absaroka mountains

In 1893, young geologist Thomas Jaggar joined Arnold Hague’s expedition to map the Absaroka Mountains east of Yellowstone. Their 77-day journey through Wyoming’s rugged terrain documented the geology of what would become Shoshone National Forest, producing some of the earliest photographs and scientific records of this remote region.

The mining town of Kirwin, Wyo., once a thriving concern, held promise of gold and other riches during its heyday in the late 1800s, but went into decline in the early 1900s. The scenic beauty of the area drew aviatrix Amelia Earhart to the Double Dee Ranch nearby in the 1930s, but her dreams of a vacation cabin there were never realized.