Sweetwater County Historical Museum

Discover the rich cultural heritage of southwestern Wyoming at the Sweetwater County Historical Museum in Green River. Established in 1967 to preserve and present the history of Sweetwater County, the museum is housed in a 1931 post office building.

In this old building, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, a treasure trove of bygone days is laid out so visitors can experience what life was like for early settlers and Native Americans. Long- and short-term exhibits, a large photograph collection and local history materials trace the story of Sweetwater County from 1820 to the present. The collection focuses on Native American and fur trade history, mining, transportation, communication, ethnic diversity, and civic and economic development.

Among the distinctive artifacts is a series of Sioux ledger art pieces dating from around the turn of the last century. An important recent acquisition is a Sharps buffalo rifle owned by W.A. Johnson, a Green River pioneer and Sweetwater County Sheriff. Other unique items include a large collection of coal mining artifacts from the Union Pacific Coal Company.

The museum houses permanent and temporary exhibits portraying the lives of early settlers in the area. One significant group of settlers were the Chinese immigrants, who came here to work in the mines and had a large impact on Rock Springs. Chinese objects discovered locally from this immigrant community are on display. Actual rooms are set up that replicate those of an earlier era and a more sedate time.

Depicting an even earlier era, the museum features an exhibit about dinosaurs. To accompany this prehistoric representation, the Bureau of Land Management has loaned a petroglyph from the White Mountain petroglyphs. It is the first time an original artifact such as this will be exhibited in the area.

The museum also has a large collection of historical photos. A highlight of the photo collection is a selection of views showing the now-deserted mining towns of Dines, Winton, E-Plane, Gunn and others in their heyday. The museum’s collection of research materials and photographs are particularly strong in the areas of local history, coal mining and ethnic groups. The staff is always available to help those wanting to research local history.

The museum administers a unique historic property, the Reliance Tipple, located about five miles north of Rock Springs off Highway 191 North. One of the few industrial sites preserved in Wyoming, the tipple was once used to sort and load coal. It was restored and fenced for protection in the late 1980s. A walking path and interpretive signs around the perimeter present the story of the tipple and coal mining.