Uncategorized | November 20, 2007
From a UW press release:
The former mining town of Sunrise has been deserted for 27 years.
But the University of Wyoming American Studies program is poised to bring this once-bustling community near Guernsey back to life.
In an effort to recognize the Sunrise Mine Historic District’s importance in Wyoming’s rich history, UW has spent the past year interviewing former miners and their spouses about their experiences and memories of life in a community ahead of its time.
“I want people to respect this place. The town was torn down, but it’s so important for us to remember and recognize its history and culture,” says Sophia Beck, an American Studies office associate who was raised in Sunrise. “I don’t want it to become a ghost town. This place existed, and let’s not forget about it.”
UW’s research project will culminate Wednesday, Nov. 28, with a 7 p.m. presentation at Hartville Town Hall. A mile from the former town of Sunrise, Hartville remains home to many second-generation children of the miners.
The presentation, titled “Remembering Sunrise Mine and its Community: Portrait of a Company Town,” is sponsored by the Platte County Historical Society. The UW American Studies program’s research will be archived at the American Heritage Center (AHC) on the UW campus, at public libraries in Wheatland and Torrington and at the Bessemer Historical Society in Pueblo, Colo.
For more information on the Sunrise Mining Historic District, call the UW American Studies office at (307) 766-3898.
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