Serving the Big Horn Basin for over 100 years
Serving the Big Horn Basin for over 100 years
On Saturday, April 27, Medicine Lodge Archeological Site held a grand opening and ribbon cutting event for their new Cultural Center. Featured above is (l-r) Park Maintenance Technician Lyndi Speiser, Central Wyoming College's Tribal Education Coordinator Ivan Posey, Park Superintendent Heather Jolley, Bighorn District Manager Brooks Jordan and Director of Wyoming State Parks and Cultural Resources Dave Glenn. Jolley said they are just a few of many people that helped with the completion of the project.
Wyoming State Park and Cultural Resources' Medicine Lodge Archaeological Site, located northeast of Hyattville, hosted a grand opening for their new Cultural Center on Saturday, April 27.
According to Wyoming State Parks Bighorn District Manager Brooks Jordan, who had the original idea for the Cultural Center, he felt as though the park was lacking indigenous interpretation, resulting in his idea that was brought to life.
"So the initial concept for this project came about when we knew we needed to do a better job interpreting the culture and history of this site," said Jordan. "We did a really wonderful job of interpreting the archeology, but people were still left wondering what life was like for the people that lived here for thousands of years," he said.
"The idea behind the cultural experience is to immerse visitors in different time periods throughout different season and introduce different cultures as well," said Jordan.
Jordan's initial concept was taken to The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust's Rural Healthcare program in 2020. This program strives to "improve healthcare access and outcomes in rural America," according to a Wyoming State Parks press release on April 24.
Director of Wyoming State Parks and Cultural Resources Dave Glenn at the grand opening said the Helmsley Charitable Trust was quick to support and fund the project, but due to COVID-19 complications, the project's progress was slowed.
Glenn noted that the trust typically funds projects for two years, so he was appreciative that the project was funded for five years throughout the pandemic. According to the press release, the park received a grant from the trust totaling $600,000.
Park Superintendent Heather Jolley said the park broke ground for construction in May 2021 and has worked on the project since then.
Now completed, "the cultural experience will take you through four different time periods through four different seasons and really focus in on the culture and what life was like for the people that lived here at Medicine Lodge over the course of more than 10,000 years," said Jordan.
During a 15- to 20-minute tour, visitors will be guided through a series of rooms where they will watch various videos detailing early Medicine Lodge experiences, ending in current indigenous experiences and perspectives.
The team at Medicine Lodge expressed their thanks to numerous people and organizations that made the project possible.
"I think in particular, I'd like to thank the folks that we worked with closely from the reservation and elsewhere. This really is something that couldn't have happened without the input and involvement of tribal people and people representing indigenous cultures," said Jordan.
A Helmsley Trustee, Walter Panzirer, said in the press release, "State parks provide access to some of the most beautiful and historical parts of our country [...] We are proud to partner with Wyoming State Parks to add an engaging educational experience to Medicine Lodge State Archaeological Site."
