is an affectionate nickname for Thermopolis, WY, a city in the center of the state. Thermopolis, which means city of heat in Greek, is home to the largest mineral hot springs in the world. The presence of these springs creates a microclimate unlike the rest of the state--somewhat warmer and slightly more humid. The city is home to Hot Springs State Park, which includes a recently refurbished free bath house with indoor and outdoor pools and comfortable dressing rooms. The mineral water creates all sorts of interesting colors with the deposits. This tendency of the water has been exploited in a couple of fountains where the water comes over the top and runs down over rock which then changes color as minerals are deposited on it. You can drink the water, and it is probably even good for you, but it sure doesn't taste too yummy!
Some information in here I have mentioned in an earlier post. You might check it out for some elaboration and repetition. A good, cheap place to stay that I just discovered is Roundtop Mountain Motel, just outside the park. They have scrupulously clean cabins with kitchenettes only 4 blocks away for much cheaper.
Thermop is also the home town of our current governor, Dave Freudenthal.
Downtown is quaint, although perhaps struggling a bit. There are some empty storefronts, and those who come here often know that businesses come and go. For instance, for a few years, there was a fabulous artist-owned gallery on Broadway. There's several antique shops/flea markets, as well, but they seem to shift about periodically. One constant on Broadway has been Keeping You in Stitches, the quilt shop. They have a lovely selection of fabric and quilting supplies, and also partner in hosting a quilting retreat each year. I noted today that there's a new yarn and needlecraft shop across the street from it which I am looking forward to checking out tomorrow.
Thermopolis is home to the Dinosaur museum, which I talked about in an earlier post. Another museum worth checking out is Dancing Bear Folk Center, in the Old West Wax Museum complex. Dancing Bear celebrates the many crafts people have done for centuries such as spinning, weaving, food preservation, tatting and much much more. It also, curiously, includes a large collection of teddy bears. The Old West Wax Museum is "a historic wax museum focusing on the American West frontier and folk history and culture" which has figures made in some very specific style I can't recall right now.
Thermop also has a strong drama program in its high school. If you happen to be in town on the rare occasion that they offer a play, I recommend attending. They have one of the nicest auditoriums in the state and take full advantage of it.
Showing posts with label Thermopolis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Thermopolis. Show all posts
Thursday, May 01, 2008
Sunday, February 26, 2006
Thermopolis
Thermopolis is a lovely little town in the center of the state with one of the world's largest natural hot springs. Thermopolis is the site of Hot Springs State Park, which has a free bathhouse. The park is a beautiful site where the hot springs run over colored terraces and which is the home to the Hot Springs Bison Herd.
There are two nice hotels in the park itself--the Best Western Plaza Inn and the Holiday Inn. The Best Western is a restored hotel with log furniture and breakfast and a hot springs fed hot pool, plus a swimming pool in the summer. The Holiday Inn also has a hot springs pool and a restaurant. The hotel has a safari theme with pictures of people hunting and many preserved animals all over the place.
Downtown there's a lovely gallery and museum. Sunshine Gallery is owned by a local metal artist and stocks artwork by artists from in state and elsewhere across the country. There's an excellent museum well worth the stop called Dancing Bear Folk Art Center. This center showcases traditional arts, including exhibits and demonstrations of spinning, weaving, food ways, marbles, needle felting and much more. It has the largest collection of artist bears in the country. During the annual marble exhibit, which includes old and new marbles of all sizes, they have a variety of marble games available to play with, including musical marble trees. Above the Folk Arts Center is the Old West Wax Museum.
One other spot to stop is Domhoff Gallery, which is on the Worland road north of town on the west side. Two potters live there, mother and son, and they do unusual dinnerware and a variety of other functional pottery. They were both trained in Germany.
There are two nice hotels in the park itself--the Best Western Plaza Inn and the Holiday Inn. The Best Western is a restored hotel with log furniture and breakfast and a hot springs fed hot pool, plus a swimming pool in the summer. The Holiday Inn also has a hot springs pool and a restaurant. The hotel has a safari theme with pictures of people hunting and many preserved animals all over the place.
Downtown there's a lovely gallery and museum. Sunshine Gallery is owned by a local metal artist and stocks artwork by artists from in state and elsewhere across the country. There's an excellent museum well worth the stop called Dancing Bear Folk Art Center. This center showcases traditional arts, including exhibits and demonstrations of spinning, weaving, food ways, marbles, needle felting and much more. It has the largest collection of artist bears in the country. During the annual marble exhibit, which includes old and new marbles of all sizes, they have a variety of marble games available to play with, including musical marble trees. Above the Folk Arts Center is the Old West Wax Museum.
One other spot to stop is Domhoff Gallery, which is on the Worland road north of town on the west side. Two potters live there, mother and son, and they do unusual dinnerware and a variety of other functional pottery. They were both trained in Germany.
Thursday, December 08, 2005
Dinosaurs
Wyoming is a state for dinosaurs. If you want to see evidence of their existence, come here. National Geographic had a "top ten" list sometime this last year compiled by a dinosaur expert. Wyoming was one his picks for places to find dinosaur artifacts. 50 different kinds of dinosaurs have been discovered in Wyoming, and skeletons from here are in museums all over the world.
If you like dinosaurs, try some of these spots:
The Wyoming Dinosaur Center in Thermopolis. They have a museum with mounted dinosaur skeletons and you can tour actual dig sites. Besides, Thermop is a great town to spend some time in.
Red Gulch Dinosaur Track Site: when you leave Thermopolis, drive north into the Big Horn Basin through Worland to Greybull and then turn east on US 14 towards Shell. Along the route you'll find a turn for the track site. It is a couple miles south on a dirt road. This is a fabulous spot for kids and adults alike. Out in the high desert, where there used to be a tropical sea, there are actual dinosaur footprints where there used to be a beach. There is nothing in the world like dinosaur tracks! There are interpretive signs, and a picnic area.
Western Wyoming Community College has a large dinosaur exhibit.
The University of Wyoming Geology Museum, in Laramie on the University campus, houses skeletons of dinosaurs and other early mammals, including large aquatic mammals.
On US highway 30 between Rock River and Medicine Bow, there is a site called Como Bluff. It is on the north side of the road. There is a queer little cabin/museum, the Dinosaur Fossile Cabin Museum, which is only open in the summer. It is made entirely of dinosaur bone fragments. It is private property, so be careful, but you can see and read a little.
An interesting piece of related trivia: Wyoming is apparently one of only two states to have both a state dinosaur (the Triceratops) and a state fossil (a small fish called Knightia). See if your state has a state fossil here.
If you like dinosaurs, try some of these spots:
The Wyoming Dinosaur Center in Thermopolis. They have a museum with mounted dinosaur skeletons and you can tour actual dig sites. Besides, Thermop is a great town to spend some time in.
Red Gulch Dinosaur Track Site: when you leave Thermopolis, drive north into the Big Horn Basin through Worland to Greybull and then turn east on US 14 towards Shell. Along the route you'll find a turn for the track site. It is a couple miles south on a dirt road. This is a fabulous spot for kids and adults alike. Out in the high desert, where there used to be a tropical sea, there are actual dinosaur footprints where there used to be a beach. There is nothing in the world like dinosaur tracks! There are interpretive signs, and a picnic area.
Western Wyoming Community College has a large dinosaur exhibit.
The University of Wyoming Geology Museum, in Laramie on the University campus, houses skeletons of dinosaurs and other early mammals, including large aquatic mammals.
On US highway 30 between Rock River and Medicine Bow, there is a site called Como Bluff. It is on the north side of the road. There is a queer little cabin/museum, the Dinosaur Fossile Cabin Museum, which is only open in the summer. It is made entirely of dinosaur bone fragments. It is private property, so be careful, but you can see and read a little.
An interesting piece of related trivia: Wyoming is apparently one of only two states to have both a state dinosaur (the Triceratops) and a state fossil (a small fish called Knightia). See if your state has a state fossil here.
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