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The Story Story
A little
information on the beginnings of Story, WY taken from emails appearing in the WYGenWeb
list server.
Hello Wyoming rooters!!
This is my first post, so bear with me.... I have a great Aunt who taught at the Story
Public School in Sheridan Co., 1912. Apparently, this was a one room school house. I have
a "Souvenir" that was given to all the students (all 26 from grades 1-8) which
list the students names, the teacher, Miss Bessie A. CARROLL, and the School Officers. It
says it was Story Public School, District No. 15, Sheridan Co. Wyoming. My question is: Is
there a Story, WY or does anyone know where this school house might have been? Would
anyone know anything about this school or where I can write to get info about it? Any
comments would be great! Tootles for now......
Heidi Goetsch-Guio
The "Wyoming Place Names" by Mae Urbanek, 1988, gives the following
information on Story:
"...two version of the name: named for Nelson Story, who got rich in the
Montana gold
fields, went to Texas, bought cattle, and drove the first trail herd by the Texas Trail
through Buffalo in 1866. Col. Carrington at Fort Phil Kearny forbade him to continue north
into Montana because of Indian danger. One dark night Story rounded up his 3,000
sees and
fighting cowboys and took off; the soldiers could not leave the fort unprotected to follow
him. He reached Montana after one skirmish, with all wagons and steer herd intact. Another
version is that Story was named after Charles P. Story, a pioneer newspaperman in
Sheridan. It is now a summer resort town to the Big Horn Mountains, with fishing, hiking,
and relaxing. It also boasts a state bird farm and fish hatchery." That's about all I
can contribute to answering your questions.
Carol A. Haagensen
Further information on Story and the school. According to the "Sheridan County
Heritage Book" (Sheridan Extension Homemakers Council 1983) I have gleaned the
following: Story was founded at the site of two homesteads, Buckingham (1884) and Dalton
(1890), the area was known originally as Piney Island, and was named this by Col.
Carrington of Ft. Phil Kearny/ Fetterman Massacre fame. The logs for the fort were cut at
this location. The town was platted by Marshall Wolfe, who moved there from MO. in 1893.
Story was named for Charles P. Story who was at the time a state representative from
Sheridan County. As to the school, the first school was taught on a ranch in the 1890s.
Marshall Wolfe was responsible for building the school house in 1904, it was a one room
frame building (there is a picture of it in the book) complete with bell tower in the
front. In 1936 a second room was added. As of 1942, high school students were sent to
Sheridan. As of 1983, the school was serving as a garage in Story, since a new
school was
built in 1957 on the original site. The school bell is now the bell at the Catholic Church
in Story.
Lloyd Curtis
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