Most of the times, when you see photos of Wyoming, they’re of our stunning national parks. Not to knock Oxbow Bend or Old Faithful, but sometimes it’s fun to look through photos that show our state in a different light! These vintage photos of Wyoming show what life was like in the 1930s and 1940s, back when Wyoming was even wilder than it is now.

Living in Wyoming almost feels like we're living in the past. The simple way of life is nostalgic, and many who visit here say there's nothing quite like it.
Photogrammar / Arthur Rothstein
Here, though, is a solid look at the ways Wyoming has changed, and how it has stayed the same, over the years.
Photogrammar / Arthur Rothstein
For generations, sheep herders drove wagons up and down Wyoming's roads and trails to do their work.
Photogrammar / Arthur Rothstein
Well, they call it the Cowboy State for a reason, and in the 1930s, there was only one way to get across Wyoming.
Photogrammar / Arthur Rothstein
Drought management was just as important back then as it is now! Here, a committee visits a dam near Gillette.
Photogrammar / Arthur Rothstein

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Here's one way to protect a natural spring! This was taken in Converse County in the late 1930s.
Photogrammar / Arthur Rothstein
Fort Bridger doesn't look much different today than it did when it was established in the 1800s. This photo from the 1930s shows it looking very much the same.
Photogrammar / Arthur Rothstein
Speaking of things that don't change much... the Continental Divide is certainly still noticeable in Sweetwater County.
Photogrammar / Arthur Rothstein
Wyoming University, on the other hand, has undergone a tremendous transformation!
Photogrammar / Arthur Rothstein
The entirety of Jackson Hole has evolved (or devolved, some would say) from a quaint cowboy community to an enormous international tourism destination.
Photogrammar / Marion Post Wolcott
Overall, though our small towns have retained their charm since these photos were taken, and there's still nothing like living way out here.
Photogrammar / Arthur Rothstein

I can never get enough of the stories from Wyoming’s past. How long has your family lived here? Do they remember one of the strangest things that ever happened in the state – the Devils Tower incident? Read about it here: In October 1941, The Unthinkable Happened In Wyoming.

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