South Pass, Wyoming

Pony Express Monuments, Farson Wyoming

One of the disadvantages of taking these photos the way I do, on a catch as catch can basis, is that you get some truly lousy photographs that way. Weather and light conditions can simply be against you. But, on the passing by basis I take these, there's not much I can do about that as a rule.  I've driven past these monuments to the Pony Express at Farson a few times, but this is the first time I had time to stop and take a picture.  Unfortunately these late afternoon, sub zero photographs, are not good, and there isn't much I could do about it.

While you could never tell from this bad light photograph, this 2003 monument to the Pony Express shows to riders greeting each other on a starry night.  The winter snow has obscured, and dirtied, the monument.  If I have a  chance to photograph it again in morning light, I will.  The top of the monument says "East meets West".

This is an older State of Wyoming monument to the Pony Express which also notes the Big Sandy Station that was once on this location.

This monument to the Big Sandy Station was dedicated at the same time, and by the same donors, as the East Meets West monument. For some reason, this one looks just as clean as when it was dedicated, while the East Meets West monument does not.

Ft. Halleck-Ft. Laramie Road, Rock River Wyoming.

A memorial just north of Rock River Wyoming commemorating the Frontier era Ft. Halleck to Ft. Laramie Road in southern Wyoming.

Veterans Memorial Park, Rock Springs Wyoming

This is a M60 tank in Rock Springs' Veterans Memorial Park.

There's more to the park than this tank, but unfortunately I did not have the time to stop and really view things.  Hence the side of the road photograph.  It is sort of peculiar, I'll note, to see this correctly painted green tank sitting in such a deserty setting.  M60s were used in the Middle East by Israel, and the sand paint scheme used by the IDF would almost look more appropriate here, even though it would of course not be appropriate for the M60 which, as far as I know, was never painted in a sand paint scheme.

 I was back in this area the other day, so I updated the photos of this memorial, although I framed one of the photos very poorly.   This park, while an all wars memorial park, is focused on the Persian Gulf War, which I had not previously noted.

USS Santa Fe CL-60 Memorial, Santa Fe New Mexico

A memorial to the Cleavland Class light cruiser the USS Santa Fe, which served for the U.S. Navy during World War Two.

Painted Bricks: Evangelo's, Santa Fe New Mexico

Painted Bricks: Evangelo's, Santa Fe New Mexico:

This will be an unusual entry for this site, as its a type of private memorial, basically, in an unusual setting.

This is the tavern sign for Evangelo's in Santa Fe, New Mexico, featuring the famous Life Magazine cover photograph of Angelo Klonis, the founder of the tavern. The late Mr. Klonis was a soldier during World War Two when this photograph of him was taking by Life photographer Eugene Smith.  Konis, a Greek immigrant, opened this bar in his adopted home town in the late 1960s, at which time his identify as the soldier photographed by Smith was not widely known.

Casper Army Air Base, Casper Wyoming.

These are photos of the new display signs at the Natrona County International Airport, memorializing the airports' early role as an Army Air Corps air base  While the early role of the facility as a B-17 and B-24 training base are still evident, in some ways, these photos serve to also demonstrate how much the facility has changed.

 Display, with stunt aircraft painted in British World War Two colors, in the modern terminal.

Sign on location of the old parade ground.

Flag pole base of parade ground.

 

Parade ground.

Sign commemorating one of the original hangers, which is still standing.

 

This particular hanger, near the sign, is now owned by an air racer, and it also hosts a private museum.

The crash station, which I think at least partially retains its original use.

 Contemporary tower, probably not the original.

 Original hanger.

 Hanger row, with new and old hangers.

View of what had been barracks.

 What had been the base hospital.

I should note here that there is also a museum at the airport, in one of the old buildings, that's been featured here previously.

Park County War Memorial, Cody Wyoming

This is the original war memorial in Cody Wyoming.  I'm uncertain of the dedication date, but it's apparently an all wars memorial. The statute in the foreground of William F. Cody was added later.

This should not be confused with the Wyoming Veterans Memorial, which is outside of town and which I've not yet taken photographs of.

Chief Washakie Monument, Laramie Wyoming.

This dramatic monument on the edge of the campus of the University of Wyoming commemorates Shoshone Chief Washakie, specifically noting the battle between the Shoshones and the Crows at Crow Heart Butte.