Dates:
July 1, 2019 to July 2, 2019
Mileage:
3,278
Location:
B. J.s Campground
Lusk, WY
The town of Lusk is known for being the county seat of the least populated county in the least populated state in the US. I had to think about that for a minute. The town has an interesting history.
Official Campsite Picture
As we were pulling into town, ElizaBeth saw a quilt block on a building and pointed it out. Before we made it to the next light – one of three in town – she had learned on the internet that Lusk has a quilt trail. What is a quilt trail, I asked? Wikipedia tells me that a quilt trail is a series of painted wood or metal quilt squares installed at various locations, emphasizing significant architecture and/or aesthetic landscapes – or, in this case, to raise money to recover from a flood.
Beginning in 2016, Niobrara County residents rallied en masse for a community project to beautify Lusk and the surrounding area and put it on the map as “The Heart of the Wyoming Quilt Trail.’ Over 100 painted quilt blocks adorn homes, businesses, garages, fences, barns, and every surface imaginable in the county. Extending a grass-roots American project that has spread across every state in the United States, Niobrara County residents plan to continue adding to the colorful array to the delight of visitors and residents alike. The idea originated as a sign of the undaunted spirit of the residents of Lusk during recovery from the devastating flood of June 4, 2015. In the aftermath of the flood, the local quilt shop spread hundreds of yards of fabric in the city park to dry. A photo of the colorfully-adorned park went viral and became an icon of the town’s united efforts to rise above the onslaught of nature with pride and strength of spirit.
https://wyoming-quilt-trail.org/lusk-quilt-trail-map/
Of course, we went to this quilt shop and met the owner. Along the way, we ran across the Stagecoach Museum; like the museum in Van Horn, this one is staffed by a volunteer curator and filled with donated memorabilia. I put several pictures of the sheepherder’s wagon here, but the place was so cool that I created a dedicated post for the pictures. This was an early RV!
An early version of the RV
We stopped for date lunch at The Pizza Place, and we love the patriotism on display in these small towns – Old Glory, USAF, and USN flags.
Lusk was getting ready for the 4th of July – and all in all, this was a lot of fun in a one-day stop.
