Standard Oil Refinery Building, Casper Wyoming

Headquarters for the former Standard Oil Refinery in Casper Wyoming.  This building, with additional new construction is now a branch of branch of tbe University of Wyoming's Wyoming Technology Business Center.

Every once in awhile I'll have some of these photos, taken for one of my blogs, that I end up not being sure what to do with. This is an example of that.

I took these sometime during the summer of 2015, while down on the Platte River Commons pathway.  I was probably riding my bicycle down there.  After that, I didn't put them up as I wasn't quite sure where they belonged.  My original thought was that they should go on Painted Bricks, our blog dedicated to signs painted on buildings, but there aren't any signs painted on this building, and the old Standard Oil sign has been removed.  Having said that, there is a major sidewalk feature here, and I do put sidewalk features on our Painted Bricks blog, so there will probably be an entry there after all.

Instead, I decided to put this up here because of this somewhat sad memorial at this location.

Now, there were people who died one way or another at the refinery over the many years it was in operation, but this monument is simply to people who worked there from 1913 up until it closed in 1991.  When it closed, it came somewhat close to being a mortal blow to the city, which was already really hurting at that time.  Having said that, the decline of the refinery, which had at one time been enormous and one of the prime economic engines of the city, was obvious for years.

When the refinery was operating, this building was on the edge of the refinery, along the old Yellowstone Highway, prior to that highway being moved across the river. As a kid I must have ridden as a passenger in my parents vehicle past it countless times.  I can remember it quite well, and frankly it looks newer now than it did then.

I don't know when the building was built, but as the refinery opened in 1913, chances are that it was right around then.  The substantial refinery, now a golf course, was a major Natrona County employer and its closure really nearly ended an era in the town.  The town had three refineries up until about that time, but only one of them, the  Sinclair refinery, remains today.  The Standard Oil refinery was the largest of the three.

Pioneer Plaza, Casper Wyoming

This is Pioneer Plaza, in Casper Wyoming. The small park is dedicated to the memory of pioneers.  The park is across the street from both the old and new Natrona County courthouses, although the obelisk itself was once in front of the county's first courthouse, which was removed long ago. 

 While the oldest feature of the small park dates from 1911, the park itself was dedicated in 1967.

The sheep commemorate the sheep ranching industry that was once so prominent in Natrona County, Wyoming.

Highland Cemetary, Casper Wyoming

This Spanish American War era artillery piece is in a portion of Casper Wyoming's Highland Cemetery that has several features dedicated to war veterans. This dedication was placed in this location in the early 1950s at the latest, and the graves in the location are generally those of World War One, or Spanish American War, veterans. Benches were placed in this location in the early 1950s by the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Daughters of the American Revolution, and the War Mothers organization.



For those with an interest in artillery, the model and size of this artillery piece, which is indicated as being 3.2 in, Model of 1897, is stamped here, although you'll have to enlarge the photographs in order to see the information.

Data regarding this artillery piece is stamped here, on the muzzle, but you will have to enlarge the photograph in order to be able to read it.

Updated on May 23, 2015.

Tombstone noting service in the 817 Dept Aero Squadron during  World War One.

Marker noting service in the 1st Colorado Infantry during The Spanish American War.

Marker noting service in the 157th Aero Squadron during World War One.

Marker of the old military pattern noting service in the 2nd U.S. Volunteer Cavalry during the Spanish American War.  The 2nd U.S. Vol Cav was raised in Wyoming.  It did not deploy everseas, in part because a severe train accident injured and killed a signficant number of its troopers en route to Florida.

Marker noting this veteran's service as a Horseshoer in the Field Artillery.

Marker noting this veteran's service as a Cook in the 24th Infantry during the Civil War.

Marker noting this trooper's service in the Army during the Spanish American War and World War One.

Marker noting this veteran's service in Co. F, 2nd Illinois Light Artillery during the Civil War.

Marker noting Civil War service.

Oregon Trail State Veterans Cemetary, Natrona County Wyoming

The memorial depicted above is located at this veterans' cemetery, and is dedicated to a US submarine lost with all hands during World War Two. I do not know that the submarine had any connection with Wyoming, and finding the memorial there was a bit of a surprise.

This bridge crosses the North Platte River just below the cemetery, and has a series of memorials on the north side, which can be seen here and in the photographs below. The bridge is very near where Richards Bridge, a pioneer bridge with a trading post and an Army outpost, was located in the 19th Century.

Updated.

The following photographs were taken on May 23, 2015, when this cemetery was decorated for Memorial Day, 2015.