American Heritage Center conducts energy boom oral history project
Collects photos and nearly 40 audio oral history interviews
February 2, 2011
The American Heritage Center has been working on a project called, "Wyoming’s Energy Boom, 1995-2010: An Oral History Program" To date, they have gathered almost 40 audio oral history interviews of Sublette County residents and people connected with the oil and gas industry. The project is to examine the social, economic and environmental impact of natural gas development in Sublette County, located in the southwestern part of the state.
AHC staff photographer, Rick Walters, spent two days in October, 2010 taking contextual photos in the Sublette County area. Project director, Leslie Waggener, conducted oral interviews of a variety of Sublette County residents including elected officials, business owners in the local towns, oil & gas field operators and employees, government officials, emergency service providers, and local residents.
The oral history interviews and photographs of Sublette County can be found here: http://digitalcollections.uwyo.edu:8180/luna/servlet/uwydbuwy~51~51.
People interviewed include Ann Noble-local historian and Chambers House Bed & Breakfast; BLM Assistant Field Manager Bill Lanning; Encana Workforce Facility Manager Bob Griffith; Rick Ewig-Encana; Albert Sommers-Rancher & Sublette County Planning & Zoning Commission; Tony Chambers-Chambers Design-Build & Tip Top Search & Rescue; Bill Kleven-President Rocky Mountain Bank; Bob Hanson-Sublette County Sheriff’s Office; Cally McKee-Senior Regulatory Coordinator Ultra Petroleum; Captain Mike Peterson-Sublette County Sheriff’s Office; Carolyn Bing-Cowboy Shop; Clint Gilchrist-Office Outlet & Sublette County Historical Society; Jeff Biffle-Teletractors; Joel Bousman-Rancher & Sublette County Commissioner; John Linn-Sublette County Commissioner & fence builder; Jonita Sommers-Big Piney teacher & rancher; Julie Konicek-Pinedale teacher; Laurie Latta-Sublette County Community Partnership; Leslie Rozier-Pinedale nurse practitioner; Linda Baker-Upper Green River Valley Alliance; Mary Lynn Worl-Pinedale resident/environmentalist; Meredith Noble-Sublette County resident; Mike Nomis-Haliburton employee; Mike Wade-Outfitter; Nylla Kunard-Pinedale Town Councilwoman; Patty Racich-Pinedale Town Clerk; Peggy Weber-retired nurse; Phillip Smith-Big Piney Mayor; Priscilla Mecam-Pinedale BLM Field Manager; Robin Clover-Executive Director of Sublette County Sexual Assault/Family Violence (SAFV) Task Force; Rose Skinner-former Mayor of Pinedale; Sarah Hixson-therapist; Sheriff Bardy Bardin; Pinedale Mayor Steve Smith; Terrie Swift-Ex. Director Sublette County Chamber of Commerce; Tim Thompson-Big Piney rancher; Todd Arnold-Encana; Ward Wise-former Pinedale Mayor’s Assistant-business owner.
The project’s director, Leslie Waggener, is currently organizing two panel discussions that will allow both community members and scholars to reflect on the perspectives presented in the interviews. One will be held on the University of Wyoming campus on April 4th, 2011, and another will be held in Pinedale, Wyoming, on May 16th, 2011, at the Sublette County Library. Panelists will include University of Wyoming political science professor, Gregg Cawley, and Ultra Petroleum Senior Regulatory Coordinator, Cally McKee.
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