Dubois Museum facts for kids

The Dubois Museum is a cool place to explore the history of the Upper Wind River Valley in Wyoming. It's located in the town of Dubois, Wyoming, right on U.S. Route 26. This museum is about 3850 square feet (357 square meters) and helps everyone learn about the area's past.

The museum offers fun programs, interesting displays, videos, and special events. It's a great stop if you're traveling along the Wyoming Centennial Scenic Byway.

What Can You See at the Museum?

The Dubois Museum has several permanent exhibits that show off different parts of the region's history.

Nature and Geology of Wind River Valley

This section teaches you about the natural world of the Upper Wind River Valley. You can learn about the amazing geology of the Wind River mountains.

• Rocks and Fossils: See displays about the Chugwater Formation, which is a type of rock layer. You can also find gastroliths (which are "stomach stones" once found in dinosaurs!) and beautiful Turritella agates. These agates are cool rocks with fossilized snail shells inside.
• Animals and Plants: Discover the local plants and animals that call this area home. You'll learn about native fish like the cutthroat trout and the impressive bighorn sheep.

The Mountain Shoshone (Sheepeaters)

Learn about the Mountain Shoshone people, who were also known as the "Sheepeaters." This name came from their skill in hunting bighorn sheep. The exhibits show how they lived long ago.

• Tools and Crafts: See tools made from steatite (a soft stone) and special bows crafted from bighorn sheep horns.
• Ancient Art: Explore the petroglyphs (rock carvings) left behind by their ancestors. These carvings tell stories and show what life was like many years ago.

The Charlie Moore Collection

This exhibit features items from the CM Ranch. This ranch is super important because it's the oldest guest ranch in Wyoming that has been running continuously. It gives you a peek into the history of ranching in the American West.

The Scandinavian Tie Hacks

Discover the story of the Scandinavian loggers, also known as "tie hacks." These brave workers cut down trees in the national forests near Dubois. They made railroad ties, which are the wooden beams that support train tracks. Their hard work helped build railroads across the country. The "Wind River Tie-Hack Gallery" shows what their lives were like.

US Cavalry in Wyoming

Find out about the US Cavalry and their role in Wyoming's history. The cavalry were soldiers who rode horses and helped explore and protect the frontier.

Early Settlers (Homesteaders)

Learn about the homesteaders who moved to this area in the late 1800s. These were people who claimed land to build farms and homes, helping to settle the American West.

Educational Adventures

The Dubois Museum also offers special tours outside the museum building. You can visit real historical sites in the area.

• Ancient Traps: See actual bighorn sheep traps used by the Sheepeater people.
• Teepee Rings: Explore sites where Plains Indians set up their teepees, marked by circles of stones.
• Rock Art: Visit more petroglyph sites to see ancient carvings.
• Tie Hack Cabins: Discover old cabins where the "tie hacks" lived while they worked in the forests.

See also

• CM Ranch and Simpson Lake Cabins
• National Bighorn Sheep Interpretive Center
• List of Registered Historic Places in Wyoming