American Heritage Center

🎃👻 Happy Halloween from all of us at the American Heritage Center! May your day be filled with more treats than tricks and maybe a little spooky history, too. 🕯️📜

Written on an included slip of paper: "The PTA organization at home of Mrs. Leslie John, Rock River, 1921. This was well attended and the beginning of a fine organization in this community." UW, American Heritage Center, Leslie C. John Photographs, Accession Number 00032, Box 1

After Psycho: Dive into the thrilling 1960s world of Robert Bloch, the mind behind one of horror’s most iconic stories. Discover his prolific decade of novels, short stories, and screenplays in our latest blog post. 🔪📚 Read more ➡️ using the link in our bio!

From dusty trails to paved highways, discover how the Good Roads Movement transformed Wyoming’s landscape & connected communities during the Progressive Era. Read more using the link in our bio!

Postcard with an image of a large group of men posing for a photo in front of some train cars; mountains are in the background. University of Wyoming, American Heritage Center, Railroad Picture Postcards, Accession Number 03685, Envelope 1, Folder 1.

📚 Wyoming | The Literary Frontier premieres Oct 22 at 8pm ET | 6pm MT on @PBSBooks! Explore Wyoming’s literary legacy—from The Virginian to Longmire. Featuring Craig Johnson, C.J. Box & more!

The American Heritage Center serves as the University of Wyoming’s archives and a steward of cultural heritage at local, state, national, and international levels. Through preservation, accessibility, and education, we support research and enrich learning across disciplines.

"Mountain scenes with different vehicles", University of Wyoming, American Heritage Center, Hugo G. Janssen Photographs, Accession Number 11712, Box 1, Folder 41.

From rutted trails to smooth highways, Wyoming’s Good Roads Movement paved the way for progress. Read how early reformers brought better roads to the West in our new blog post!

Postcard with image of a man walking across some railroad tracks, across a large plain. "No. 7 'Westward, the Monarch of Capital Makes its Way.' This was the title John Carbutt gave to his view of the end of the rails, with a figure looking ahead. (Courtesy NY Historical Society)

We work hard to preserve our collection of historical documents. If you have AHC materials that you would like to peruse, you can fill out our Digital and Photographic Reproduction Request to get digital scans sent right to you! Visit our website to learn more!

The AHC Collection of the month is the Railroad Picture Postcards Collection! Consists of postcards of the construction of the railroad by the Union Pacific & Central Pacific Railroads, sleeping cars & other railroad scenes. Use the link in our bio to visit the collection!

In 2022, high schoolers from across the country joined UW student leaders & members of the Black 14 for the Black 14 Social Justice Summer Institute. They examined what happened in October 1969 and the legacy that continues today. View the exhibit on Virmuze!

Oil painting by Frederic Remington titled: Arizona Territory 1888, undated. University of Wyoming, American Heritage Center, George A. Rentschler Collection, Accession Number 06462.

In Hollywood’s golden age, Fay and Michael Kanin weren’t just writing scripts, they were writing history. From Broadway stages to Academy films, this husband-and-wife team brought wit, heart, and humanity to the stories that defined an era. Read using the link in bio!

Oil painting by Henry Farny titled, "Wood, Water, and Grass." University of Wyoming, American Heritage Center, George A. Rentschler Collection, Accession Number 06462.

From empty lobbies to outdoor graduations, Mullen’s fellowship captured the unexpected story of COVID in the Yellowstone Area. Thanks to partnerships between COJO & AHC, student photojournalism like this will continue to be preserved. Read the blog by using the link in our bio!

The wait is almost over! 🚂✨ Just 2 days until the opening reception for The West is Waiting: An Exploration of Railroad Advertising at the American Heritage Center. Join us Wednesday, Sept. 24 from 5–7 p.m. for an evening of history, stories, and light refreshments.

Oil painting by Henry Farny titled, "Conspiracy.", University of Wyoming, American Heritage Center, George A. Rentschler Collection, Accession Number 06462.

Step aboard history 🚂✨ The West is Waiting: An Exploration of Railroad Advertising opens Sept. 24 at the AHC. Explore how railroads sold the dream of the West—and shaped the lives of those who lived it. Free & open to all!