WY Territorial Prison hopes to make Butch Cassidy Days a national tourist destination

Interesting article from the Associated Press about our sister agency in the Department of State Parks and Cultural Resources. Butch Cassidy Days at Wyoming Territorial Prison just wrapped up on Sunday. The site's superintendent, Deborah Amend, is thinking big for next year's event:

“My vision for this site is to make this a national destination site, a regional intrigue site and an integral part of the community. I want it to become a very important part of Wyoming history and a part of the heritage of Laramie and this county.”

Read more here.

The Wyoming Arts Council provided a grant to Wyoming Territorial Prison Park to defray expenses for a June 2007 Butch Cassidy Days performance by Prickly Pair.

"Delivered from Evil" book trailer by Ron Franscell

Wyoming native (and Wyoming Arts Council creative writing fellowship winner) Ron Franscell now lives and works in San Antonio. Some of you remember him from his nonfiction book, "The Darkest Night," an account of the rape and murder of two Casper girls in 1973. In his latest true crime book, due out in January, Ron explores the lives of ten people who survived mass murders. Many writers have gone to video in the form of book trailers to promote their work. In this one, Ron shows how it's done.

Ron Franscell's new book tracks "Outlaw Texas"

"The Crime Buff's Guide to Outlaw Texas" is a new book by Wyoming expat author Ron Franscell, who nows lives and works in San Antonio, Texas. Ron's a Wyoming Arts Council creative writing fellowship recipient (1996) and former editor of the Gillette newspaper. Many Wyomingites read his true crime book "Fall" about the infamous 1973 killing and rape of two Casper girls.

Ron sends word that the book is set to hit the shelves in two months (just in time for Christmas shopping), but you can pre-order at a discount from Amazon and B&N. Here is the Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/Crime-Buffs-Guide-Outlaw-Texas/dp/0762759658/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1271290160&sr=8-8

Here's a blurb about Ron's new book:

A fascinating journey through the Lone Star State’s unruly past -- with maps, photos, and more

Texas rightfully claims a celebrated place in the “wildest” West of both myth and reality—which makes it truly stranger than fiction that The Crime Buff’s Guide to Outlaw Texas is the first-ever travel guide to the many sites related to the Lone Star State’s renowned rambunctious past, complete with GPS coordinates that put you at the scene of the action.

From outlaws like Sam Bass and John Wesley Hardin to Bonnie & Clyde and Houston’s notorious Candy Man killer, Texas has dozens of places where true-crime buffs can actually stand close to history. For many readers, the attraction to these sites—some well-known, some obscured by time—is irresistible.

Written with the same fast-paced, gripping style that marked the author’s widely praised earlier work, The Crime Buff’s Guide to Outlaw Texas is an indispensable resource for both criminal-history enthusiasts and travelers. Each site description includes a concise summary of the location’s significance, historical context, maps, directions, and photos.