Chief Washakie Special Exhibit on Display in Kimball Junction Until March

The exhibit grand opening at the Kamas Valley Library drew a crowd

Feather performing a jingle dress prayer dance

On November 18, 2024 the Summit County Public Art Advisory Board (‘SCPAAB’) held a grand opening for a very special traveling exhibit, Washakie: Through the Lens of Time. The exhibit is part of the University of Wyoming’s American Heritage Center collection, and features photographs and writings of Chief Washakie, a prominent Shoshone-Bannock chief who was active throughout Summit County in the 1800s. 

The exhibit was first proposed by SCPAAB Chair Maureen Lahey, who found it online and brought it before the Board for consideration; the Board was thrilled to produce an exhibit that honors the legacy of an important figure in the history of our region. SCPAAB received a RAP grant to support bringing the exhibit to Utah. 

The exhibit’s grand opening featured an introduction by Lahey, who said “This installation is more than just a display of words; it is a reflection of a spirit that guided a people through a time of immense hardship. Chief Washakie, known for his wisdom and diplomacy, understood that true leadership came not from force, but from a deep connection to the land, his people, and the values that sustained them for generations.” Historian NaVee Vernon was in attendance, with copies of her most recent book Washakie: Last Chief of the Eastern Shoshone People. Lucie Washakie, a descendant of Chief Washakie, was a special guest and speaker, and her granddaughter Feather performed a jingle dress prayer dance to honor the exhibit’s display in Summit County. 

Chief Washakie’s descendant Lucie Washakie

The exhibit displayed in Kamas for 2 months, and has since migrated to the Kimball Junction Library branch, where it will be available to view until March 7th, when it will move to its final location in Coalville before returning to the University of Wyoming’s collection after May 9th. 

Be sure to come to the Kimball Junction Library between now and March 7th to check out this fascinating special exhibit!