History speaks to the young

A young Bill Cody (Buffalo Bill) could be seen walking around the grounds of the Grand Encampment Museum (GEM) on October 9. In actuality, it was not Wild Bill, but actor Thad Turner.

He is working in a movie that the Western Writers of America (WWA) are producing for educational purposes.

Candy Moulton, Executive Director for WWA, explained what was being filmed at GEM.

"We are working on a program called 'Packing the West', Moulton said. "It has been four years in development and now we are doing our first filming at GEM," Moulton said. "What 'Packing the West' is, it is a project that takes history programs into the schools and we launched it in Encampment in September with an in-class program that we did in the 4th grade class."

She said the program took a trunk of items into the classroom and one of the WWA's authors went to the class to tell and share history.

"What we are doing now with 'Packing the West' is we are developing a series of films that will be available to schools across the nation," Moulton said. "They will be stories of people in the American West."

She said the films that they are doing currently are a story of Bill Cody and the Pony Express; a story of Mary Graves Clark, who was a survivor of the Donner Party and later a school teacher in California; a western trails story that will feature Jim Bridger and Louise Clappe, a goldminer and western writer who went by the name of 'Dame Shirley'.

The four stories are the first component of 16 stories the project hopes to film.

"We have stories that will involve the American Indians, a story of a black woman who was the first homesteader out in Oregon territory, and another black woman who was a stage coach driver," Moulton said. "Great diversity in our characters and stories. We want to tell a big broad swath of the American West."

She said the scripts are being written by a wide variety of members of the WWA.

Moulton said that when they can use people that are tied to the character they are presenting, it is done. The person playing Jim Bridger is an actual descendant.

"We want to show how history might have happened in the 19th century, it still resonates with people today, especially with families," Moulton said. "Our Indian stories, we are hoping and we think it is lined up, to use descendants of the various characters."

The characters of these stories interact with four kids played by actors. One of the girls is a local.

"We did a region wide casting call and we did one in this area and we have two actors from the Valley; one from Encampment and one from Saratoga," Moulton said. "Our students involved that ask questions of the characters are the same and are involved in every film. They are time travelers. They are modern kids that have stepped back into these little stories of characters of the American West."

Madison 'Madi' Dunning is the young actress from Encampment who will be involved in all 16 stories. Saratoga resident Gwenaelle Quinn takes on the role of Louise Clappe, the goldminer.

Moulton said that funding is still needed to complete the 12 other stories but, as the monies come, GEM is the location most of the filming will take place.

"The museum has been very gracious to us to allow us to come," Moulton said. "We have disrupted their visitors today, we have disrupted their staff and daily way of doing business."

Besides GEM being a gracious host, Moulton could think of no better place to film most of the stories.

"Of course, I have lived in Encampment my whole life, and I know about the rich resource that we have at this museum," Moutlon said. "These building sare world class for a film set. Believe me."

She said that other places have been scouted, but GEM gives her a great variety of settings. This is not to say no other place will be considered to film.

"We might do a story at the Savery Museum or maybe the Elk Mountain Hotel," Moulton said. "And although we could film in many places in the West, we are pretty committed to do most of the filming in Carbon County."

She said filming in Carbon County isn't always easy because there are not many services available. Still, Moulton said, it is the place she thinks so many of the tales can be told with true western authenticity.

"We also have ranchers that are gracious enough to let us use their private lands for filming that need different settings," Moulton said. "Because we need different settings that might need mountains and others that need creeks. Carbon County has it all."

Another reason Moulton is happy to film at GEM is that the different buildings that are used are so close, it takes no time to set up from place to another.

"Going from one place to another can take three hours or half a day," Moulton said.

Quackgrass Sally who is on the Homestead Board of the WWA and familiar with film. She has helped Moulton on projects before.

"This about education and kids," Sally said. "This project gives students in schools a chance to see kids they can identify with, asking western historical questions."

The Buffalo Bill actor is honored to be a part of the project

"There is a lot of history here," Turner said. "When Candy offered me the chance to play Buffalo Bill, I jumped on it."

Originally Turner was from Montana, Arizona and later New Mexico and he identifies with western culture.

"This project is great because it supports history," Turner said. "It is important not to let times get erased because we don't learn it well."

If the WWA gets its film project completed with all 16 episodes, great strides will have been taken to make sure history of the West is not allowed to be forgotten in the classroom.

Moulton believes this is a commendable achievement for all involved. Turner agrees.

"There are a lot of great people that have lived and gone, that have great stories and that should be explored and known," Turner said. "This project is a good way to make sure it happens and the Grand Encampment Museum is a beautiful location for filming so much of this history, in so many ways."