Category: Bear Lake
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Minerva Bernetta Kohlhepp Teichert was a prolific American painter of Western art and subjects from the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Minerva’s faith impacted her artwork throughout her life. Independent and opinionated, Minerva was an outspoken political conservative and women’s rights advocate. Born on August 28, 1888, in Ogden, Utah…
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By Brady Long, Executive Director, Bear Lake Watch For over 30 years, Bear Lake Watch has stood as a steward for one of our region’s most treasured natural resources — Bear Lake. Known for its brilliant turquoise waters, unique ecology, and vital role in our local economy, Bear Lake is not just a scenic getaway…
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Cokeville’s Rural SchoolsFrom 1908 to 1918, homesteaders claimed large portions of the valley, and the school system struggled to educate the student-aged children in the outlying areas. But in the ensuing years, “many who had come seeking good farms were disillusioned by crop failures and inadequate water rights and abandoned or sold their claims to…
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The Cokeville area in Lincoln county, Wyoming shares a fascinating history. Cokeville was not originally a Mormon settlement, but was settled gradually by many groups and individuals who saw opportunities on the banks of Smiths (named after noted mountain manJedediah Smith) Fork and the Bear River.Despite some local folklore, Cokeville was not named for a…
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Montpelier has always been a baseball town. Discussions about religion or politics are often less heated than those involving the latest pennant race or an upcoming series. Allegiance to the Braves, Cubs, Cardinals, Dodgers or Yankees are common knowledge- the sources of endless bantering and passionate dialog, always directed to the favorite or hated teams’…
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So you’ve done all the normal Bear Lake things- been to the beach, returned with a sunburn; grabbed the traditional meal of a burger, french fries and a famous raspberry shake; taken in the zipline at Bridgerland Adventure Park; maybe you’ve even attended a memorable performance at The Pickleville Playhouse, booing and hissing- all in…
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Nick Wilson (1842–1915,) lived an exciting, adventurous, life. Raised in Utah on the western frontier, this Mormon boy ran away from his home to live with the Shoshone Indians. Known as “Yagaiki” among the Shoshones, Wilson became the ‘adopted brother’ of noted Shoshone leader, Chief Washakie. He became widely known as the White Indian Boy.…
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For generations, the railroad was the dominant force in southeastern Idaho, and its payroll the largest in the country. The Oregon Short Line Railroad laid the original track through southeast Idaho. Organized in 1881, the line was intended to be the shortest route (“the short line”) from Wyoming to Oregon and the Pacific Northwest. According…
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J. Patrick Wilde was a noted recorder of life in Bear Lake. His prolific collections of historical tales and legends fill several volumes. His book, “Tidbits: Odd and Obscure Amazing- Amusing Facts, Stories Statistics of Bear Lake History” contained an amusing anticdote from the early 1900s. In an article titled, “How Now Brown Cow,” he…
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The storied Oregon Trail stretched from Missouri through southern Wyoming into the Bear River Valley, along the shores of Bear Lake, continuing through present-day Montpelier and Soda Springs. There spurs separated the Main Trail and The Hudspeth Cutoff before converging near The City of Rocks, in Idaho’s Cassia County. The Oregon Trail was originally a…