Center of the West CEO to talk ‘Trains, Wars, Merchandising, and the Saga of Tourism’

Posted 1/23/20

On Monday, Jan. 27, Buffalo Bill Center of the West Executive Director and CEO Peter Seibert will present a fast-paced program about railroads and tourism in the American West.

Seibert is being …

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Center of the West CEO to talk ‘Trains, Wars, Merchandising, and the Saga of Tourism’

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On Monday, Jan. 27, Buffalo Bill Center of the West Executive Director and CEO Peter Seibert will present a fast-paced program about railroads and tourism in the American West.

Seibert is being hosted by the Pahaska Corral of Westerners at the Governors Room of the Irma Hotel in Cody. The evening begins with a no-host dinner at 6 p.m., followed by the presentation around 7 p.m. Both the meal and the program are open to the public.

Due to limited seating, attendees are asked to RSVP by emailing Lynn Houze at ljhcody@tctwest.net by Friday, Jan. 24.

Seibert’s illustrated program considers the rise of the tourism industry in the West from 1880 to 1940. The presentation focuses on the evolution of southwestern tourism, the impact of the Indian and Mexican Border Wars and the complexities of Yellowstone tourism.

Using original postcards, in and of themselves fascinating visual texts about what people thought was important and sent home to their friends, the audience will board the famed Super Chief of the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe Railroad to explore how the Fred Harvey Company created a tourism industry that spawned a style of southwestern home décor and a passion for American Indian arts.

Seibert also examines the risks to tourism stemming from the Indian Wars on northern Plains and in El Paso and Ciudad Juarez during the Mexican Border War. Finally, the talk will touch upon the complex relationships of railroads and tourism in Yellowstone National Park.

Seibert has had a long fascination with the American West, particularly the creation of the tourism industry that attracted (and still attracts) millions to the region. He traces that love to his family’s frequent trips to the West Coast on the Super Chief as well as his various travels throughout the American West.

Seibert earned his bachelor of arts and master of arts in American studies from Penn State University and is the author of two books and numerous articles on topics including photography, fraternal societies, silver, and the decorative arts. Seibert’s 35 years of museum experience includes work in curatorial, collections management, education and archival aspects.

Like many, he has drawers full of family postcards from trips to the West and those images form the basis of this program. His research on this topic began when he was leading a study tour of Fred Harvey hotels in the Southwest. Since coming to Wyoming, he expanded upon this topic to include tourism in Yellowstone and the northern Plains.

The Pahaska Corral of Westerners is the local chapter of Westerner International, an organization dedicated to stimulating interest and research in the history of the American West.

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