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300 W Lakeway Rd
Gillette, WY,
Letter From the Editor
Thereis something special about Wyoming that is hard to explain to people who have never lived here. Maybe it is the wide open skies that remind you how small you are while somehow making you feel deeply grounded at the same time. Maybe it is the grit woven into everyday life. Or maybe, it is the people. The kind of people who show up when storms roll in, who wave on back roads, who work hard without needing recognition, and who quietly carry one another through life’s hardest seasons.
This magazine was born from a deep love for Gillette and the people who call it home.
Our town is not perfect, but it is real. It is built on determination, resilience, faith, family, sacrifice, and community. It is ranchers and teachers. Welders and small business owners. Coaches, volunteers, first responders, parents, dreamers, and builders. It is early mornings before sunrise and long days that end around dinner tables full of stories, laughter, and tired hands.
In a world that often feels disconnected, rushed, and loud, there is something incredibly meaningful about the authenticity still found here.
I am deeply thankful to call Gillette home. Thankful to raise my children here surrounded by people who still value kindness, hard work, connection, and character. Thankful for a community that believes in showing up for one another. A place where neighbors still become family and where people still take pride in building a good life, not just for themselves, but for future generations.
This magazine exists to tell those stories.
The stories of the people quietly shaping our community every day. The businesses built from grit and sacrifice. The families preserving traditions. The athletes, artists, ranchers, tradesmen, animal lovers, entrepreneurs, and everyday people creating a life full of purpose here on the plains.
Harvey Creative Director
Tonya Lead photographer
Savannah Managing Editor
Seth Senior Account Executive Tom Account Executive
For me, writing has always been, about connection. About slowing down enough to truly see people and tell their stories with honesty, compassion, and heart. My hope is that throughout these pages, you feel that connection, too. That somewhere within these stories, photographs, conversations, and moments, you find pieces of home, pieces of yourself, and reminders of the goodness that still exists all around us.
We want to capture the heartbeat of Wyoming life in an honest way. The beauty and the hardship. The strength and the softness. The ambition and the humility. Because the soul of this place is not found in perfection; it is found in resilience. In compassion. In faith. In people willing to work hard, love deeply, and keep going, even when life asks a lot of them.
At its core, this magazine is about connection. Connection to community. Connection to land. Connection to family and tradition. Connection to the kind of life that values presence over performance and substance over image.
There is still so much good here.
You can feel it in coffee shops before daylight. In Friday night games and summer rodeos. In kids riding bikes until the streetlights come on. In conversations between strangers that somehow feel familiar. In the quiet understanding that out here, people still look out for one another. That spirit deserves to be celebrated.
Thank you for being part of this community. Thank you for supporting local stories, local people, and local heart. Most of all, thank you for reminding us that even in a rapidly changing world, places like Wyoming still matter.
And they always will.
With gratitude and love,
Hayley Operations Coordinator Sydney Social Media Manager
Experience Gillette Concerts. Rodeos. Festivals. Fairs.
June
• Wright Days
• Summer Rodeo Nights
• Donkey Creek Festival
• Tuesday in the Gardens Concert Series
• Downtown Thursday Night’s Concert Series
July
• Summer Rodeo Nights
• 4th of July Parade and Festivities
• Downtown Thursday Night’s Concert Series
• Tuesday in the Gardens Concert Series
• WyoGives Day Picnic
• Downtown Sidewalk Yard Sale
• Campbell County Fair
August
• Campbell County Fair
September
• Brews & Cruise
October
• Downtown Pumpkin Bingo
• Boo-Fest/Trick-Or-Treat Gillette Main Street
November
• NRCA Rodeo
• GMS Winter Walk
• GMS Plaid Friday/Small Business Saturday
• Festival of Trees
• Festival of Lights @ Cam-Plex Park
December
• GMS Parade of Lights
• Festival of Lights @ Cam-Plex Park
For the most current event calendar, detailed information, and hundreds of things to see and do throughout the year, scan the
5 Small Details Guests Always Remember
While planning an event, it’s easy to focus on the big things: food, décor, the guest list, etc. But the details guests remember most often go under the radar when planning an event. Here’s 5 small details guests always remember, and how to ensure you cater to them successfully.
Guest arrival. Easy parking, a welcoming entry, and a smiling greeter help guests feel comfortable from the start.
Comfort. This can easily make or break your event. In Wyoming, comfort might look like shaded areas in the summer, heaters in the winter, a windaware setup, or a backup indoor option.
Event ow. Every guest should automatically know where to go for drinks, dinner, photos, conversation spaces, and bathroom breaks.
Lighting. This matters more than most hosts realize. Soft evening lighting can make a simple space feel warm, inviting, and memorable.
Personal Touches.
A favorite dessert, family photos, handwritten signs, or music that feels meaningful to the occasion goes a long way.
Prioritize these five things, and you’ll be well on your way towards planning an event guests will remember for a long time.
Keep Rolling
Written by: Savannah Maddocks
Photography by: Tonya Bennett
In Wyoming, strength is quiet. It doesn’t announce itself with ash or bravado. You feel it in the early mornings before the wind sweeps across the plains. You see it in hands calloused from work, in the weight carried without complaint. And sometimes, that strength is forged on the mat, in the hum of uorescent lights, the squeak of mats underfoot, and the rhythmic grind of bodies moving together. Here, men learn, fail, and rise again, discovering not just physical power, but patience, humility, and the discipline to carry these traits into every corner of life.
Step inside a room like this, and the outside world fades quickly. The noise quiets. The distractions fall away. There is no title here, no job description, no past or future pulling at your attention. There is only the moment in front of you: the grip, the breath, the pressure, the decision. It is simple in theory; it is anything but easy in practice. Maybe that is why it matters so much.
For Campbell County Sheri ’s Deputy Eric Coxbill, that discipline has been a constant throughout his life. Raised in Wright, Wyoming, he grew up roping and wrestling, developing the grit and resilience that would follow him into adulthood. From his earliest memories on the mat at age six, through three state championships in high school, and then collegiate wrestling at Northwest College and the University of
Rolling
I
became addicted from the moment I started.
Wyoming, Eric learned that e ort, focus, and perseverance are not just athletic values; they are life values. Wrestling taught him how to push through pain, how to fall and get back up, and how to approach challenges with determination.
It wasn’t until years later that Eric discovered Jiu-Jitsu, a sport that would challenge him in a di erent way, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. It stripped away the familiarity of wrestling and replaced it with something more complex, more humbling. Positions where strength didn’t matter. Moments where patience outweighed aggression. Situations where slowing down, not speeding up, was the answer.
“I became addicted from the moment I started,” he says. “Jiu-Jitsu teaches you to stay calm under pressure. That carries into everything: life, family, work, and faith. On the job, when situations get chaotic, I breathe. I focus. And suddenly, everything else seems easier.”
It is a statement that carries weight, especially when you consider the reality of law enforcement. The average person may encounter a handful of critical incidents in their lifetime, moments that shake their sense of safety or normalcy. For an o cer, that number climbs into the hundreds over the course of a career. Calls that linger. Situations that follow you home, whether you want them to or not. Some fade. Others don’t.
Ready to Fly Wyomimg
Air Medical Services
It is not about perfection. It is about presence.
Eric does not speak about it dramatically. He does not need to. “It’s impossible not to see things that hit home and cause mental stress,” he says.
That is where the mat becomes more than training. It becomes a reset.
“It’s hard to be worried about life when someone is trying to choke you,” he adds with a laugh. “You’re focused on the task at hand. You’re working, learning, and surrounded by good people. It becomes a space to reset your mind.”
Inside that space, something rare happens. Titles disappear. Ego softens. Everyone starts at the same place. It does not matter if you are a deputy, a rancher, a coal miner, or a college student. At G-Town Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, the room is lled with men from all walks of life: paramedics, truck drivers, construction workers, and more, all showing up with the same goal: to get better.
And to do it together.
“That daily grind of teammates struggling and working together, it creates strong bonds,” Eric says. “It’s an amazing environment and community.”
You see it in the small things. A hand extended after a hard round. A quiet word of encouragement. A more experienced athlete slowing down to help someone new understand a position. There is competition here, no doubt. But there is also respect. And beneath that, trust.
For Eric, Jiu-Jitsu is one of the most grounding aspects of his life. “Natalie and I de nitely have our faith,” he says. “Anchors would be my family, my family ranch, and of course Jiu-Jitsu. These are the things that make me who I am and why we get up and work toward our goals.” There’s no overcomplication in how he describes it. It’s steady. It’s lived out daily. The same discipline that carries him through long days on the
job and hard rounds on the mat shows up at home, in the quiet, everyday moments of being a husband and a father, where consistency, responsibility, and purpose matter most.
Out on the ranch, the lessons are similar. Work doesn’t wait for convenience. Responsibility doesn’t pause. You show up because it needs to be done. That same mindset carries into the gym, into his career, and into his home.
He hopes his children are watching. Not just the wins, but the e ort behind them. “I hope our kids pick up a great work ethic and drive to make themselves better from seeing their folks consistently pursuing and working toward achieving our goals,” he says.
It is not about perfection. It is about presence. That same belief - that strength is built, not given - runs deep in the men who step onto these mats.
For Robert Shirley, a Campbell County Deputy, that foundation was laid early.
He grew up in Gillette, in a community built on hard work and resilience. Wrestling became his outlet at twelve years old, and from that moment on, it consumed him. It gave him something to pour himself into. Something that made sense when other parts of life didn’t.
“Wrestling pretty much became 24-7 for me,” he says. “I wanted to be successful. I worked for it.”
The work was relentless. Lunch breaks spent training. Summers at intensive camps where exhaustion was the baseline. Days where your body hurt, your lungs burned, and quitting would have been easier, but it wasn’t an option.
He learned early that if you could embrace the hard things, you could endure almost anything.
But Robert’s story carries a weight that goes beyond sport.
His childhood was marked by instability, abuse, and experiences no child should have to navigate. Moments of fear. Confusion. Chaos. Encounters with law enforcement not from the perspective of a future deputy, but as a child trying to make sense of the world around him. Yet even in that, something took root.
Faith. Perspective. A calling.
“As an adult, and now as a Deputy, I know God gave me those experiences so I could serve my community with understanding and compassion,” he says. “Those experiences allow me to understand people and their hardships. I know what that feels like.”
Jiu-Jitsu became another outlet. Another place to take what life had given him and turn it into something productive.
“Sometimes when someone gets the better of me, that re comes out,” he says. “That competitor in me wants to win. But Jiu-Jitsu also allows me to keep that re caged. Life brings frustration, and that re has to go somewhere. Jiu-Jitsu lets me take that rage monster out for a walk and then put it right back where it belongs.”
There’s honesty in that. A recognition that strength isn’t about eliminating emotion; it’s about learning how to control it. Because in a place like Gillette, pressure is part of life.
“This is a blue collar town,” Robert says. “People work hard. Some of the toughest men I know never had the opportunity to train like this. My dad worked himself into the ground in the power plants and coal mines.”
When that kind of work ethic meets the mat, something powerful happens.
Because in a place like Gillette, pressure is part of life.
And in today’s world, that might be the strongest thing of all.
about learning patience, humility, and trust. That carries into how you show up at home. Being a husband, you need to be present, patient, and resilient.”
All three men have found that JiuJitsu translates into every part of life, especially in law enforcement, where stress is constant and often unseen.
“Training after a tough day helps reset your mind,” Derek says. “You’re forced to focus on the present.” Eric echoes the same truth. “If you don’t have an outlet, it builds up. The mat allows you to process stress in a way that’s healthy. You come out more aware, more in control.”
Wyoming culture, with its grit, resilience, and quiet strength, is mirrored perfectly on the mat. There are no shortcuts. No pretense. Just work. Just e ort. Just the slow, steady process of becoming better.
Jiu-Jitsu does more than build ghters; it builds men who can stay calm in chaos. Who lead with patience instead of reaction. Who carry discipline into their homes, their work, and their communities.
Faith, family, and brotherhood intertwine here, shaping something deeper than skill. Something lasting. Because in a world that often misunderstands strength, places like G-Town are quietly rede ning it.
Strength is not about overpowering. It is about control. It is about showing up, again and again, even when it is hard.
Out here in Wyoming, under wide skies and in tight knit communities, that kind of strength matters. Because the men who carry it are not just training for themselves; they are showing the next generation what it looks like to live with discipline, humility, faith, and purpose.
Not perfect men. But present ones.
And in today’s world, that might be the strongest thing of all.
WHERE EVERY KID BELONGS
The Heart Behind “Let the Kids Play” in Gillette, Wyoming
Written by: Savannah Maddocks
By: Tonya Bennett
Photography
There is a certain kind of strength that lives in Wyoming.
You see it in the early mornings and long days. In the wind that never really stops blowing. In the way people here learn to endure, to work hard, and to take care of their own. But more than anything, you see it in the way a community shows up for its kids.
In Gillette, that quiet strength is unfolding through a grassroots e ort that feels both deeply personal and powerfully collective. Let the Kids Play is not just a nonpro t; it is a re ection of a town that refuses to let its children fall through the cracks.
And at the center of it all is a simple belief. Every kid deserves the chance to play.
It began, like many meaningful things do, with lived experience. Before it was a mission, it was
a reality. A mother navigating life on her own, doing everything she could to provide, while quietly carrying the weight so many families understand but few talk about. The kind of weight that comes with choosing between what is needed and what is hoped for.
Because in communities like this, sports are not just extracurricular. They are part of growing up. They are friendships, structure, belonging, and identity, all wrapped into one.
But they also come with a cost. And sometimes, that cost becomes too much.
Over the years, that mother, Amber, began to notice something that stayed with her. Kids who had once been steady xtures on teams suddenly needing help just to stay involved. Families facing unexpected hardship. A job lost. A marriage changing. Life shifting in ways that no one plans for.
EVERY KID DESERVES THE CHANCE TO PLAY.
These were not families without e ort or care. These were families doing their best.
And still, it was not always enough.
That is where the heart behind Let the Kids Play was formed. Not out of assumption, but out of understanding. Not out of charity, but out of deep compassion.
Amber and her husband, Kyle, had conversations around their kitchen table slowly transform into something more. They had seen gear swaps. They had seen scholarship programs. All of it good, all of it helpful.
But they believed there was room to do more. So they did.
When Let the Kids Play rst stepped into the community, there was uncertainty. You never quite know how something like this will be received.
But Gillette answered in the way it always seems to. Quietly. Generously. Without hesitation.
Donations began to show up. Equipment left on doorsteps. Messages from neighbors asking how they could help. Local organizations are stepping forward, ready to be part of something bigger than themselves. It was not just support. It was con rmation.
This mattered.
And perhaps more importantly, it revealed something that has always been true about this place. Gillette is a town that cares deeply about its children. A town that believes every kid should have a place to belong. Because that is what sports o er. Not just activity, but identity.
For a child, stepping onto a eld or into a gym can change everything.
It is where they learn to push themselves. Where they begin to understand discipline and commitment. Where they discover that they are capable of more than they thought.
But beneath all of that, there is something even more important. It is where they nd connection.
In a world where so many kids are quietly navigating anxiety, pressure, and the feeling of not quite tting in, being part of a team gives them something steady. Something grounding. A place where they are known. A place where they are needed. A place where they belong.
And that sense of belonging has the power to shape everything.
Con dence begins to grow. Not all at once, but slowly. In practices. In made shots. In small wins that start to add up. In teammates who cheer anyway.
You see it in the quiet kids who begin to come out of their shells. In the ones who start to take risks. In the ones who begin, maybe for the rst time, to believe in themselves.
It is not just about building athletes. It is about building people.
At its core, Let the Kids Play is rooted in something deeper than sports. It is rooted in values. Hard work. Respect. Perseverance. Care for others.
As a family led e ort, those values are not just spoken. They are lived out daily. Their own children are growing up watching what it looks like to give back, to notice when someone else is in need, and to step in when it matters. There is something powerful about
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that kind of example. Because when kids grow up seeing generosity modeled in real life, it becomes part of who they are.
Of course, no child’s journey is shaped alone.
Behind every kid who nds con dence, there is usually someone who chose to invest in them. A coach who showed up consistently. A parent who encouraged them to keep going. A mentor who believed in them when they struggled to believe in themselves.
Those people matter more than they know.
They are often the reason a child keeps coming back. The reason they learn to love the game. The reason they begin to see their own potential. And in communities like Gillette, those mentors are everywhere.
What Let the Kids Play is doing is simple in concept, but profound in impact.
It is removing barriers.
Because the reality is, the cost of youth sports adds up quickly. Registration fees, equipment, travel. And life does not always give warning before it changes. Sometimes, all it takes is one di cult season for everything to shift.
But sometimes, all it takes is one act of kindness to shift it back.
A donated pair of cleats. A shared piece of equipment. A community that says, we see you, and we will help. On any given evening, as the Wyoming sun stretches long across open elds, you can see it all unfolding.
Kids
running. Laughing. Calling out to one another. Learning,
growing, becoming.
If you pause long enough to take it in, you realize something important.
This is about more than sports.
This is about a community choosing its kids. This is about creating spaces where they can thrive.
This is about making sure no child is left on the sidelines of their own story.
Because years from now, they will likely not remember every game or every score. But they will remember how it felt.
To be included. To be supported. To be believed in.
And maybe, one day, they will be the ones who turn around and o er that same opportunity to someone else.
At the heart of it all, Let the Kids Play stands for something beautifully simple: giving every child the chance to be part of a team, stay active, and feel seen, supported, and empowered to believe in themselves.
And in a place like Gillette, that is not just a mission. It is a way of life.
Eight generations of Driskills have stewarded the Campstool Ranch at the base of Devil’s Tower since the 1870’s. Raised on this land, Ogden carries forward the legacy of hard work, resilience, and responsible stewardship that defines northeastern Wyoming.
Practical legal guidance for Northeast Wyoming families.
For nearly two decades, Christopher R. Ringer has helped clients navigate some of life’s most personal legal matters with steady advice, clear communication, and practical representation.
Family Law
Divorce • Custody • Child Support Adoption • Guardianship
Estate Planning
Additional
Welcoming Britanie Bonaguidi
Ringer Law is pleased to welcome Britanie Bonaguidi to the firm beginning September 2026. A Gillette-area native and graduate of the University of Wyoming College of Law, Britanie brings a local perspective and a commitment to serving families and individuals in our community.
Special Reduced Fees
Available for appointments scheduled in September and October 2026 for select services, including: Uncontested Divorce Agreements • Estate Planning Packages Prenuptial Agreements • Uncontested Adoptions
RINGER
LAW, P.C.
Call (307) 682-2255 to schedule an appointment.
Madisyn Hatzenbuhler is 12 years old and was recently diagnosed, every donation helps with her fight.
Special thanks to
Downtown Gillette
Vote for Eric Barlow on August 18
Paws on the Plains
Written by: Savannah Maddocks
Photography by: Clay Cundy
Out here, animals are not accessories. They are part of the rhythm of life.
They ride shotgun in dusty pickups. They wait by mudroom doors after long days outside. They run fence lines, chase tennis balls across wide Wyoming yards, and curl up beside worn boots while the wind moves across the prairie outside.
At the City of Gillette Animal Shelter, that Wyoming spirit is easy to recognize.
Some dogs are bold and energetic, ready for trail runs, ranch roads, hiking trails, and long days outdoors. Others are quieter companions, content with a slow evening on the porch or a movie night curled up beside their people. The shelter sees every kind of dog personality pass through its doors, from shy observers to outgoing adventure partners, each one waiting for the right fit.
And that fit matters. Rather than taking a one size fits all approach, the shelter focuses on matchmaking. Pairing high energy families with dogs ready for movement and open country. Connecting quieter homes with animals that thrive in calm routines and steady companionship. Around here, a good home is not measured by acreage or perfection; it’s measured by patience, compassion, and commitment.
The animals themselves reflect the region they come from. Cattle dogs, shepherd mixes, livestock guardians, pit bull mixes, and resilient working breeds are common throughout the shelter. Animals built for Wyoming weather, Wyoming movement, and Wyoming loyalty.
Because Wyoming is a pet owner’s paradise. Wide open spaces, long walks, mountain trails, ranch roads, snowy mornings, and summer evenings in the backyard all become better with a companion beside you.
That
was exactly the case for Dylan and his dog, Dirk.
When Dylan adopted Dirk from the City of Gillette Animal Shelter in January of 2025, he was not just bringing home a dog; he was gaining a best friend. A border collie mix with a heart full of energy and a love for life, Dirk quickly became part of Dylan’s everyday world.
Now, Dirk rides alongside him through nearly everything. Hiking trails, hunting for sheds in the hills, cruising Wyoming backroads in Dylan’s truck, or simply being close by after a long day. Dirk carries the kind of spirit that feels naturally Wyoming: loyal, grounded, adventurous, and always ready to go anywhere at anytime.
“He’s my ride or die best friend,” Dylan says. “Dirk has changed my life for the better. He brings happiness to everyone who meets him.” Known for his good manners and affectionate personality, Dirk has become a natural fit with family, friends, and strangers alike. He’s the kind of dog that quietly becomes part of everyone’s life the moment they meet him.
For Dylan, adoption is something he strongly encourages others to consider when adding a pet to the family.
“There are so many amazing dogs waiting for their forever family”
The shelter itself has become more than simply a place for adoptions; it has become a true pillar of the Gillette community. Supported by volunteers, fosters, transporters, and local families, the shelter reflects the kind of community Wyoming is known for. One that shows up, helps where it can, and takes care of its own.
Through every adoption, every walk, every donation, and every second chance, the people behind the shelter are helping strengthen the bond between animals and the families who love them.
And while the shelter works tirelessly to care for the animals through enrichment, walks, volunteer support, and daily interaction, these animals are not waiting to be rescued;
They are waiting to get back to living.
Ready for snow packed morning walks. Kids coming home from practice. Late night drives down county roads. Boots kicked off by the door. A couch after a rough day. A name called across the house.
Because in Wyoming, we understand loyalty. We understand steady hearts. We understand showing up for each other through hard seasons. And the animals at the shelter already know how to give both.
All they need is someone to open the gate and say, “Let’s go.”
All they need is someone to open the gate and say, “Let’s go.”
Gillette Wyoming
ROOTED
ROOTED & RISING
Written by: Savannah Maddocks | Photography by: Tonya Bennett
On the High Plains of Wyoming, where the wind hums steady and the sky stretches endlessly, there’s a quiet kind of beauty in choosing to live slowly. It’s found in early mornings, flour dusted countertops, and the sacred rhythm of feeding something small that in time, grows into something sustaining. For one Gillette mother of three, Brittany Wagner, sourdough is more than bread; it’s a way of life rooted in faith, family, and the kind of grit only Wyoming can teach.
Bread, in Brittany’s story, was never simply a food item; it was memory. Growing up, her kitchen held the familiar presence of “Amish Friendship Bread,” passed between hands and homes, a symbol of care long before she fully understood it. Years later, as her own family began shifting toward a more natural lifestyle - stripping away artificial ingredients and returning to simplicity - bread became the place to begin again. Flour, water, and salt: that was enough.
With that first loaf, something deeper took hold.
What began as curiosity quickly became calling. After learning the basics in a local class, the real education unfolded at Brittany’s home, through long months of trial and error, underproofed loaves, and lessons only patience can teach. Sourdough, she discovered, is not something you master overnight. It demands something of you. Time. Attention. Consistency.
In Brittany’s daily life, tending a starter has become a quiet parallel to her walk with God. You cannot rush growth. You show up, you nurture, and you trust that something is happening beneath the surface. Some days, it rises quickly. Other days, it asks for more time. But always, it responds to care.
Her days are full: three busy boys, a home to tend, and a life lived with intention. But sourdough weaves itself naturally into the rhythm. Dough is mixed between naps and outdoor play. Starters rest in the fridge, quietly fermenting while life unfolds. Nothing is wasted; even the discard becomes something nourishing. It is, in every sense, a labor of love that meets her exactly where she is.
And perhaps that’s where the beauty lies. Not in perfection, but in presence.
There have been loaves that did not turn out quite right. In fact, Brittany laughs that the entire first year of her attempts might be considered “wrong.” But even those moments carried purpose. They taught perseverance. Humility. Wyoming grit. The kind that whispers “keep going,” even when it does not come easy.
Because eventually, it does come together.
Out here, where seasons shape everything, sourdough follows suit. Winter slows it down, calling for patience and warmth. Summer brings life and abundance, though often paired with the beautiful chaos of children being home and days spent outside. Through it all, she has learned not to force the rhythm, but to follow it.
Faith first. Then family. Then everything else finds its place.
What it creates extends far beyond her kitchen. At the Gillette Farmers Market, her bread has become a quiet thread of connection. Familiar faces return not just for loaves but for conversation, for the shared experience of something made by hand and given with heart. A simple loaf becomes a doorway. Stories are exchanged. Relationships are formed. Community is built, one table at a time. Because sourdough, at its core, is meant to be shared.
She has given away starter to friends and neighbors, watching it multiply not just in jars, but in homes and traditions. What began with her will not end with her. It will be passed down, through her children, her community, and the lives she has touched along the way.
A living legacy.
In Wyoming, where life is shaped by wide open spaces and a deep respect for hard work, sourdough feels right at home. It reflects the land itself: steady, resilient, and deeply rooted. There is no rush here. No need to hurry what is meant to take time. And around her table, that truth is lived out daily.
Because breaking bread is never just about the meal.
It is where conversations unfold. Where laughter lingers. Where memories are made and faith is quietly woven into the everyday. It is where family gathers, where strangers become friends, and where the pace of the world slows just enough to remember what matters most. Sourdough started as a way to feed her family better, but it became something far greater.
A reflection of a life lived with intention.
A practice of patience and presence.
A testament to faith, tradition, and love.
On the High Plains, under that endless Wyoming sky, it is a reminder that the most meaningful things in life are rarely rushed. They are grown. They are nurtured. And when the time is right, they are shared.
Where LegacyLives
120
Years on a Wyoming Homestead
Written by: Savannah Maddocks
by: Tonya Bennett
In Wyoming, a homestead is not just a place to live. It’s also a legacy, shaped by hard work, patience, and the deep understanding that what you build today will carry forward, long after the day’s work is done. Out across the rolling hills of Rocky Point, where sagebrush meets ponderosa and the wind writes its own stories across the grass, the West family continues a way of life that began more than a century ago - one sunrise, one season, and one generation at a time.
Photography
Roots in Opportunity, Anchored in Grit
The story begins in 1906, when Ray and Gertrude West left Orchard, Nebraska, traveling westward with little more than hope and the promise of land. Like many families of that era, word of opportunity traveled by mouth and memory. Several families made the same journey, drawn by the possibility of carving out a future where effort and determination could shape destiny.
As of 2026, the West family has lived in Rocky Point, Wyoming for 120 years. The land they settled still holds their footprints - some visible in aging buildings and worn fence lines, others carried quietly in the traditions passed from one generation to the next. Just down the road, another homesteading family, the Kuhbachers, share a similar origin story. Their histories are woven together by geography, marriage, and time.
What has endured most clearly through the decades is a simple but unyielding belief: do what it takes to succeed on the land you have. No one else will do the work for you. Livestock comes first. It always has.
Days That Begin Before the Sun
On the West homestead, mornings begin long before most of the world stirs. In early spring, the rhythm starts as soon as the first hint of light edges across the horizon. By 6:30 a.m., the school bus arrives to carry their seven-year-old son to the local rural school, while tractors are already warming and cattle chores are underway.
The family runs Black Angus cows in a cow-calf operation, alongside farming alfalfa, grass, and corn silage—feed that, God willing, will carry their livestock through winter months. Feeding cattle alone can take four to five hours. While one side of the family heads to the fields, the work at home begins just as steadily.
Chickens scatter across the yard. Dogs circle the barn. Cats weave between boots. Even miniature Highland cows require their share of attention. Every animal depends on care, and every chore matters.
Lunch is one of the day’s sacred pauses. No matter the workload, the family gathers together at midday, sharing food and conversation before heading back out into the rhythm of work. Afternoons shift with the seasons: checking fence lines, preparing fields, working cattle, or, on rare occasions, stealing a few quiet hours together at home.
Summer stretches the days long into golden evenings. Fall brings the roar of corn chopping and the careful stacking of hay. Winter settles in with shorter light and longer nights, demanding endurance and preparation. Every season leaves its mark, and every season shapes the next.
Raising Children Who Know the Land
On this homestead, childhood looks different than it does in many places. It is rooted in responsibility, observation, and pride.
Carson, the oldest at seven years of age, takes his role seriously. He opens gates, calculates feed ratios on a small calculator, and rides along with his father, soaking in knowledge without always realizing it. His sisters follow close behind, learning in ways that are just as meaningful. They know pasture names, recognize the rhythm of chores, and notice when something, even something small, is out of place.
Mazie can name every milk cow in order. Livia knows the layout of pastures. Lettie delights in calling out to cattle across open space. Even when the children are too young for certain tasks, they are given jobs suited to their size. They learn not just what to do, but why
it matters. That sense of belonging, of being needed, builds confidence and connection to the land.
And through it all, the lessons unfold naturally: appreciate the small moments, respect the work, and take pride in doing things well.
Community That Stands the Test of Time
Life in rural Wyoming is rarely lived alone. Communities here are stitched together by shared effort, long memories, and mutual care.
In Rocky Point, one of the most treasured traditions is the Happy Hour Club, a local nonprofit ladies’ organization that has existed for more than a century. Generations of West women have belonged to it, from great-great-grandmothers to today’s mothers and daughters.
What began as simple gatheringswomen visiting while children played and men worked - has grown into a cornerstone of the community. Today, the club organizes country dances, supports families in need, and hosts gatherings that bring neighbors together year after year.
Summer Sundays often involve volleyball games stretching into evening light and laughter echoing across fields. These moments, though simple, become the threads that hold communities together through seasons of challenge.
I look forward to earning your vote on August 18
for Wy House District 31 Doug Moore Vote
Veteran transportation manager at Eagle Butte and Belle Ayr Mines.
Decades of hands-on leadership protecting Campbell County energy jobs, fighting federal overreach, and delivering fiscal responsibility, strong schools, and local infrastructure.
I’ve spent my career keeping operations moving for hard working families. Ready to bring those results to Cheyenne.
Learning Skills That Sustain a Life
Homesteading demands a wide range of skills, many of which cannot be learned from books alone. Knowledge is passed hand to hand, voice to voice.
Much of what keeps the West homestead thriving today comes from the wisdom of parents and grandparents. A father-in-law explains why certain crops are chosen and why cattle management shifts from year to year. A mother-in-law teaches gardening techniques with patience and precision, guiding seeds into soil and nurturing them into harvest.
One treasured tradition begins each spring in the greenhouse, where seeds are carefully started by hand. Even more remarkable is the practice of raising baby chicks inside the greenhouse itself. As they grow, the chicks scratch and loosen soil, fertilize naturally, and consume pests, preparing the ground for healthy planting ahead. It is a method rooted in observation and experience, a perfect example of how generations refine techniques until they become second nature.
And then there are the recipes—like the coconut cream pie passed down from Logan’s great-grandmother. No gathering feels complete without it. The taste alone carries memory, tradition, and belonging.
The Land as Teacher
Living close to the land is both humbling and rewarding. It teaches lessons that cannot be ignored.
Sometimes, despite every effort, things do not go as planned. A storm may
flatten crops. A calf may fail to survive. A well may run dry at the worst possible moment. These are realities of homestead life—hard truths that require resilience. The land also teaches perseverance. With every sunrise comes a chance to begin again. With every challenge overcome comes greater resolve.
There is beauty here, too - moments that quiet the noise of the outside world. A snowcovered sunrise, glowing gold against the winter sky. The smell of rain carried on the wind ahead of a thunderstorm. The first fragile sprout pushing through soil after months of waiting.
These moments are small, but they are powerful reminders of why this life matters.
Hard Days, Strong Foundations
Maintaining a generational homestead comes with its share of challenges. Buildings constructed decades ago require constant maintenance. Fence lines stretch across miles of land, demanding attention year after year. Water systems occasionally fail, halting work until repairs are made.
What keeps families moving forward is the understanding that the legacy they hold was built by those who refused to give up. Generations before faced storms, drought, and uncertainty, yet endured.
That same determination continues today, driven by the hope that children growing up on this land will one day choose to carry it forward.
The Moments That Make It Worth It
Some of the most meaningful moments on a homestead arrive quietly.
Just before sunrise, when the world is neither dark nor light, there is a stillness that settles across the land. In that silence, worries fade and clarity returns. Yesterday’s work is finished. Today’s work waits patiently ahead.
Watching children run freely across wideopen fields reminds parents that this life offers something rare: space to grow, freedom to explore, and safety rooted in community.
Then there are the moments of new life. A newborn calf rising for the first time, steam curling into cold morning air. A field filled with neatly stacked hay bales glowing in evening sunlight. Cattle grazing peacefully beneath a blue Wyoming sky.
These are the scenes that define homestead life. They are not grand or flashy, but they carry deep meaning.
A Legacy Still Being Written
For the West family, the word “homestead” carries weight beyond property lines. It represents those who came beforefamilies who built barns by hand, raised children in unforgiving conditions, and believed deeply in the promise of hard work.
Walking the hills today, the remnants of some early structures still stand in place, weathered but proud. Each board and nail tells a story of perseverance.
Even as technology evolves and equipment improves, the heart of the work remains unchanged: provide for the land, the livestock, and the family. And when asked what matters most, the answer returns to something simple: Being together.
Pulling weeds side by side. Checking water tanks as a family. Sharing laughter during a long day’s work. These are the moments that build memory and meaning.
Why This Life Matters
If a visitor were to step onto this homestead for the first time and ask why this way of life matters, words alone might not be enough. They would need to feel the warmth of a newborn calf on a cold morning. See the golden glow of hay fields at sunset. Watch children learning responsibility through small, steady tasks. Hear the quiet hum of tractors moving across land that has fed generations.
Because homesteading is not simply about survival; it is about stewardship. It is about resilience. It is about raising children who understand the value of effort, patience, and gratitude.
Most of all, it is about legacy.
In Wyoming, legacy is not written in ink. It is written in soil, carried on the wind, and passed from one set of hardworking hands to the next - ensuring that the story of the land continues, long after the sun sets on another day.
Locally produced goods from our community and around Wyoming
Horn
Horse
Kaycee
Illustrated by: Harvey Jackson
Stories Rooted in Wyoming
In Wyoming, creativity often grows quietly. Not loudly announced or polished for attention, but built slowly through observation, imagination, resilience, and a life deeply connected to people and place.
Here in Gillette, a growing community of children’s authors is proving that meaningful storytelling can come from places often overlooked on the map.
Rooted in Wyoming values, these writers are creating stories shaped by wide open landscapes, small town connection, family, adventure, faith, imagination, and heart. Their work reflects the culture of the region in an authentic way, reminding readers that creativity belongs just as much to ranch roads and prairie towns as it does to big cities.
Whether inspired by the silence of the prairie, the lessons learned through hardship, the wonder of childhood, or the simple beauty of everyday life, each author brings a unique voice to the page. Despite their differences, all share a common purpose: creating stories that encourage, inspire, and connect.
Laura Tetrault
At the center of Laura Tetrault’s writing is a simple but powerful belief: “This isn’t about me.”
Like many authors, Laura understands the vulnerability that comes with releasing creative work into the world. Yet whenever self-doubt begins to creep in, she returns to the purpose behind her writing.
For Laura, children’s books are not about recognition or personal achievement. Instead, they are about helping young readers believe in themselves. Encouraging confidence. Sharing important messages. Creating stories that help children see their own value and potential.
If even one child feels inspired, encouraged, or understood because of something Laura has written, she considers that a success.
Her work reflects a deep sense of compassion and purpose, reminding readers that stories have the power to shape how children see themselves and the world around them.
Laurin Jensen
When Laurin Jensen first began creating stories, her goal was simple: write something meaningful, imaginative, and enjoyable for the children in her life.
Her book Curly Q. Makes Wishes Come True grew from the playful imagination of her nieces and nephews. Their make-believe playtime helped inspire a story full of wonder, creativeness, and a gentle lesson about being careful what you wish for.
For Laurin, storytelling is a way to capture the creativity of childhood while also sharing messages that are wholesome, thoughtful, and true to her values. She believes children’s books can be fanciful and fun while still offering lessons that families can appreciate.
Her stories - although not directly centered around Wyoming - reflect the heart of a local author who values family, imagination, and stories that children can enjoy time and time again.
Matthew Mordecai
For Matthew Mordecai, writing became a place where a busy mind could finally find peace.
Growing up with ADHD, Matthew often felt like his thoughts were moving faster than the world around him. He describes his mind as a “racing bunny,” constantly hopping from one idea to the next. Focus was often a challenge, but writing offered something different. It became a place where his imagination had room to breathe and where his thoughts could finally take shape.
When he writes, the noise quiets. Ideas that once felt overwhelming become stories. Creativity becomes focus. What began as a personal outlet eventually revealed itself as a hidden talent.
Today, Matthew embraces the imaginative side of himself that writing helped uncover. Through storytelling, he shares the creativity, humor, and wonder that have always been part of who he is, proving that sometimes, our greatest strengths come from the very things that once felt like obstacles.
Lora Egbert
For Lora Egbert, authentic storytelling begins with paying attention. The small moments. The everyday interactions. The values that quietly shape a community.
Living in Gillette has given her a deep appreciation for the pace of life, the connection between neighbors, and the sense of belonging that defines many Wyoming communities. Those experiences naturally find their way into her stories.
Her books celebrate simplicity, outdoor adventure, curiosity, and connection. They remind children that meaningful adventures do not always require distant destinations. Sometimes, the greatest discoveries can be found right where they are.
Through relatable characters and grounded storytelling, Lora captures the spirit of Wyoming life while encouraging young readers to appreciate the beauty and wonder already surrounding them.
Robin Popp
Pen Name: Robin Gail Bunn
For Robin Popp, Wyoming is more than a place to live; it is a landscape rich with story, history, and possibility.
She finds inspiration in the scale of the land, the silence between the hills, and the feeling that the past still lingers across the plains. While her body of written work spans many settings, Wyoming’s deep sense of place and culture continually offers Robin a meaningful source of reflection and creative inspiration.
She has written 19 books - stories that have taken readers beyond Wyoming, including several set in Texas. Robin’s more recent work, including Why Wyoming?, turns a closer eye toward the state she calls home, exploring its character, beauty, and distinctive spirit.
Robin’s hope for her newer work is that Wyoming readers may recognize pieces of home within these stories, while readers from elsewhere gain a greater appreciation for the state’s landscape, history, and enduring sense of wonder.
A Creative Community
Together, these authors represent something larger than books alone.
They represent a creative culture quietly growing across Wyoming. One built not on trends or attention, but on sincerity, imagination, and connection to community. Their stories reflect the same values often found throughout Gillette itself: resilience, authenticity, family, hard work, creativity, and heart. Perhaps that is what makes their work feel so special.
These are not stories trying to escape our state; they are stories deeply proud to come from it.
And in every page, they offer something that feels increasingly rare: a reminder that some of the best stories are still being written, right here at home.
Where the Coffee Is Always Hot
Written by: Savannah Maddocks
Photographed
by:
Tonya Bennett
Walk into Lula Belle’s Café on any given morning, and you will see Gillette sitting around the same room.
A rancher fresh off a county road sipping coffee beside a welder heading to an early shift. High school kids laughing around tables while retirees settle into familiar conversations they have probably had a hundred times before. Travelers passing through town share space near families who have been coming here for generations.
Outside, the parking lot tells the same story. A worn 1965 Chevy parked beside a muddy ranch pickup. A Land Rover next to an oilfield work truck coated in Wyoming dust. Different lives, different backgrounds, and different stories, somehow all meeting in the same place.
That is the magic of
Lula Belle’s Café.
In a world where so much constantly changes, Lula Belle’s holds steady.
The beauty of Lula Belle’s is that everyone seems to naturally find a place at the table. During our visit, Sharon and Allan English had traveled all the way from Australia. Sitting together over breakfast, they carried the kind of warmth that makes strangers feel like old friends. They spoke of their travels, the places they had seen, and the people they had met along the way. But what stood out most was their appreciation for life’s simple moments.
There was a tenderness in the way they shared stories, laughed together, and enjoyed the morning around them. No rush. No agenda. Just two people enjoying tasty food, good conversation, and the gift of experiencing a new corner of the world together. In many ways, they represented something Lula Belle’s has always offered: a place to slow down, connect, and appreciate the simple beauty of everyday life.
For more than sixty years, the café has quietly served as one of Gillette’s great gathering places. Not because it is flashy or trendy, but because it offers something increasingly rare: Warmth. Familiarity. Consistency. In a world where so much constantly changes, Lula Belle’s holds steady.
The coffee is always hot. The food is always comforting. The welcome feels the same, whether it is your first visit or your thousandth.
There is something deeply Wyoming about that kind of consistency. Community here has never been built through grand gestures alone; it is built through ordinary moments repeated over time. Shared breakfasts before work. Waitresses remembering your order. Coffee cups quietly refilled before they are empty. Conversations that begin with the weather and somehow drift into stories that span decades.
Places like Lula Belle’s become part of the heartbeat of a town. They hold first dates, business meetings, celebrations, reunions, and conversations after funerals. They witness entire lifetimes unfolding, one cup of coffee at a time.
Few people know that better than John.
Nearly sixty years ago, John worked downstairs washing dishes and peeling potatoes to help pay for groceries. Like many Wyoming stories, his life was built through hard work. He went on to work in the oil fields, ranch cattle, and raise a family before eventually retiring. Today, if the doors are open, chances are John is already sitting at his usual table.
Beside him is his longtime friend, Randy, who has been coming just as long. Randy laughs that while he never officially worked at Lula Belle’s, he certainly washed enough dishes over the years to pay off more than a few meals. More recently, their friend, Greg, has joined the crew, becoming another familiar face around the table.
Together, the three men have become part of the café itself. Their conversations drift easily between cattle, old oilfield stories, local history, family memories, and plenty of laughter. They represent something that places like Lula Belle’s preserve so well. Not just meals, but friendships. Not just routines, but belonging.
The café itself has been passed down from one generation to the next. Sisters Laurie and Jolene began their involvement in the restaurant in 1989, and they took over ownership from their mother in 1997. Their roots in the café run deep, and together they helped carry forward the values that have made Lula Belle’s a local institution. Following Jolene’s passing, Laurie now serves as the café’s sole owner, continuing that family legacy with the same dedication and care that have defined Lula Belle’s for generations.
That legacy can be found in something as simple as a piece of sourdough toast. The starter used today comes from Laurie’s husband. Though he has since passed, the starter continues to live on, carefully maintained and nurtured through the years. Every morning, it still finds its way onto the
tables of the community, feeding people much the same way it once fed family gathered around their own kitchen table.
There is something beautiful about that. Flour and water transformed through patience, care, and time. A tradition passed down through generations, still serving others decades later. In many ways, the sourdough feels symbolic of Lula Belle’s itself: passed down, protected, and strengthened over time.
Because in a town like Gillette, food has always meant more than food. It means comfort after long days. Familiarity during changing seasons. A reason to gather and linger a little longer around the table.
Over the years, Lula Belle’s has become more than a place to eat. It has become a place where friendships are built, where generations gather, and where community shows up for one another when life gets difficult.
When Laurie’s husband passed away, it was the people surrounding Lula Belle’s who stepped forward without hesitation. Customers, regulars, and friends rallied around her family, helping with funeral expenses and offering support during one of life’s most difficult seasons. The people who had spent years sharing breakfasts and conversations around those tables became the very people helping carry grief when it arrived.
That same spirit of loyalty can be seen in countless stories connected to the café. When local resident Nathan Kissick passed away, friends Steven Antolovich and Austin Hill drove more than twenty-one hours from Pittsburgh to attend his funeral. The miles did not matter. Nathan was family.
Their journey reflected values that run deep throughout Wyoming and among the people who gather at places like Lula Belle’s. Loyalty. Friendship. Commitment. The belief that when life becomes difficult, you show up for the people you love.
Inside the café, those values continue to reveal themselves in small ways every day. A coffee paid for anonymously. Someone checking on a regular who missed breakfast. A waitress asking about a grandchild by name because she genuinely remembers. These moments are not extraordinary because they are rare. They are extraordinary because they happen so often.
People certainly come for the handmade Chicken Fried Steak, fresh hamburgers, hand-cut fries, homemade dinner rolls, famous pies, and legendary caramel rolls. But food alone does not explain why generations continue returning to the same tables year after year. The real reason is something that can’t be put on a menu:
Lula Belle’s feels like home.
It feels like the Gillette many people know and love. A place where hard work matters. Where people know your name. Where stories are shared freely and friendships are built slowly over time.
As the morning crowd comes and goes, coffee cups are refilled, orders are called from the kitchen, and conversations continue across worn tables that have held decades of memories. And somewhere in those simple moments is the reason Lula Belle’s has remained a cornerstone of the community for so long.
Not because it serves food, but because it serves people.
37 Year Gillette Resident
Executive Director, Gillette College Foundation
Proven Energy & Public Service Experience
Rooted Here, Serving Here
Focused on Infrastructure & Economic Growth
Championed Sports Tourism & Local Business
Smart Stewardship & Wyoming Values
SMALL TOWN. BIG WYOMING SPIRIT.
WRIGHT IS WHERE INDUSTRY, HERITAGE, AND COMMUNITY THRIVE.
TOP THINGS TO DO IN WRIGHT WYOMING
DURHAM BISON RANCH
One of the world’s largest and oldest working buffalo ranches sprawled out on 55,000 acres.
PANTHER POND
Wright’s go-to fishing hole and is stocked with a variety of species like channel catfish, green sunfish, largemouth bass, and rainbow trout.
WRIGHT VISITORS CENTER
Open Memorial Day through Labor Day. 15089 WY-387, Wright, WY 82732 (307) 464-0079
CENTENNIAL MUSEUM
Honoring Wyoming history, the Wright Centennial Museum hosts a collection of curated artifacts from the early homestead and cowboy days to the more modern era when Gillette and Wright became the Energy Capital of the Nation.
WRIGHT REC CENTER
Equipped with a lazy river pool, a hot tub, picnic areas, and two playgrounds, the Wright Recreation Center offers a variety of activities for families.
THUNDER BASIN
NATIONAL GRASSLANDS
Explore your public lands
Forging a Nation
Nation
Written by: Savannah Maddocks
Photography by: Tonya Bennett
Inside Western Welding Academy in Gillette, sparks y long before sunrise. Welding hoods drop, grinders hum, and steel begins to take shape under steady hands learning a trade that built nations long before it built resumes.
But what is happening here is much bigger than welding.
It is the rebuilding of a mindset, a work ethic, and a respect for blue collar labor that once stood at the center of American life. Western Welding Academy is not designed to feel like a traditional college experience. There are no distractions, no party culture, no unnecessary academic u . Instead, students are treated like they are already on the job. They show up ready to work, and they are expected to carry themselves with discipline, focus, and accountability.
The academy places American values, work ethic, accountability, and integrity at the forefront of development. These are not side notes to the education; they are the foundation of it. Students are not only learning how to weld. They are learning how to think under pressure, how to endure failure, and how to take pride in building something real with their own hands.
Eighty ve percent of training happens directly in the booth under real world conditions, guided by instructors with decades of industry experience. The philosophy is simple: train like you are already on the job.
That mindset re ects something deeply familiar to Wyoming.
Gillette has always been a place built by energy, industry, ranching, and trade work. Hard jobs. Honest work. Work that requires showing up when it’s cold, early and di cult. Western Welding Academy ts naturally into that culture because it reinforces what the community has always valued. E ort matters. Craftsmanship matters. Character is built through doing.
But the impact of the academy extends far beyond its walls.
Students travel to Gillette from across the country to train here, bringing new energy, housing demand, and business into the local economy. Apartments ll with young welders starting new chapters. Restaurants, co ee shops, gyms, and small businesses all feel the presence of a growing trade school culture rooted in ambition and hard work. Gillette becomes not just a backdrop for training, but a place where the next generation of skilled workers brie y live, learn, and contribute.
Many leave with something lasting from this place. A respect for discipline. A pride in craftsmanship. A reminder that skill is earned, not given.
That culture becomes even more visible during Weld Comp, where Gillette transforms into a national gathering place for welders and instructors from across the country. Students from Texas, Wyoming, and beyond arrive with boots, gear, and focus, stepping into a space that is equal parts competition and community.
From the moment they arrive, there is a shared respect for Gillette itself. Visitors quickly recognize that this is a town built on hard work and humility. A place where skilled labor is not just understood, but valued.
Inside the booths, the work is intense. Arcs steady. Hands precise. Time measured in focus and control. But outside the competition oor, something just as important is happening. Students and instructors connect, share experiences, and realize they are part of a larger national community built on the same principles.
Hard work matters. Discipline matters. Precision matters.
Showing up matters.
Among those instructors is Chuck Sauer from Dumas, Texas, who brings his high school welding students to Weld Comp each year. His program is nationally recognized for producing elite young welders who consistently compete at high levels. But what stands out most is not just their performance. It is the shared respect between instructors, students, founders, and programs like Western Welding Academy.
Sauer’s students step into Gillette not only to compete, but to grow. And each year, the experience reinforces something deeper than awards; it reinforces connection, humility, and pride in the trade.
Across Weld Comp, instructors stand alongside instructors. Students learn from students. And everyone involved recognizes that they are part of something bigger than themselves. A culture where welding is not just a skill, but a shared language built on e ort and respect.
Western Welding Academy plays a central role in that culture. It is not only a training ground, but a symbol of what modern trade education can look like when stripped down to its essentials. No shortcuts. No distractions. Just skill, discipline, and repetition until mastery begins to form.
And while the academy helps shape individual careers, it also helps shape something broader.
A renewed respect for the trades in America. A reminder that infrastructure, energy, manufacturing, and construction all depend on people willing to build with their hands.
In many ways, what is happening in Gillette is not just education; it is a cultural correction. A return to valuing the people who physically build the world around us.
Whether stepping inside the welding booths at Western Welding Academy as a student, or as a competitor on the oor at Weld Comp, the message remains the same:
This work matters. These people matter. And the future is being forged, one weld at a time.
(100) 18”x24” White Corrugated Signs with Navy Blue, Gold Print Double Sided - Vertical Flutes (100) 30” H-Stakes
Hotels
Brkfst Pets
Alamo Inn & Suites 608 E 2nd St Gillette 307-682-9341 Yes Yes Yes
Arbuckle Lodge 1400 S Garner Lake Rd Gillette 307-685-6363 In Yes Yes
Baymont by Wyndham Gillette 2105 Rodgers Dr Gillette
Best Western Tower West Lodge
Budget Inn Express
N Hwy 14-16
No Yes Yes
In No Yes
Comfort Inn & Suites 1607 W 2nd St Gillette 307-685-2223 In Yes Yes
Days Inn by Wyndham 910 E Boxelder Rd Gillette
Fairfield Inn & Suites Gillette 2577 S Douglas Hwy Gillette
Garner by IHG (Country Inn & Suites) 2597 S Douglas Hwy
No Yes Yes
In Yes No
In Yes No Hank’s Lodge
Rampart Dr Wright 307-464-1115 No No No
Holiday Inn Express 1908 Cliff Davis Ave Gillette 307-686-9576 In Yes Yes
Home 2 Suites by Hilton 1120 E Boxelder Rd Gillette 307-257-7040 Yes Yes Yes
Howard Johnson 1004 E Hwy 14-16 Gillette 307-363-1874 No Yes Yes
La Quinta Inns & Suites 450 E Boxelder Dr
National 9 519 Latigo Dr
No No
No No Yes National 9 Inn 1020 E Hwy 14-16 Gillette 307-682-5111 Out Yes* Yes Quality Inn
No Yes Yes The Eddie Hotel
S Douglas Hwy
In Yes* Yes Summit Suites 211 Decker Ct Gillette 307-686-2000 In Yes No Super 8 208 Decker Ct Gillette
TownePlace Suites by Marriott Gillette 1715 West 2nd St
Travelodge by Wyndham Gillette 2307 Wyoming Ave
Wingate by Wyndham 1801 Cliff Davis Dr
No Yes Yes
Campgrounds
No Yes* Yes
In Yes No Wright Hotel
Restaurants
Cinco De Mayo Restaurant and Bar
103 E. 3rd St. - Gillette
The Local
202 S. Kendrick Ave. - Gillette
Ranch & Roost
101 S. Warren Ave. - Gillette
Big Lost Meadery & Brewery (Wyoming’s only Meadery)
103 S. Warren Ave. - Gillette
The Railyard - Gillette
113 S. Gillette Ave. - Gillette
1892 Restaurant & Lounge
206 S. Gillette Ave. - Gillette
Lula Belle’s Cafe
101 N. Gillette Ave. - Gillette
Home of the Hot Mess Cookie
316 S. Gillette Ave. - Gillette
The Ice Cream Cafe
202 S. Gillette Ave. - Gillette
The Coop
208 W. 2nd St. - Gillette
The Frosty Cow
900 Camel Dr. Suite DD - Gillette
The Prime Rib Restaurant & Wine Cellar 1205 S. Gillette Ave. - Gillette
Pokey’s BBQ & Smokehouse
408 S. Douglas Hwy - Gillette
Pizza Carrello
601 S. Douglas Hwy - Gillette
Suka Hibachi Express 500 OR Dr. - Gillette
Humphrey’s Bar & Grill
408 W. Juniper Ln. - Gillette
Wyoming Rib & Chop 2721 Douglas Hwy - Gillette
The Alley Coffee House & Juice Bar
2701 Powder Basin Ave. Suite A - Gillette
The Main Bagel
2610 S. Douglas HWY #170 - Gillette
*moving in 2026/2027 to 1920 Cliff Davis Dr.
Attractions/Tours
AVA Community Art Center 509 W. 2nd St. - Gillette
Avenue of Art Sculpture Walk 314 S. Gillette Ave. - Gillette
Axe House 5201 S. Douglas Hwy. - Gillette
Bicentennial Park
300 W. Warlow Dr. - Gillette
Camelanes Bowling Center
1005 W. 2nd St. - Gillette
Campbell County Rockpile Museum 900 W. 2nd St. - Gillette
City Park/City Pool 909 S. Gillette Ave. - Gillette
Dalbey Memorial Park 900 Edwards St. - Gillette
Eagle Butte Overlook 10023 US Hwy 14/16 - Gillette
Flightzone/Golfzone 4901 Tanner Dr. - Gillette
Frontier Auto Museum & Relics 205 S. Ross Ave. - Gillette
Visit Gillette Downtown 314 S. Gillette Ave. - Gillette
Gillette Historic Walking Tours (TravelStorys App) Gillette Ave. - Gillette
Inspiration Gardens at Mt. Pisgah 804 S. Emerson St. - Gillette
Ironhorse Skateway (skating rink) 885 Hannum Rd. - Gillette
McManamen Park
501 W. Warlow Dr. - Gillette
Studio City Foothills Theater 630 N. Hwy 14/16 - Gillette
Wright Centennial Museum (seasonal) 104 Ranch Rd. - Wright
Wright Visitor’s Center (seasonal) 15089 WY-387 - Wright
Store/Grocery
Albertson’s 2610 S. Douglas Hwy - Gillette
Gillette Cheese Barn 2701 S. Douglas Hwy - Gillette
Don’s Supermarket 1501 E. 2nd St. - Gillette
Heaven to Earth 520 E. Boxelder Rd. - Gillette
Kohler’s Meat and Sausage Company 4905 Hitt Blvd. - Gillette
La Casita Mexican Store 208 E. 2nd St. - Gillette
Marshalls 2610 S. Douglas Hwy #255 - Gillette
Menard’s 101 E. Lakeway Rd. - Gillette
Smith’s Food and Drug 906 Camel Dr. - Gillette
Sportsman’s Warehouse 91 Town Center Dr. - Gillette
Rocky Mountain Discount Sports 4706 S. Douglas Hwy. - Gillette
The Urban Basket 221 S. Gillette Ave. - Gillette
Universal Athletic 2701 S. Douglas Hwy - Gillette
Wal-Mart 2300 S. Douglas Hwy - Gillette
Wyoming Work Warehouse 410 E. Lakeway Rd. - Gillette
Most EPC firms were engineered first.
We were built in the field.
Landmark EPC brings engineering, procurement, and construction under one roof — eliminating handoffs, fingerpointing, and delays that keep projects from moving forward.
We think like builders because we are builders.
And when the stakes are high, execution matters more than presentations. Built a little different.
And our future depends on them.
Ken Clouston believes the future of Wyoming should be built on hard work, practical leadership, and commonsense solutions — not political theater. As a healthcare provider, business owner, and Wyoming House District 32 Legislator, Ken is fighting to protect Wyoming jobs, strengthen our communities, and keep Wyoming strong for future generations.