Center Street looking south, approx. 1900. Postcard by Schulte Hardware Company.

Although, the first oil refinery in Casper opened in 1895, the real growth of the town commenced about 1910 with the expansion of the Salt Creek oil fields in the northern part of the County. Compare the above view with the next view.

Center Street looking south, Fourth of July Parade, 1912. Photo by Gleason Studio.

A comparison of the two views, indicates that about the only buildings in both pictures are the feedstore and the church on the left side of Center Street and the Grand Central Hotel on the right side of the street. Immediately behind the horses is the City's fire truck newly purchased in 1911.

Popo Agie Tribe No. 10, Improved Order of Redmen float, Fourth of July Parade, 1912. Photo by Gleason Studio.

The Improved Order of Red Men trace their history back to the Sons of Liberty from the American Revolution and the Sons of St. Tamina. The Sons of Liberty are famous for a tea party in Boston. Thus, the Order claims to be the oldest fraternal order in the United States of American origin. Lodges were called "Tribes" and the meeting hall was called a "Wigwam." Other Redmen tribes were in Cheyenne, Laramie, Cambria, Fort D.A. Russell, Evanston, Rock Springs, Green River, Rawlins, Carneyville, Cumberland, Kemmerer, Encampment, Newcastle, Douglas, Sheridan, Basin, Cody, Meeteetse, and Thermopolis. The Order was organized similar to the Masons with a "Great Council" in each state. The Great Council of Wyoming was chartered in 1907 and surrendered its charter to the Great Council of the United States on August 30, 1917. At the time the Wyoming Great Council fire was extinquished, there were only four tribes left in Wyoming with less than 300 members. [Information provided by the Red Men Museum and Library, Waco, Texas].

The officers of the individual tribes were the "Sachem," Prophet, Senior Sagamore, Junior Sagamore, Chief of Records, Collector of Wampum, and the Keeper of Wampum, equivilent to the Masonic Worthy Master, Chaplain, Senior Warden, Junior Warden, Secretary, and Treasurer of a Masonic Lodge. The order also had a "fun" subordinate order equivilent to the Masons' Shrine known as the "Haymakers." At one time, the Red Men had over a half-million members nationwide. By 1995, national Red Men membership had dwindled to less than 38,000. In Casper, Popo Agie Tribe No. 10 was instituted in 1906.

Float, Fourth of July Parade, 1912.

Float, Fourth of July Parade, 1912.

Center Street, looking south 1923.

2nd Street, 1923

Casper Photos continued on next page.