The Lola Homsher Grant Program is made possible through the Lola Homsher Endowment Fund.

Six applicants were chosen for the the year 2001 to receive $500 grants each to aid in completion of their work:

• Bren Lieske (Laramie, Wyoming) plans "to conduct interviews with many of the longtime residents of the Little Snake River Valley agricultural community," and to use this information as a basis for further interviews and the possibility of a book. Through her work with the Wyoming Energy Council, Bren has been invited into the homes of many of these residents, and "realized how valuable a resource these people could be for Wyoming History."
• Bess Arnold and James Ernberger (Cheyenne, Wyoming) - Bess Arnold, an experienced free lance writer of the history of the area, and James Ernberger, a recognized historian of the Union Pacific, propose to publish a "handy, concise pictorial publication-narrating the history of the Union Pacific Depot," and requested Homsher Grant money to help defray the cost of purchasing the right to publish the pertinent historical photographs. Because this depot is one of the most historic and recognized buildings in Wyoming, and like most historic buildings is vulnerable to decay and change, this publication will be a valuable record of the building and document the importance that railroads have played in Wyoming history.
• Carl Hallberg (Laramie, Wyoming), an archivist for the Wyoming State Archives, will complete a project surveying the records of the ethnic churches of Wyoming. These records are scattered among many venues in the state, including established archives and those tucked away in basements. A survey form will be developed as a basis of this research. "Ethnic churches were very significant to immigrants-(they) once dotted the state, but their presence has been forgotten."
• Doralyn H. Edwards (Laramie, Wyoming), head of the library systems of the University of Wyoming Libraries, has teamed with Tami Hert to research the railroads that have served Yellowstone Park and put their findings on a web site that will have links to research and archival institutions, as well as on the Wyoming State Historical Society website. This project will enhance the records of Yellowstone National Park.
• John R. Waggener (Green River, Wyoming), a graduate student in historical geography at the University of Wyoming, is finishing a study of the development of the Wyoming state highway map, considered one of the most outstanding in the United States. The topic, based on his graduate degree thesis, includes information on motor vehicle and tourist trends, as well as the varied types of information included in the Wyoming map. As well, Waggener will relate the history of the highway maps to the history of Wyoming, in general. He plans to create articles for publication.
• Leonard Cash (Newcastle, Wyoming), well-known historian from Weston County, proposes to publish a booklet about his research of the buildings of Newcastle from 1890 until the present. This will be a permanent and valuable record of one of Wyoming's cities.

For more information about the grant program, please see the Wyoming Historical Society Awards Program booklet which is available at each county chapter of the society.

The booklet is also available by writing:
Wyoming Historical Society
Lola Homsher Grant Program
PMB #184, 1740H Dell Range Blvd.
Cheyenne WY 82009-4946