THURSDAY, May 7, 2026 |
Photo – Carbon County Museum Director presents flag to Rawlins City Council – Courtesy City of Rawlins
Rawlins officials declared the city’s intention to participate in the county’s semi quincentennial celebrations.
During Tuesday’s Rawlins City Council meeting, Carbon County Museum Director and 250 Committee member Tom Mensik presented a proclamation to the governing body celebrating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Vice Mayor Darril Garner read the proclamation.
Vice Mayor Garner continued reading the proclamation, saying Carbon County is shaped by the journeys of indigenous peoples who stewarded the land for generations, emigrants and settlers moving west, railroad workers and miners who built towns, and ranching families whose traditions endure today.
The vice mayor said Carbon County will celebrate the semi quincentennial by focusing on the spirit of exploration that continues to draw people to the region. While the county was founded on mineral extraction, specifically coal and copper, there is a renewed emphasis on adventure and recreation.
Vice Mayor Garner said the communities of Carbon County are committed to preserving and sharing these stories through education, cultural programming, and public engagement during the America 250 commemoration. The vice mayor then proclaimed the city’s intention to participate in the celebration and recognized “Journeys to Carbon County” as the theme for events and activities throughout the county.
To mark the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the Board of Carbon County Commissioners established the Carbon County 250 Committee to oversee local celebrations. The group, made up of Encampment author Candy Moulton and museum directors Tom Mensik, Tim Nicklas, Angie Hobbs, Lela Emmons, and Justin Horn, is collaborating with towns on their individual events and a larger county gathering in Rawlins on July 10th, Wyoming Statehood Day. The 250 committee has also commissioned a 30‑minute documentary about the history of Carbon County.
Speaking at the Rawlins City Council meeting, museum director Tom Mensik said the film will be shown during the city’s celebration and shared across the county afterward.
The documentary, titled Carbon County’s Journeys to 250, will be distributed to every museum and school in the county, with 250 committee members planning an educational curriculum built around the film.
After his remarks, Mensik presented a 13‑star Betsy Ross flag to the Rawlins City Council. The commemorative flags were provided by Sunrise Sanitation and will be given to every municipality in Carbon County.
