Semi Quincentennial Documentary Has Begun Filming

JULY 9, 2025 |

Photo – Wyoming’s Semi – Quincentennial logo – Bigfoot99 file photo

Filming has begun on Carbon County’s semi quincentennial documentary.

July 4th, 2026, marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. To mark the occasion, the federal government has provided funding to states for their individual celebrations.

In February, the Board of Carbon County Commissioners established the county’s own 250 committee, headed by local author Candy Moulton and museum directors Tom Mensik, Tim Nicklas, Angie Hobbs, and Lela Emmons. As well as coordinating celebrations around the county, the Committee will create a 28-minute-long documentary about Carbon County, titled “Journeys to 250.” The film will explore how the area was settled and why people continue to live in Carbon County.

At the July 1st Board of Carbon County Commissioners meeting, Commissioner Sue Jones announced that filming for the documentary will take place from July 6th through the 11th. Commissioner Jones said the movie will highlight the transportation history of the region.

Commissioner Jones said the filmmakers will interview a collection of Carbon County residents, including best-selling author C.J. Box and a sitting County Commissioner.

The Board agreed to allow Commissioner Jones to represent the County Commissioners in the film.

Commissioner Jones said the film is also set to feature three reenactments of historically significant events in Carbon County: the 1850 Stansbury Expedition, which surveyed a transcontinental railroad route through the region; a depiction of the two Hanna mine explosions of the early 20th century; and a showcase of the historic Lincoln Highway featuring the Virginian Hotel.

The governing body of Medicine Bow originally denied the county’s request to film outside of the Virginian Hotel. During the June 9th Medicine Bow Town Council meeting, Mayor Pro Tem Trevor Strauch read a letter from the Board of Carbon County Commissioners seeking permission from the governing body to reroute Highway 30 traffic through town during filming.

The Council agreed that the town’s roads were too narrow to accommodate the heavy truck traffic slated to be detoured off Highway 30 and denied the county’s request to close the road.

During the July 1st County Commissioners meeting, Commissioner Sue Jones said the Medicine Bow Town Council misinterpreted the 250 Committee’s request. Commissioner Jones said the Committee had no intention of completely closing Highway 30.

Commissioner Jones pointed out that the “Journeys to 250” documentary film has been funded entirely by the Carbon County Visitors Council.

Wyoming received $165,610 from the federal government for its 250th anniversary celebrations.  Commissioner Jones said Carbon County has received the bulk of the state’s resources.

Commissioner Jones reported that outside of Carbon County, the Wyoming Cowboy Hall of Fame received state funding to create a permanent exhibit at the Rockpile Museum in Gillette.

Additionally, Commissioner Jones said Carbon County’s 250 Committee is seeking grant money to establish a basic civics class to teach residents how our government functions.

The “Journeys to 250” documentary film screening is planned to take place during next year’s Fourth of July celebrations. Ideally, the Carbon County 250 Committee would like the film to be used as an educational tool in all county museums and potentially aired on Wyoming PBS.