Wednesday, February 01, 2006

Wolcott, Wyoming


Sheep Shearing Shed

As curator of the Wyoming Territorial Prison State Historic Site, I get to see a lot of neat things. Today I went to Wolcott, Wyoming, an old sheep ranch. Now, I don't know much history of the place (yet) but today it is little more than a ghost town. While my boss and three volunteers loaded this HUGH stove from the old kitchen, (it will be restored and go on display in the prison's kitchen) I explored the rest of the buildings.

Bunk house, blacksmith shop, barn, sheep shearing shed, etc (the old saloon was locked up tight). I believe the shed is the last of its kind in Wyoming. In fact, if it isn't on the historic register, it will be soon. This legislative session, a senator from our region is proposing a bill that would fund a relocation study to see if it is even possible to move the shed from its current location to our historic site. Now, most historians know, after you move a building from its original location, it looses much of its historic value. But in this case, even the State Preservation Office is in favor of the move. If we get it, it will be restored. If it stays where it is, it will continue to decay. For now, it is a great place to take pictures and explore (with the owners permission of course).

Snow coming thru the cracks of the sheep shearing shed.

Time & old age (what we don't want to happen to the sheep shed).

Weathered Details

Interior of the Sheep Shearing Shed

Inside the sheep shearing shed, there are these very large windows in the ceiling. When the ranch hands sheared the sheep (removed the wool), it would get very warm inside the building (greenhouse effect). The "shades" were adjusted to cover the windows and alleviate some of the heat. Otherwise, they were tied to the side to let more light/heat in when needed. (Probably to keep the sheep warm after they were shaved).

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