(South Pass City, WY) – The Friends of South Pass and South Pass City State Historic Site are excited to announce a grant award in the amount of $3,500 from The Wyoming Cultural Trust Fund.
Matching funds are being contributed by the Friends for an upcoming project to expand the exhibition capacity in the Ervin Store.
The Ervin Store is a reconstruction of a building that was originally a meat market in South Pass City in the 1890s. It fell into disrepair in the 1960s and was rebuilt by the Wyoming Recreation Commission. It was subsequently used as a wood shop, then a theater for public presentations, and most recently as a space for exhibitions in display cases.
This grant will allow SPC Historical Site staff to rotate exhibitions more easily, providing an opportunity to display rarely seen history examining the life of miners and town folk.
The first scheduled exhibit after the remodel will be “Picturing South Pass City: Photography in South Pass City.”
It will feature a selection of historic photographs the historic site collection and includes photographers like William Henry Jackson, J.E. Stimson, and countless itinerant and amateur photographers.
“The Ervin Store Exhibition project is a great example of how we strive to keep South Pass City Historic Site fresh and relevant,” said Tim Robeson, Friends of South Pass Secretary/Treasurer.
Other projects in recent history include the Carissa Mine, English Tunnel, renovation of the Smith Sherlock Store (including a working old-time telephone), Arrastra, Stamp Mill and developing a trail system.
Robeson concluded with, “This is not the same old South Pass City. There are still new and interesting things that even I haven’t seen, so I would encourage everyone to make sure South Pass City is in their plans for 2023.”
For More Information Contact:
Joe Ellis, Superintendent, South Pass City State Historic Site
1-307-332-3684 or [email protected]