A love of history

Keeler elected to state historical society board

Newcastle resident Lucas Keeler has been elected to the Wyoming Historical Society executive board and will serve a three-year term.

Keeler is one of two at-large members elected this year. This position means that the individual can be from any county in the state. The state board consists of individuals from across the state, with some members even living outside of Wyoming. The Wyoming Historical Society began in 1953 and is a nonprofit member-driven organization that encourages the study of Wyoming history.

Keeler came across this position when the new executive director, Aley Philip, reached out and asked him if he wanted to run for the board. Although Keeler admits that he has always had an interest in this line of work, he said it  helped that he had many local role models to help him get started — namely, Mabel Brown and Mike Jording. Brown was a local celebrity when Keeler was young, and he describes her as a big influence on children in the area, regarding her historical knowledge. She published a magazine over the years called “Bits and Pieces,” which mainly dealt with Weston County history.

A more recent role model for Keeler has been Mike Jording, who has held a position on the historical society executive board, so it makes sense that Keeler would look to him for inspiration.

Jording told the News Letter Journal that he has known and worked with Keeler for four years. When the two first met, Keeler was doing some investigation for Weston County history projects and had some questions about publishing books.

“I remember the day well,” Jording said.

The spark Jording saw that day has been inside Keeler for most of his life. Keeler said he has always had a special interest in local history.

“It has just been a lifelong interest for me, and the Black Hills has a lot of history, as does Newcastle, and I grew up being interested in it,” Keeler said.

He further explained that when he moved back to Newcastle from Casper, he was asked by some locals to join some organizations involving Wyoming history, such as the Weston County Preservation Board, on which he serves as an active member.

Keeler is also a volunteer for the local museum board and enjoys helping the community appreciate its rich history. This includes giving presentations on various historical topics, aiding organizations and individuals with research and volunteering at events such as Living History Days.

“Studying the past is to understand the present and prepare for the future,” Keeler explained. “It has a way of helping understand current events, and history repeats itself.”

Keeler has an obvious appreciation for Wyoming history. He told the NLJ how Weston County in particular has so many cool stories from and about its past and beginnings that many residents aren’t aware of. Part of the reason he decided to run for this position was to keep this history alive and pass it onto future generations.

Keeler mentioned that one of the most important aspects of being a leader is ensuring that young people learn about their  history. He went on to say that the executive board has been working on incorporating social media to get younger residents engaged and interested in Wyoming history.

One of the things Jording is excited about with Keeler taking a board position are his fresh ideas.

“He is going to be able to continue to lead the state society in directions it needs to go to continue to be a great organization,” Jording confirmed.

Keeler is also excited about Weston County hosting the 2024 Historical Society Annual Convention the weekend of Sept. 6-8. It has been about 20 years since Weston County has hosted the event, and Keeler said he is looking forward to the project in his first year on the board.

“We have lots of great presentations and tours planned to share our wonderful history of the Black Hills with our fellow historical society members,” Keeler said, “I am really excited about the annual convention; it is an honor for Newcastle to host it.”

Jording is equally as excited about the convention’s return to Weston County.

“I think his presence on the board brought that to Newcastle,” Jording said.

Jording has a lot of faith and hope for Keeler in the next three years as he settles into his new position. There has been a long line of Weston County residents serving on the executive board, and he is excited for Keeler to get the opportunity to continue that legacy.

“[Weston County] is looked upon as an outstanding chapter among the state; to have Lucas step forward and continue that tradition is gratifying for those of us who have participated in that same kind of leadership for the state,” Jording said. “It is a rich tradition that has gone on for years and Lucas is another chapter in that book.”

This is Keeler’s first time serving on a statewide board, and he confessed to nervousness as he steps into this role.

“There are a lot of challenges with keeping any organization going and strong,” he admitted.

But he has people cheering him on as he gets comfortable with his new position.

“He is an excellent fit for
this role. He is a young person with fresh ideas and has enthusiasm that I think is unparalleled on the board,” Jording said. “You couldn’t ask for a better person with more appreciation for Weston County and Wyoming history.”