Veterans Memorial The Big Piney-Marbleton Veteran’s Memorial is still under construction at Plainview Cemetery. Workers with Smith and Sons Construction out of Cache Valley, Utah, have been busy laying the bricks around the base of the monument. The memorial was done by Bott Monument out of Riverton, Wyoming. A grand opening dedication ceremony is tentatively planned for Memorial Day in May, 2009. Click on this link for more photos of the Big Piney Veterans Memorial taken on Veterans Day, November 11, 2008: Big Piney-Marbleton Veterans Memorial (17 photos) Photo by Dawn Ballou.

Funeral services for Louie Tomassi Nov. 19 (posted 11/16/08)
Funeral services for Louie Tomassi will be held on Wednesday, November 19, at 11:00 AM at the Big Piney Fine Arts Center. A Rosary will be held at 7:00 PM on Tuesday night at St. Anne's, 421 Piney Drive in Big Piney. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Big Piney or Kemmerer senior centers would be appreciated.
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OBITUARY - LOUIE TOMASSI

Louie Tomassi of Big Piney, Wyoming, passed away peacefully on November 16, 2008. His loving family surrounded him. Louie was born in Dawson, New Mexico on November 6, 1923. He joined the Air Force at an early age and worked in Medical Evacuation. On June 15, 1944, he married Emma Mae Palcher in Raton, New Mexico and they were married for 65 years.

Louie began his career as a coal miner in Raton and moved to Rock Springs in 1946. When the mines closed, he was employed by Baker Oil. In 1954-55, he worked for Delgado Oil in Pinedale and Big Piney. In spite of having just an eighth-grade education, Louie was an entrepreneur who used his instincts to begin many successful businesses. He started with a grocery store in Rock Springs, then Big Piney, owned a supper club, a motel, a bowling alley, several other businesses and in 1974, built E&L Motors and Luigi’s Supper Club in Kemmerer. He was also a political influence in Sublette County and the State, as he was a member of many commissions, serving two terms as County Commissioner and five terms as a Wyoming State Legislator.

Louie was so proud of his family, especially his loving wife, Emma who remains in Big Piney. He leaves two sons and their spouses, Vince and Mary Louise Tomassi and Tony and Kathy Tomassi, both of Kemmerer and his daughter and her husband, Louann and Tom Heydt of Big Piney. Louie had five grandchildren, Chris and Kiley Tomassi and Luigi Heydt and his wife, Renee, and Zach and Vincent Heydt. He has two great-grandchildren, Natalie and Emily Heydt.

Louie has one brother, Johnny Tarufelli, and four sisters, Lena Krist, Margie Buchko, Gloria Burns, and Marie Bertagnolli. Three brothers, Carlo, Nello and Ginesio and his mother and father, Vincenzo and Maria Tomassi, preceded Louie in death. Also, his stepmother Palmina Tomassi preceded him.

Father Lucas Simango will recite the Rosary at St. Ann’s Catholic Church at 7:00 pm on Tuesday November 18 in Big Piney. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 am at the Fine Arts Center in Big Piney, Wyoming, followed by a lunch at the Big Piney Senior Citizens Center. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Big Piney Senior Citizens Center or the Kemmerer Senior Citizens Center.

Big Piney-Marbleton Veteran’s Memorial (posted 11/12/08)
Dawn Ballou
The Big Piney-Marbleton Veteran’s Memorial is still under construction at Plainview Cemetery. Workers with Smith and Sons Construction out of Cache Valley, Utah, have been busy laying the bricks around the base of the monument.

The memorial was done by Bott Monument out of Riverton, Wyoming. They also built the Veteran’s memorial in Pinedale last year.

A grand opening dedication ceremony is tentatively planned for Memorial Day in May, 2009.

The monument honors veterans who were inducted into the armed services from Sublette County. The Big Piney Cemetery District has tried to find as many names of veterans as they can, but they realize there may be some people whose names were omitted. "If names were missed, we’d really like to know," said Big Piney Cemetery District clerk Alice Griggs. "We don’t want to miss anyone."

To report the name of a veteran who isn’t listed, contact any of the Cemetery District board members to make sure the name gets added. Cemetery Board members include Spencer Nichols, 307-276-5400, Margaret Kozel, 276-3287, Lois Punteney, 276-3831, Ace Smith, 376-3351, Shirley Bray, 276-3955, Rusty Thomas, 276-3555, or Alice Griggs 276-3641.

Click on this link for photos of the Big Piney Veterans Memorial taken on Veterans Day, November 11, 2008: Big Piney-Marbleton Veteran’s Memorial (17 photos)

Private Land elk hunting opportunities near Big Piney, Daniel and Boulder (posted 11/5/08)
Permits will be issued Saturday, Nov. 8th in Pinedale
Wyoming Game & Fish
(Pinedale) - Thanks to the Wyoming Game & Fish Department’s Access Yes program and some local cooperating landowners, there are additional elk hunting opportunities for some limited quota license holders. Unfortunately, these hunting opportunities are not available to those with general elk licenses.

There are three Hunter Management Areas (HMAs) this year involving private lands near Big Piney, Daniel and Boulder. The Big Piney and nearby Daniel HMAs involve private lands totaling just over 28,000 private acres. The Chimney Butte HMA (south of Boulder) has 10,470 acres. There is also previously land-locked public land available within the HMA.

An HMA is composed of one or more large ranches that enter into an agreement with the Wyoming Game & Fish Department to allow free hunting access. The Department takes on the responsibility of managing the hunters by giving out permission slips to eligible hunters. Permission slips must be obtained prior to hunting.

The Big Piney HMA is west of Big Piney and provides hunting for elk in hunt area 94. Hunters wishing to participate in this hunt must have an unused Area 94 type 6 elk license, and an access permit obtained from the Pinedale Game and Fish office. Access permits will be limited to 100. The season for this area will run from Nov. 16, 2008 through Jan. 31, 2009 for antlerless elk only on those lands enrolled in the Big Piney HMA.

The Daniel HMA is northwest of Big Piney and provides hunting for elk in hunt area 92. Hunters wishing to participate in this hunt must have an unused Area 92 type 6 elk license, and an access permit obtained from the Pinedale Game and Fish office. Access permits will be limited to 100. The season for this area will run from Nov. 16, 2008 through Jan. 31, 2009 for antlerless elk only in that portion of Area 92 east of Sublette County Roads 115, 116, 117 and south of North Beaver Road, off national forest.

Chimney Butte HMA is North of Big Sandy and southeast of Boulder and allows hunting for elk in hunt Area 98. Again, hunters must have an unused Area 98 Type 1, 4 or 6 elk license and an access permit to hunt the private lands within the Hunter Management Area. The season for this area will run from Nov. 16, 2008 to through Dec. 31, 2008 for antlerless elk only in that portion of Area 98 between Scab Creek and the East Fork River drainage, excluding Irish Canyon Creek and Muddy Creek.
Access permits for all three HMAs will be given out at the Pinedale Regional Office on Saturday, November 8th, from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Permits will be issued on a first-come, first-serve basis. Hunters will need to bring their valid unused elk license with them and be prepared to provide a description (make, model, color, year and license plate number) of the vehicle they plan to hunt with in order to get an access permit. Leftover access permits will be available during regular business hours at the Pinedale Regional Office beginning Monday, November 10th.

Hunters are reminded that access is by foot or horseback only, except on roads designated by a white arrow. Also, hunters are reminded to avoid hunting near livestock.

Funding for the Access Yes program comes from several sources. When sportspersons purchase a conservation stamp, $2.50 goes to the program. Another main source is donations made to the Department’s Access Yes program either through a direct donation or when sportspersons purchase or apply for licenses. When anyone purchases or applies for a license, they have the option of including a donation to Access Yes, which goes directly to and can only be used for purchasing easements for both Hunter Management and Walk-in Areas. "In essence, Access Yes donations provide public hunting and fishing access onto private and land-locked public lands," says Matt Buhler, Statewide Access Coordinator for the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. The remaining budget is made up of Game & Fish general funds.

Information on all Hunter Management Areas is available through the Internet at: http://gf.state.wy.us/ under the PLPW Access Program. Interested people can also contact the Regional Access Coordinator, Dan Smith in Cody, at (307) 527-7322 ext. 27 or the Statewide Access Coordinator, Matt Buhler in Casper, at (307) 473-3428.

Local Contact Numbers
Big Piney Town Hall
PO Box 70
Big Piney, WY 83113
307-276-3554
E-mail: tbpiney@yahoo.com
Mayor: Phillip Smith
www.townofbigpiney.com

Marbleton Town Hall
PO Box 4160
Marbleton, WY 83113
307-276-3815
E-mail: marbletontown@hotmail.com
Mayor: Jim Robinson

Big Piney Ranger District
Bridger-Teton National Forest
315 South Front Street
P.O. Box 218
Big Piney, WY, 83113
307-276-3375 or 276-5800/5200
Fax: 307-739-5235/276-5835
www.fs.fed.us/btnf/

Sublette County Courthouse
21 S Tyler, Pinedale, WY 82941
Big Piney Direct Line 307-276-3827
Marbleton Annex 307-276-3735
Pinedale Information: 307-367-7722

Sublette County Sheriff's Department
PO Box 701
Pinedale, WY 82941
Marbleton: 307-276-5448
Pinedale: 307-367-4378

Big Piney Post Office
401 Budd Avenue
307-276-3772
1-800-275-8777

Sublette County School District #9
Superintendent's Office: 307-276-3322
Big Piney High School: 307-276-3324
Big Piney Middle School: 307-276-3315
Big Piney Elementary School: 307-276-3313
Big Piney Pool: 307-276-9966

Southwest Sublette County Pioneers Senior Citizen Center
111 Rakestraw Ave. Marbleton, WY
P.O. Box 33
Big Piney, WY 83113
Phone: (307) 276-3249
Fax (307) 276-3249
E-mail: southwest001@centurytel.net
Open 8:00am to 4:00pm
Lunch at 12:00 noon Tue. Wed. Thurs. (starting July 1, 2008)
Joan Mitchell / Director

More Area Information:
Sublette County Chamber of Commerce (Pinedale)
307-367-2242 or 1-888-285-7282

BigPiney.com (Pinedale Online!)
307-276-5699 or 307-360-7689 (days, evenings, weekends ok)

Sublette County Fair
July - August
The Sublette County Fair is packed with entertainment and fun. There is something for everyone to enjoy.

One of the many highlights is the Lil' Buckaroo Rodeo. The audience holds their breath as these young cowboys and cowgirls try their hand at bronc riding. The evening ends with the youngest contestants competing in the stick horse barrel race. The greased pig contest is another favorite, the crowd roars with laughter watching the wave a kids overtaking the slimy critters.

Spend some time viewing the livestock shows and watch the participants as they receive their awards for a job well done. Enjoy the wonderful food which some how tastes more delicious in the atmosphere of the fair festivities. Finish the night off at the rodeos with many local cowboys and cowgirls participating in the fast paced events. Visit the Sublette County Fair web page to enjoy pictures from previous years fairs.

For more information visit - www.sublette.com/countyfair.

Related Links:
Sublette County Fair 2005
Little Buckaroo Rodeo 2005
Pig Wrestling 2005
2005 C4-A Rodeo

Green River Valley Museum
Open June 3 through October 15
The Green River Valley Museum is located on the main street in Big Piney. Artifacts from prehistoric Indians, pioneers, homesteaders and other various groups that have settled this area are on display at the museum. Many of the items displayed at the museum were donated by local families. 'Hard Hats and Stetsons' is the annual fundraiser for the museum. The name of the fundraiser itself reflects how important the cattle and oil industry have been for this valley.

The museum will open on Tuesday, June 3rd this year. It is open Tuesday through Saturday from 12:00 Noon until 4:00 PM. Admission is by donation. For special tours, call museum director Carrie Anderson at 307-276-3637.

For more information visit www.grvm.com

Chuckwagon Days
July 4th Weekend
Chuckwagon Days takes place each year over the 4th of July weekend in Big Piney. There is a Lil' Buckaroo Rodeo, a parade down Big Piney's main street followed by a free BBQ at the Sublette County Fairgrounds, an afternoon rodeo, street dance and late evening fireworks (on the 4th).

The "Chuckwagon Chug" a 5k and 10k Walk/Run, will be held on July 4th, before the Big Piney Parade. Start/Finish is at the Big Piney High School parking lot. There will be prizes for top finishers and gift bags for all contestants.

More information about Chuckwagon Days can be found here: Chuckwagon Days

Local Lodging
If you are looking for local lodging and places to stay in the Big Piney-Marbleton areas, be sure to check the Sublette County Chamber of Commerce website under lodging. Big Piney and Marbleton are located about 35 miles south of Pinedale, so look under motels, RV parks and campgrounds specific to our towns. www.sublettechamber.com

Camping near Big Piney & Marbleton
The closest campgrounds are located on the Big Piney Ranger District of the Bridger-Teton National Forest. They offer two developed campgrounds and many opportunities for dispersed camping in the Wyoming Range west of Big Piney and Marbleton. The forest boundary is approximately 20 miles from local businesses and town services. For detailed information, contact the district office at 307-276-3375.

Sacajewea Campground Located 25 miles west of Big Piney. This campground has 26 sites, basic amenities, and is open June 15th through September 30th. The camping fee is $7.00 per site, per night. This campground has running water, an on-site host, and is well maintained. No electricity, showers or phone.

Middle Piney Lake Campground This is a primitive campground located further down the road from the Sacajewea Campground. This camp area is next to Middle Piney Lake and has 5 tent sites, tables and pit toilets. NO running water, electricity, showers or phone service. NO fees. Because of the narrow winding road to this campground, it is not recommended to take trailers to the lake site.

Forest Service Cabins Big Piney Ranger District offers two Forest Service work centers for rent for overnight stays. One is located at Snider Basin and the other in the Hoback. Contact the Big Piney office for more information on availability and fees.

NOTICE ABOUT BEARS: These campgrounds are in bear country. Both black bears and grizzly bears inhabit the Wyoming mountain range. Visitors are strongly encouraged to practice clean camping techniques and store attractants in a manner that makes them unavailable to bears. Bear-proof canisters are available for rent from the Big Piney Ranger District office. Bear-proof dumpsters are located at various locations at campgrounds and recreation areas on National Forest land.

Dispersed Camping:
There are practically unlimited opportunities for dispersed camping on the Bridger-Teton National Forest near Big Piney/Marbleton. The forest boundary is approximately 20 miles from town. Stay limit is 16 days in any one location. Campers should either bring their own water or boil water obtained from sources in the outdoors to avoid getting sick from organisms that live in lakes and streams. Do not drink untreated surface water. Dispersed camping is available along the Piney, Cottonwood and LaBarge Creek drainages.

Camping on BLM land
There are no developed campgrounds on BLM land near Big Piney or Marbleton, however there are many places for dispersed camping for those who are prepared to bring their own drinking water and camp without developed facilities. For more information, contact the Pinedale Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management in Pinedale.

Private RV Campgrounds
There are several private businesses that offer RV campsites for overnight and extended stays. Most have power, water and sewer hookups. Click here to our sister website, Pinedale Online, for info about private RV campgrounds and services.

Related Links:
Bridger-Teton National Forest/Big Piney Ranger District
Sublette County Chamber of Commerce

Big Piney, Wyoming, "Ice Box of the Nation"

Big Piney & Marbleton
Ice Box of the Nation
Big Piney is the oldest settlement in Sublette County, Wyoming and was named by Dan B. Budd for the Piney Creeks. In 1879, Daniel B. Budd and his partner Hugh McKay brought a thousand head of cattle from Nevada hoping to ship them at Point of Rocks, but winter caught up to them here in the Green River Valley. The following year Dan Budd moved his family here and that is how the settlement of this town began. Big Piney was called "Ice Box of the Nation" when it was officially made a weather station in 1930. Big Piney had the coldest year round average temperature of any place nationally.

It's a curiosity, considering most Wyoming towns are few and far between, that Big Piney and Marbleton would only be a mile apart. They have separate post offices and town governments. Big Piney was incorporated on July 5, 1913. In the early days there was a lot of drainage problems with the site on which Big Piney was built. So Charles Budd, eldest son to Dan B Budd had hope to build the town up on the bench to alleviate this problem. Charles did establish Marbleton on the bench, in late 1913, but it never replaced Big Piney. Any attempts to combine the two towns has been unsuccessful. The truth is people here kinda' like it that way. Both towns cooperate with each other, they have a common school. The citizens of these two towns take a lot of pride in the growth of their little metropolis over the past years and think the founders would be proud too. Both communities have thrived in the last several decades because of the oil and gas industry. In the 1980's Marbleton recieved it's own post office, because of the number of people moving to the area.

Sublette County Ag Center
The Sublette County Ag Center is an indoor arena used by county residents for 4-H programs, ropings, youth rodeo, barrel racing, horse shows and much more. It is located at the Fairgrounds, north of Big Piney and Marbleton on Hwy 189.

For more information visit www.sublette.com/agcenter.

History of Big Piney 1885-1920
This is a Pictoral History of Big Piney of the Town of Big Piney from 1885 - 1920. This project was sponsored by the Green River Valley Museum. There are photos and histories of some of the first settlers in Big Piney. There are photos of Dan and Josephine Budd's original homestead.

Other Area History - http://www.sublette.com/history

To contribute information to this community website,
please e-mail: info@bigpiney.com or info@marbleton.com.
Phone: 307-276-5699 • Fax: 307-276-5414