the only medal issued by the United States military, and even civilians were eligible early on in some military circumstances. Peace time awards were in fact common early on, and were particular common in the Navy, where more than one sailor lost his life trying to save drowning individuals.
Well, it's a neat idea.
Thursday, November 8, 2018
Monument to Wyoming Highway Patrolman Chris Logsdon, near Wheatland Wyoming.
This memorial at the Rest Stop at the intersection of the state highway to Wheatland and Interstate 25 is the second monument to Wyoming Highway Patrolman Chris Logsdon. A second one off of I25 is nearby, but isn't really safely accessible to the public.
I somehow managed to miss this one even though I've stopped here many times. It may be a more recent addition commemorating this Troopers tragic loss.
State of Wyoming Rest Stop, Diversion Dam Rest Area.
This much welcome and nicely maintained rest area is between Riverton and Dubois. It's large, in addition to having the regular WYDOT a...
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These are the facilities at Walker Jenkins Lake, a fishing hole that was, originally, an open pit Uranium Mine. We'll let you ponder tha...
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One of the nicest of the WTDOT rest stops, it has a great geologic and archeological display inside, and attendants who have tourist informa...
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I should really have started this blog with this entry, as more than any other Wyoming rest stop, it's the one I've stopped at the m...