History & Photos

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" height=90 BGCOLOR="#6666CC" TEXT="#080000" background="c1701573.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" ><B>Welcome to BAGGS, WYOMING and the Little Snake River Valley</B></FONT><B>    </B><B> |     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Welcome to BAGGS, WYOMING and the Little"><B>home</B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id2.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="About Us">About Us</A>   |   <A HREF="id5.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Local Business">Local Business</A>   |   <A HREF="id6.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Calendar of Events">Calendar of Events</A>   |   <A HREF="id70.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" DOWNLOAD FORMS"> DOWNLOAD FORMS</A>   |   <A HREF="id51.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="SeniorsMenuCar">Seniors-Menu-Car</A>   |   <A HREF="id71.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Births"> Births</A>   |   <A HREF="id72.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Obituaries">Obituaries</A>   |   <A HREF="id80.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="SCHOOL">SCHOOL</A>   |   <A HREF="id90.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Museum">Museum</A>   |   <A HREF="id84.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Wild Bunch/Wagon Train">Wild Bunch/Wagon Train</A>   |   <A HREF="id42.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Pictures">Pictures</A>   |   <B>History & Photos</B>   |   <A HREF="even_more_memories.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="History continued">History continued</A>   |   <A HREF="dixon__and_cccog_info.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="DIXON and CCCOG INFO">DIXON  and CCCOG INFO</A>   |   <A HREF="id7.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="BAGGS INFO">BAGGS INFO</A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=390 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <bR> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="1439" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 249 WIDTH="509"><div> <IMG SRC="c5090a10.png" border=0 width="400" height="161" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> This picture of a freight wagon in front of the old Bank Building was submitted by Davene Lau.</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <B><IMG SRC="f6d95bb0.jpg" border=0 width="405" height="187" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#990000" FACE="Arial" ><B> </B></FONT></div> <bR> <div> <B>Old Main Street in Baggs</B></div> <bR> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="501"><div> <IMG SRC="c5cf4800.jpg" border=0 width="500" height="128" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> This picture of the Dixon school and Church was probably taken in the late 1930's.  It appears that the backstop for the ball games is at the left.</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 687 WIDTH="509"><div> What year was this?  Probably the turn of the century (per Arven Lowe)<IMG SRC="c60e2310.jpg" border=0 width="482" height="305" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <IMG SRC="c5ef4fe0.jpg" border=0 width="500" height="254" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> his picture was taken in 1969 before the road was changed.  It was a bar at one time.  The left half was in Wyoming and the right part in Colorado -- Slater area (near the old Kelly place).</div> <bR> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="413"><div> The pipe in this picture was the first water system. It was wood stave pipe wrapped with heavy gage wire. It is in the same location, and on the same side of the street as the present water system. The old system had a large wooden overhead tank located near the river bridge north of town.  <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" >per email from Arven Lowe</FONT></div> <div> <I><B>"the one with the pipe I would not think it is sewer as in 1949/50 and maybe as late as 1953 we had out door restroom facilities at the school. I don't think they were connected to sewer! I remember the out houses, boys on one side and girls on the other. I really don't think they had water in them. We didn't get flush bathrooms at school until about 1953 when I would have been in grade 5 "  </B></I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><I><B>Per email from Linda Fleming</B></I></FONT></div> <bR> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="c5790a90.png" border=0 width="400" height="681" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 329 ><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="c5fee3b0.jpg" border=0 width="494" height="315" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="413"><bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> This picture of Baggs appears to be about the same time period as the picture above.  Note the old hotel, the school in the right background.  Let us know if you have any information.</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="c5495300.jpg" border=0 width="405" height="304" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Artist drawing of Baggs as a military post.</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 384 ><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="c5344040.jpg" border=0 width="324" height="260" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> This picture came from Jackson Co Historical Society.</div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="c59467a0.jpg" border=0 width="326" height="378" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="501"><div> Old Episcopal Church in Baggs.  The church was completed about 1903.  The brick steeple began to lean away from the church and was replaced,  <A NAME="a_little_bit_of_the_l_s_r__valley_"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></div> <bR> <div> A LITTLE BIT OF THE L.S.R. VALLEY </div> <div>     </div> <div>      In "about" 1903, Mr. Gilpin, who was a brick maker by trade, came to the valley. Mr. Gilpin made the bricks that were laid by Mr. Mathews, and the history of the St. Luke's church in Baggs began. Mr. Tom Vernon did the beautiful timberwork in the ceiling of the church. Mr. Peter .Jons helped in the hauling of the pews that were brought down to Baggs from Wamsutter by freight wagon. The land that the church sits on, was given by Mr . & Mrs. Magor . </div> <div>   The church was 100 years old 2003 and has been restored by the Valley Artisians for a valley community center. </div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> By: Mrs. Peggy Gourlay  </div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 838 WIDTH="509"><bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="c55f0860.jpg" border=0 width="496" height="646" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> Descriptions & identification of these buildings-------------------------></div> <div> received from Arven Lowe</div> <bR> <div> Agnes Stocks said she was 12 years old when the Harris house was moved from Dixon to Ralwins.  They had to cut the house in half to get it down the road and take the back road because it would ot fit under the two old bridge spans going the other way.</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="413"><div> From left to right <B><U>(#1)</U></B> I believe this was the “Harris Mercantile Building” at Dixon.  later it was Danford's Garage. Harris Mercantile sold everything from groceries to dry goods and more. Their old delivery truck with the name “Harris Mercantile” painted on the doors is in the Museum at Savery, donated by Don and Gertrude Harold of Saratoga, Wyoming. After Mr. Harris died in the late 1930's, the business was closed, and the inventory sold at auction. Mrs. Harris had their house moved to Rawlins, Wyoming. It was said, “the movers did such a good job, moving the home, that they didn't even crack the plaster.” George Evans said he went to the auction when Harris sold out. The Auctioneer said “What can I sell you?” George said “Well (George would always say “Well” then he would tell you what he was going to say) I've got a lot of kids, and I was looking at those shoes, but they all look too big for my kids.” The Auctioneer said, “The only place you want shoes to touch, is, on the bottom!”  So George bought several pairs, for $1.00 each, and the kids wore them, even though they didn't fit all that well. One day John (one of the sons) was out mowing hay, with an old horse drawn mowing machine, when the sickle got plugged up, so John stopped and got front of the cutter-bar, and was trying to remove the obstruction when the   horses started up unexpectedly, the toe of John's shoe got caught in the cutter-bar. They said, “If it hadn't been for that long shoe, his foot might have been badly injured!”   <B>(</B><B><U>#2) ?  (#3)</U></B> Old street seen at Baggs about 1900. <B><U>(#4)</U></B> A horse drawn Stage Coach. Wedemeyers, ran the last horse drawn Stage Coach and Mail between Baggs and Wamsutter Wyoming. They also had a store in town, plus they owned the Ronald Lowe ranch near Baggs. <B><U>(#5)</U></B> The Old Baggs Town Hall, Fire Hall, and Jail.  <B><U>(#6)</U></B> The Old Barnhisel Store with attached home. <B><U>(#7)</U></B> Street seen showing the Log Cabin Bar when it was still in operation.  <B><U>(#8)</U></B> Inn Hotel at Baggs. </div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="501"><div> WHO WERE THE MEN?  (WHO BUILT THE CHURCH)</div> <div>      The man who's hands "burned" the bricks to build the St. Luke's Episcopal Church, was Mr. William Elias Gilpin. He moved his family to the valley in "about" the early 1890'5. Father of Ivy Pearl Gilpin-Mathews-Gaddis, and Grandfather to Lee Gilpin, who was a janitor for the school. I was also told that he "burned" the bricks of several houses in the valley. </div> <div>      Mr. James Francis Mathews was the man who laid the bricks of the church. He leased a ranch from Addie Corson, he worked a coal mine out on the Muddy and sheared sheep in the spring. Mr. Mathews married Ivy Peal Gilpin in 1904. Mr. Mathews loved to hunt. In 1930, while out on a hunting trip with some friends and a son-in-Iaw, he died of a heart attack. </div> <div>      Mr. Thomas "Tom" Brown Vernon came to Baggs "when there wasn't much but outlaws and sheepherders". He was a good carpenter and could be seen almost any day, tearing down or building up something in Baggs. He also loved to play the violin. He claimed he owned a 400 year old violin. It was made during the time violins were still being experimented on, even before Stradivarius started making his famous violins. He also had a violin made by a Colorado man in 1895, of timberline pine. He donated it to the Carbon County museum, in perfect condition in 1959. He was also the mayor of Baggs for several years and planned to live to be 100 .He died in 1966--12 years short of being 100. He left to his nephew, Clinton Vernon, a good share of his property in Baggs. </div> <div>      I have obtained my information from Mrs. Connie Spicer, which I greatly appreciate. Thank you, Connie! Also from the Pen of Helen Morgan, "Snake River Profiles". GREAT WORKS!  </div> <div> Mrs. Peggy Gourlay</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 635 ><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="c56f0750.jpg" border=0 width="496" height="629" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="413"><div> <B><U>(#9)</U></B> Franklin Livery Stable at Baggs. <B><U>(#10)</U></B> Dixon School. <B><U>(#11)</U></B> The Old Standard Service Station, at Baggs. In the mid 1940's they sold 17 cent gasoline. <B><U>(#12)</U></B> Baggs School, (grades 1 - 12). This picture was taken about 1932 shortly after the new Gymnasium was built and before the Sinclair Service Station was  built, (notice that corner lot in the foreground is still vacant.) <B><U>(#13)</U></B> Parts of Dixon.  <B><U>(#14)</U></B> <B>?</B> <B><U>(#15)</U></B> Street seen at Baggs, showing the old Garage Building Tom Vernon built, but never finished. (built about 1945 or 1946)  <B><U>(#16)</U></B> Barnhisel Garage, with the attached house. During the early 1940's Bill Terrell lived there, when Bill owned the Bank Club Bar, and also ran the John Deere Implement Agency out of the Garage. About 1946 Bill sold the John Deere Agency to Earl Behler. Earl moved the agency one block north on the same street. During the 1950's Bill Terrell was Sheriff of Moffat County, at Craig, Colorado. At the same time his brother John Terrell was Sheriff of Carbon County, Wyoming at Rawlins.  <B><U>(#17)</U></B> Savery Store, the Post Office was also in this building when Andy Pearson and his wife owned it in the 1950's and 1960's. (They also sold gasoline) (information from: Arven Lowe)</div> <bR> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="501"><div> <IMG SRC="c5af4280.jpg" border=0 width="500" height="296" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> RANCH POLO 1928</div> <div> PICTURE SUBMITTED BY WINSTON BOYER, JR. </div> <div> Picture shows Winson Boyer, Sr. (Wince) in the big cowboy hat.  His dad Boyer on the right and Levi Strauss is the guest. </div> <bR> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>