Welcome to the Hanna Basin Museum Website

The purpose of this website is to help others connect to the past by collecting, preserving and sharing historical information about Wyoming's Hanna Basin. We invite you to explore how the Hanna Basin
​ came to be and how it touched the lives of many.

Created: August 1,  2010
​Last Updated: April 16, 2021
- Over ​Ten Years of Sharing -

Website Provided by Bob Leathers​ ​in Cooperation with the Hanna Basin Historical Society

Website contact information: HannaBasinMuseum@gmail.com (Attention: Bob)​​​

Search Box and Subject Tabs

The best way to locate information on this website is to ​use the search box and subject tabs at the top of this page.

Image from the Past

Hanna No. 3 Town (While Family Collection from Bob Leathers)

Hanna Basin Historical Society Raffle

(Sunshine Solaas - Director - Hanna Basin Museum)

The Hanna Basin Historical Society spent numerous years working towards the complete restoration of the WWI Monument. The monument was originally dedicated to the men that served in WWI and still remains in the lot where the old school used to sit. Originally dedicated July 4th, 1918, this monument is one of a kind and just over one hundred years old. Over the years, the monument, the plaque that adorned the front and the contents of the time capsule within the monument were all damaged in one way or another. The contents were retrieved and the plaque brought back to its original beauty. The monument would prove to be a more difficult task. After searching for contractors we were able to find a company that agreed to restore this magnificent historical piece back to its original splendor.

This restoration was made possible by the generosity and donation of two people. An anonymous donor who graciously gifted a large monetary amount helped us to get this project underway, and Daryl Billings who donated a custom Henry Golden Boy .22 rifle in which we will be raffling off May 30th as part of our Memorial Day celebrations. The funds raised from this raffle will allow us to finish the restoration process. Mr. Billings had the stock of the rifle engraved on both sides; one side has the town of Old Carbon and the other, a picture of the monument itself.

To purchase raffle tickets contact any Hanna Basin Historical Society board member, April Avery or Sunshine Solaas, museum director. You may also mail a check to the museum at PO Box 252, Hanna WY 82327 for tickets to be mailed to you. Tickets are $20 each or 6 for $100.
If you have any questions, please email Sunshine Solaas at:  hannamuseum1889@gmail.com.

*Need not be present to win.

(Sunshine Solaas - Director - Hanna Basin Museum)

(Sunshine Solaas - Director - Hanna Basin Museum)

(Sunshine Solaas - Director - Hanna Basin Museum)

Learn more about the World War I Monument at: Hanna World War I Monument Explained

HANNA BASIN MUSEUM AND CUMMINGS/CRAWFORD COTTAGE 

Sunshine Solaas, Museum Director
​Mike Armstrong, Public Relations Director
April Avery, Museum Staff
Contact the staff at: hannamuseum1889@gmail.com

Cummings - Crawford Cottage and Hanna Basin Museum (Image by by Bob Leathers - Hanna Basin Museum Website)

Hanna Basin Museum and Historical Society
P.O. Box 252
502 Front Street, Hanna WY 82327
​(307) 325-6465
​
Summer Hours: Friday - Sunday 1:00 to 5:00 PM    Winter Hours: Saturday 1:00 to 5:00 PM
Summer hours start with Memorial Day and end with Labor Day.​

Video and Images - At the Museum

Sunshine Solaas at the Museum

More at: Museum Images - Come On In For a Visit

Charlee Solaas at the Museum

More at - The Hanna Amusement Hall - Love's

What's New or Updated on the Website?

April 2021

New April 14, 2021

• Remembering: Palm, Jerry - Hanna Basin Rancher, Hanna School Board Member

Updated April 13, 2021

• More at: Hanna Basin Businesses

Updated April 6, 2021:

• ​Remembering: Milliken, Earl Dee: Teacher and Coach

Updated April 4, 2021:
Updated the year 2005:

• Carbon Cemetery Clean Up and Restoration

March 2021

Updated March 30, 2021:
Added additional image and information

• Hanna Baseball

Updated March 28, 2019:
Images and information

• ​O. G. Sharrer (Sharrer Family Collection)

Updated March 28, 2021:
​More Images added

• Carbon: Aka: Old Carbon and Carbon City

Updated March 28, 2021:
New Images

• The Pathfinder Dam Near Hanna

Updated March 23:
​Added more information and pictures

•  Rock Springs, Wyoming, Historical Museum

New March 23, 2021:

• 1938​ April 9: Hanna Masonic Lodge

Updated March 16, 2021:
New images posted

• 1889 - 1912: Elmer Larson - Hanna Carpenter 1889-1912:​ The Butvier Collection from Sally Hafdell and David Eriksson in Sweden

Updated: March 9:
Two miners, Charles Buehler and Joseph Angwin were added to the mine death total. The new total is 373 miners killed in the Hanna Basin Mines

• View the list: 373 Men Killed in the Hanna Basin Mines

New: March 6, 2021
Added Red and Clara Evans to the People list

• More at: Evans, Evan Richard "Red" and Clara Evans - Owned Red's Bar and Cafe in Elmo

New: March 5, 2021
New collection of Union Pacific Coal Company mining pictures
1900 - 1910:

• More at: Images from Philppe Coste in France

Updated March 4, 2021
New images and information on two different mines
1970 - 1983:

• 1. ​​Notes: The Energy Development Company and The Resource Exploration Mining Company at Hanna, Wyoming  

 1987 - 1998: 

• 2. Notes: Cyprus Shoshone Coal Company's Carbon County No. 1 Mine at Hanna, Wyoming

Updated: March 3, 2021:
Additional images and information were added.
2003 - 2011:

• More at: Carbon Cemetery Clean Up and Restoration

Updated: March 3, 2021:
Additional images and information were added.

• 1920: The Pathfinder Dam Near Hanna

Updated: March 1, 2021:
Additional images and information were added.

• ​1954: The Union Pacific Coal Company Mines Close in Hanna and the Federal Commodity Program Helped Feed the Miners and Their Families After the Mines were Closed

Museum Links

1924 - 1954

1924 - 1954

• The Union Pacific Coal Company Employes' Magazines from the Union Pacific Coal Company

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More Books and Magazines to Read Online

• Magazines: 1924 - 1944: The Union Pacific Coal Company Employes' Magazines from the Union Pacific Coal Company

• Magazine:​ The Union Pacific Railroad Company by James Thatcher

• Journal: February 16, 1930: Superintendent Sharrer of the Union Pacific Coal Company mines in Hanna published an article The History and Development of Mechanization at Hanna Mines in The Mining Congress Journal, Volume 19. (Journal copy provided by Liz Sharrer, Superintendent Sharrer's grandaughter)

• Journal: The Union Pacific Coal Company from the Mining Congress Journal

• Directory:  1976 Wyoming Coal Directory

• Magazine: First Aid Activities of the Union Pacific Coal Company Including Hanna​

• Magazine: Wyoming Wanderlust, a discussion magazine of the Equality State, featured Hanna Old Timers: Mr. and Mrs Thomas Mellor, Julian Choate, Henry Jones, Eli Johnson, Evan "Snapper" Jones, Michael and Sarah Cummings, Matt and Louise Wakkuri and Jeane Raite Massey.

Newsletters

• 2020 Carbon Cemetery Association and Hanna Basin Historical Society​ - Spring Newsletter

• 2019 Carbon Cemetery Association and Hanna Basin Historical Society -​ ​Spring Newsletter

Membership and Support

• Membership and Support for the Hanna Basin Historical Society and Hanna Basin Museum

Links to Other Museums

• Medicine Bow, Wyoming, Museum and Hanna Basin Neighbor

•  Rock Springs, Wyoming, Historical Museum​

Copyright Notification

• Copyright Infringement Notification

The Hanna Miner - A Slideshow

Video from Bob Leathers - Hanna Basin Museum Website
Music by The O'Neill Brothers Group - Instrumental Country Guitar: Coal Miner's Daughter

Website Guidelines

• Our goal is to honor the history of the Hanna Basin by providing detailed and accurate information.
• We welcome comments and documented corrections to the content on this website. 
• We also welcome any pictures, documents or information from our readers that might be helpful in our telling the Hanna Basin story. 
• Sources all over the world send information, documents and images to the Hanna Basin Museum Website for its use. The Hanna Basin Museum Website does not knowingly use any copyrighted material. We welcome the reporting of any possible copyright infringements. Every effort will be made to correct all copyright conflicts that may arise.
• Individuals wishing to use documents or images from this website must first receive permission from the Hanna Basin Museum Website. Please contact us at HannaBasinMuseum@gmail.com (Attention: Bob)