FRIDAY, June 12, 2026 |
Photo – The artist, Bobbie Herman, in front of her mural – Courtesy Hanna Basin Museum
The Hanna Basin Museum will unveil the next panel in its historic mural later this month.
On Saturday, June 27th, the public is invited to attend the unveiling of the second panel in the Hanna Basin Museum’s mural depicting the history of northern Carbon County. The first panel, which debuted in May 2024, focuses on the town of Hanna. The second panel is titled “Remembering Carbon.”
Both mural panels were painted by Elk Mountain rancher, Bobbie Herman. Hanna Basin Museum Director Haley Clark explained that Herman is a talented artist with strong ties to the area.
Director Clark said history doesn’t have to be taught through traditional methods like lectures or classroom-based instruction. She said the mural will help visitors better understand what life in the area looked like from its founding to today. Clark added that Herman’s latest work depicts the history of Carbon, the former mining town for which Carbon County is named.
Founded in 1868 to supply coal to the still-under‑construction Union Pacific Railroad, Carbon was once home to approximately 1,140 residents. By 1890, coal production was slowing, and Union Pacific opened new mines nine miles north in what would become Hanna. According to WyoHistory.org, the Carbon mines closed for good in 1902, and the town was gradually abandoned.
Herman’s mural is currently housed in the museum’s Victor Anderson Building. Clark said she plans to find a permanent home for the completed work but declined to share details. She didn’t go into detail about the second panel either, saying people will have to attend the unveiling to see Bobbie Herman’s latest work.
The mural unveiling is scheduled for 1 p.m. on June 27th. Director Clark said the museum will open two hours earlier to let the public view the first panel and enjoy the museum’s other exhibits. She also said food will be served throughout the day, with proceeds supporting the Hanna Basin Museum.
After the unveiling, Bobbie Herman will host a question‑and‑answer session about the mural and her artistic work in general.
The mural reveal isn’t the only event the Hanna Basin Museum has planned. Director Clark said she has activities scheduled for every month this summer, including a 1920s‑themed speakeasy in Elk Mountain in July, and the August unveiling of the museum’s Carbon County 250 committee‑funded exhibit on the life of Edith Birchall, an immigrant who lost most of her family in the 1908 Hanna mine explosion. Clark said the piece will focus on the impact Birchall and other immigrants had on northern Carbon County.
The Hanna Basin Museum’s second mural panel unveiling, titled “Remembering Carbon,” is Saturday, June 27th. The museum, located at 502 Front Street, will open at 11 a.m., and the mural will be revealed at 1 p.m. Food will be available for purchase during the event, with sales going to support the museum.
