The C-SPAN Cities Tour staff came to the Cowboy State earlier this summer in order to find and highlight the stories of the area. They visited numerous locations to explore the history and literary culture of Casper, Wyoming known as “The Oil City”.

In addition to having each of the features sprinkled in throughout the weekend on the respective networks, both AHTV and BOOK TV will have a block of programming where all of the respective Casper pieces for their networks will air.

Book TV will have their Casper block on Saturday, August 16 at 10am MT on C-SPAN2, Charter channel 20 and American History TV will have their Casper block on Sunday, August 17 at 12pm MT on C-SPAN3, Charter channel 113.

The Book TV features include,

John Davis “Wyoming Range War: The Infamous Invasion of Johnson County”
· Learn about the Johnson County War from John Davis, author of “Wyoming Range War.” In April of 1892, a group of cattlemen “invaded” Johnson County, Wyoming with a hit list of men they intended to kill. According to the group, Johnson County was full of cattle rustlers that were stealing from them and they were looking to force them out. The residents of Johnson County argued that these were just a group of wealthy cattlemen who were trying to run out simple homesteaders for control of the land. What follows is a series of events that reached the ear of President Benjamin Harrison who is forced to send out the U.S. Calvary to stop the fighting. “Wyoming Range War” explores the timeline of events and Wyoming’s history of vigilantism.

Sara Wiles “Arapaho Journeys: Photographs and Stories from the Wind River Reservation”
· Hear about the Arapaho Indian Tribe from author and photographer Sara Wiles. The Arapaho arrived at the Wind River Reservation in 1878. Since their arrival, the Arapaho was trying to make strides both economically and politically and still hold on to their traditions and culture. As a social worker on the reservation, Sara Wiles became intimately aware of the struggles of the tribe as well as got to know them as individuals. “Arapaho Journeys,” is a series of photographs Wiles took on the reservation and the stories of the people who became her family.

Candy Moulton “Valentine T. McGillycuddy: Army Surgeon, Agent of the Sioux”
· Learn about Army surgeon Valentine T. McGillycuddy from author Candy Moulton. Known as the doctor who treated Crazy Horse, McGillycuddy had a career that spanned more than 60 years that involved more than the infamous Lakota warrior. From being the surveyor of the Black Hills to Indian Agent to South Dakota’s Surgeon General, McGillycuddy was involved in many pivotal events of westward expansion including his tumultuous relationship with Chief Red Cloud. In her book, “Valentine T. McGillycuddy,” Candy Moulton explores the life and career of this little known army surgeon and Indian agent that she believes often gets overlooked.

Ben Kern “Wagon Wheels: A Contemporary Journey on the Oregon Trail”
· Hear about Ben Kern’s modern day journey on the Oregon Trail in his book, “Wagon Wheels.” Beginning in May 1993, Ben Kern embarked on a mission to travel the Oregon Trail in his covered wagon and team of mules. For the next 6 months, Kern would endure hailstorms, tornados, broken bones, and broken wheels before he arrived in Oregon. Hear Ben Kern talk about his experience on the trail and his plans for more wagon trains in the future.

Wind City Books
· Learn about Casper’s literary scene from Wind City books and the local author’s they feature in the store.

BOOKTV EVENT: Tom Rea “Devil’s Gate: Owning the Land, Owning the Story”
· Hear local author Tom Rea share a chapter from his book, “Devil’s Gate,” about alleged cattle rustlers Ella Watson and James Averell that were lynched by a group of wealthy ranchers in 1889. Tom Rea explores how this event was reported in newspapers around Wyoming and how exaggeration and misinformation become historical fact.

AHTV FEATURES

National Historic Trails Interpretive Center
· Travel the four historic routes that passed through Casper at the National Historic Trails Interpretive Center. Immigrants traveling the Oregon Trail, the Mormon Trail, the Pony Express and the California Trail traveled through Casper in order to reach their final destination. This migration happened throughout much of the 19th century and led to the settlement of the American West. Bruce Berst, a guide at the National Historic Trails Center, recreates the experience of the settlers through interactive exhibits at the museum.

Fort Caspar
· Tour Fort Caspar, a United States Army military post dating back to 1859. Built on the banks of the North Platte River, the Fort was created to protect emigrants and the telegraph lines against raids from the Lakota and Cheyenne nations. Hear Fort Caspar Museum Director Rick Young talk about the history of the Fort and tell the story of the Battle of Platte Bridge in which 3,000 Native Americans attacked the area in 1865.

Profile of Dick Cheney
· Learn about the life and career of Former Vice President Dick Cheney. Hear Wyoming Documentarian Geoffrey O’Gara share stories about the former Vice President’s time as a student at Natrona County High School in Casper, Wyoming, his life after leaving Yale, and his rise as a state and then national politician. See never-before-seen clips from Mr. O’Gara’s interviews with former Vice President Cheney and hear stories told by former members of the Bush/Cheney administration.

Dick Cheney ‘s High School Years
· View Dick Cheney’s Natrona County High School yearbooks with former classmate TJ Claunch. Mr. Claunch shows pictures taken in 1959 of a young Dick Cheney, talks about his years there, and explains how he met his wife Lynne Cheney.

Teapot Dome Scandal
· Learn about the Teapot Dome Scandal and its connection to Casper, Wyoming. The scandal was a bribery incident that took place in the United States from 1920 to 1923, during the administration of President Warren G. Harding. The Secretary of the Interior Albert B. Fall leased Navy petroleum reserves at Teapot in Wyoming and two other locations in California to private oil companies at low rates without competitive bidding. In 1922 and 1923, the leases became the subject of a sensational investigation. Fall was later convicted of accepting bribes from the oil companies and became the first Cabinet member to go to prison. Before the Watergate scandal, Teapot Dome was regarded as the "greatest and most sensational scandal in the history of American politics". Hear Historian Phil Roberts talk about the history of the scandal and the impact it had on future oil production.

Salt Creek Oil Field
· Tour the Salt Creek Oil Field, which is currently owned and operated by the Anadarko Petroleum Corporation. Located 40 miles north of Casper, the field was once considered one of the largest producing oil fields in the world. See Anadarko Historian Everett DeWitt walk through the field, explain how oil was first discovered there, and talk about what life was like for the people who worked the fields during the first half of the 20th century.

Salt Creek Museum
· Visit the Salt Creek Museum with Curator Sandra Schutte. The museum features pictures and paraphernalia that depict life on the Salt Creek Oil Field from 1889 to present. See some of the items used by the oilfield workers and learn why the development of Casper was so integral to the success of the Oilfield.

Johnson County War
· Hear about the Johnson County War, an invasion thought to be the most notorious range war in Wyoming’s history. Local historian and attorney Patrick Holscher explains that large cattle barons accused smaller cattle ranchers of stealing cattle and trespassing during the late 1880s. The cattle barons hired men to protect their property and murder those thought to have stolen or trespassed. Hear accounts of the War and learn how this incident is still impacting Wyoming’s cattle industry more than a century later.

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