The “Annals of Wyoming” is the premier publication of Wyoming History. It has been a resource for students and researchers for generations and a popular publication among history buffs around the world. It is produced by the non-profit Wyoming Historical Society.
The Wyoming Historical Society currently finds itself at odds with one of its funding sources, the Wyoming Historical Foundation, which was established expressly to fund the activities of the Wyoming Historical Society.
That working relationship recently dissolved into legal maneuvers and attorney fees, as the Foundation has refused to release funds that it is bound to provide to the Society under its constitution and bylaws after recent changes at the Society.
The Wyoming Historical Society had 22 county chapters around the state, but only nine were active. They are experiencing the same aging out of memberships that many other civic groups are suffering, as their membership was stagnant with few new, younger members joining.
A decision was made by the Wyoming Historical Society Board of Directors to change its bylaws through a vote of the membership, to address the changing landscape.
“Our current executive board asked, ‘What are we doing that actually helps the chapters?’” Executive Director Aley Philp said. “We were very limited in how we could support the local chapters and historical communities. We didn’t like that limitation. Membership was dying out and we weren’t doing anything for the chapters. Our bylaws were revamped. The membership had over 30 days to vote on the bylaw change. We had 42% of the membership vote, a record turnout, and over 70% agreed with the change. It now allows us to give help where help is needed.”
Conflict soon erupted among a small group of Wyoming Historical Foundation members.
“Apparently, it was set up on some kind of Google document,” Wyoming Historical Foundation Chair Ann Noble has gone on record as saying. “If you don’t have a Google email address, you couldn’t vote. Let’s be real. A lot of our members are elderly. We have members that don’t even have computers. It was deeply frustrating for me that we were having this major, major vote which was against the bylaws. Many of the members were disenfranchised.”
As a result, the Foundation has refused to allocate funds to the Society and called for the Society to conduct an audit. Despite dwindling funds, the Society has arranged for a professional audit of its finances, but indicated a similar audit should be conducted on the $750,000 that the Foundation holds.
Another change in the bylaws eliminated the part-time Society secretary position and replaced it with a full-time director. Philp was named the director.
“The transition hasn’t worked,” Noble remarked ta the time. “Members would send in a check for their dues, and the check wouldn’t be canceled for six or seven months. Phone calls would go unanswered. The chapters did not get their tax documents.”
“The Wyoming Historical Society has seen so much change this year, I will say it has been eye-opening for all of us. Overall, all organizations must accept change to fit the demographics of the world today, while keeping our vision without being spiteful about the differences, but instead embrace the hope of tomorrow. What worked yesterday does not promise what will work tomorrow, so to move forward we need to listen, hold our tongues, actions, and instead find an even plane so our beloved organizations can get a fresh breath of air and trudge forward into our new world,” Wyoming Historical Society board chair Beki Speas said.
“What we were all seeing was that we needed to make changes with the Society, and Wyoming Historical Society board felt ‘maybe the way things made sense years back do not align with what should be done now.’ This year, we really had to step back, look at the original template of what Society had been and decide if this truly follows our Mission & Vision for the future. It did not make sense to us that the board of the Wyoming Historical Foundation seemed to want to control the Society’s Executive Board by choosing the members and ultimately controlling what was being done. These are two separate 501c3 entities, our bylaws do not, and never has, hold the Foundation to us as an organization. …After March 2025, we had sent a letter expressing separation from Foundation. We have asked Foundation to update their bylaws this past spring 2025. We are a separate entity and have chosen to act as just that. As an example, the Society raised $3,120 during WyoGives Day, while the Foundation elected not to participate.”
Wyoming’s history is under constraints statewide, after the property tax reduction eliminated many museum budgets, and reduced many others.
“We’re hoping to be able to help these museums that are experiencing huge cuts. We’re seeing this need and trying to fill it,” Philp said.
It is evident that a few of the Foundation members do not like the changes created by the change in the Society’s bylaws.
At present, the “Annals of Wyoming” does not have the chance of going away due to limited funds.
“We have a two-year contract for the Annals until June 30, 2026,” Philp said. The Society always has a biennium contract with them. State Park and Cultural Resources by statute states that they have to support the state historical society and produce a periodical documented history of and for Wyoming.”
The Foundation has taken its cause to social media, bringing what those close to the situation feel is misleading information from individual members that is damaging to the Society and its mission.
“We’ve found members of the Foundation, including several of their board members, to be more than overly demanding in their requests to us and with their complaints. Going so far as to harass our Society Executive Board members through emails and letters; sending emails to our Society Executive Board members personal and business emails; contacting the employers of Society Executive Board Members, contacting their elderly family members and, sending letters and emails directly to our Wyoming Historical Society membership as well as putting out false news to the Wyoming Press prior to completing legal communications. Contrary to their mission of supporting Wyoming History and the Wyoming Historical Society,“ Speas said. “Social media posts requesting people not to donate to Wyoming Historical Society and publicly defaming our Society leadership as far as Wyoming Historical Society’s Executive Director and the Society’s Board.”
Despite the Foundation’s refusal to fund the Society, the work of the Wyoming Historical Society continues.
“We are planning three years out and have goals that we set. This level of professional, strategic planning has never been done for Wyoming Historical Society to this depth and we’re proud to be part of moving ahead in our day and age. For the first time in known memory and history, the Society will be obtaining a professional audit,” Speas said.
“We truly want to help smaller historical groups and museums that we feel have been neglected in the past. We hope to do good for all historical groups, and museums and support all efforts made to preserve our history so we can encourage the education of history throughout our state and all those who appreciate our history. We’re all proud to be a part of Wyoming Historical Society and truly appreciate all those who have been part of us and have proven their excellence in the past. We want to keep that level of care and nurture in all that we do. We are holding on to the hope that all Wyoming historical and preservation groups can encourage instead of causing friction, we’ve received overwhelming support regardless of these negative experiences we’ve incurred this year. We look forward to our First Annual Conference and know we have a lot of work to do but are thrilled to be doing it.”
Brian Beauvais, Curator of the Park County Archives, had a statement that both sides could agree with. “It’s really unfortunate what’s going on.”