December 12, 2024 |
Photo – Courtesy of Dr. Mark Miller
Dr. Mark Miller, author of A Sometimes Paradise and Big Nose George: His Troublesome Trail, will hold a book signing at the Hanna Basin Museum this Saturday.
On Saturday, December 14th, Dr. Mark Miller will be available to sign copies of his books in Hanna. Bigfoot99 spoke to Dr. Miller this summer about his latest book, A Sometimes Paradise: Reflections on Life in a Wyoming Ranch Family. Miller said the book details his experience of growing up on his family’s ranch, located north of Saratoga.
Dr. Miller is a Carbon County native and former Wyoming State Archaeologist who worked on his family’s 160,000-acre ranch for 32 years. After receiving his PhD in anthropology, Dr. Miller became Wyoming State Archaeologist, a position he held for three decades, before retiring in 2014.
Dr. Miller said growing up on the 250 square mile ranch wasn’t always easy. Due to the remote location of his family’s property, the author said law enforcement wasn’t always available to protect the ranch from cattle rustlers.
Additionally, Dr. Miller said he had to learn many hard lessons while on the ranch, including the fact that he couldn’t perform every task by himself. While self-reliance is necessary, the author said running a large ranch also requires a substantial amount of teamwork.
In his book, A Sometimes Paradise, Dr. Miller recounts how his father asked him not to major in agriculture while attending the University of Wyoming. Instead, Dr. Miller said he decided to study history following the discovery of an ancient bison corral on his family’s Carbon County ranch by then Wyoming State Archaeologist, Dr. George Frison.
Twelve years later, following Dr. Frison’s retirement, Dr. Miller became the state archaeologist. During that time, Dr. Miller studied archaeological sites across Wyoming. Eventually, the author returned to the site where he first met Dr. Frison and conducted additional research on the rare 5,000-year-old bison corral discovered on his family’s ranch.
Dr. Miller recounts these stories, and more, in A Sometimes Paradise: Reflections on Life in a Wyoming Ranch Family. The author said his memoir explains how people can learn similar life lessons regardless of their specific circumstances.
Dr. Miller will be at the Hanna Basin Museum, located at 502 Front Street, on December 14th beginning at 1:00pm. Copies of his most recent books, A Sometimes Paradise and Big Nose George: His Troublesome Trail will be available for purchase at the museum. Refreshments will also be provided.
Dr. Miller has also written Hollow Victory: The White River Expedition of 1879 and the Battle of Milk Creek. The book recounts the White River Expedition, where U.S. troops fought against the Ute Indians. The ensuing battle, known as the Battle of Milk Creek, became one of the longest sustained engagements between the U.S. Cavalry and Native Americans, lasting for five days, from September 29 to October 5, 1879.
All of Dr. Miller’s books are available to purchase from the author’s website, www.markmillerauthor.com, or through online book sellers.
