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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