[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6608415,"mediaKeyId","2939502-21c6e04c6bb1e7135151b1fe129c2039","parentId",2939502,"title","Panelists recall 1950s schools, outdoor pool, theaters and social life in Newcastle","audioSeconds",2591,"startMs",1227000,"endMs",3818000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2939502-21c6e04c6bb1e7135151b1fe129c2039&start=1227&end=3818","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2939502-21c6e04c6bb1e7135151b1fe129c2039/thumbnail_1227000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6608415/Weston-County/Wyoming/Panelists-recall-1950s-schools-outdoor-pool-theaters-and-social-life-in-Newcastle","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6608415-52318945076759dd5255398f316d52d8/orig.mp4?Expires=1771182946&Signature=fA2SNeoAa0maf7k7FbnysDQA8vbE3H998YLyGcHqxQNXgmOF849LaRRikgzdUVZmgsgpj8B6SbZaIxTBNQazZrweBL0unDlKkfwfLghBTOSZ0CqWUGplFGzCJAjvyCYiXZU7-jKUYLjzhGIYDjt8HOh7xs4TpHs-mvk8KRocF0kXpPIZybm1TUC0m5zYIdx1DLk1BRkhvSpkF6p4m-9ELbVR5ydtJcxoCaWyswOwEkRi9zo~lMM8bI4whpxXMgkgBwF-Qu~I-SlQb3QabV0Gqm0lPqZDV-k~XwfRYp6CUVOgw2nXmLJwD0jur3idYVd-IYnQ28J6LJSCq0E2fA25HQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Weston County","date","2025-04-10T00:05:19.357Z","article","At a community program focused on the 1950s, residents described how expanded school enrollment, transportation changes and local recreation shaped daily life in Newcastle.

Panelists and excerpts from 1958 school annuals recalled that rising enrollment followed the influx of families during the oil boom. The panel discussed consolidation and transfers into Newcastle schools and described the activation of school buses that began to collect students from rural areas, sometimes on routes stretching many miles.

The outdoor pool drew frequent mention as a central recreational amenity. Panelists described an active AAU swimming program and said \"everybody who was anybody went and took swimming lessons,\" recalling that family swim hours and competitive teams made the pool a daily gathering spot in summer.

Speakers also recalled downtown entertainment: the Castle Theatre and the Dogie (Dogi) Theater served as movie venues and community gathering places, hosting newsreels, holiday programs and occasional live or vaudeville acts prior to film showings. Panelists described the M and M bowling alley and local cafes as social hubs where residents and oil-field workers mixed.

The discussion touched on school traditions, fashions, dances and music of the period, with attendees reading passages from a 1958 yearbook and describing high-school carnivals, homecoming parades and sock hops. The program included personal memories of teachers, class trips and changes in school discipline and dress codes across decades.

Panelists noted that some of the facilities they remembered—pools, theater buildings and downtown storefronts—have been altered or repurposed over time. Organizers encouraged residents to submit photographs and documents to the Historical Society to support ongoing archival projects.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Weston County Museum District presents An Oral History: The Forgotten Years - the 1950s. 04/06/2025.","oneSentenceSummary","Speakers at a Weston County Historical Society program described changes in schools and student transportation, the outdoor swimming pool and local theaters as central to community life in 1950s Newcastle.","taxTitle","Weston County, Wyoming","taxId",28920,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6608419,"Panelists say 1950s oil boom drove Newcastle population surge, housing crunch",1118,1358000,2476000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2939502-21c6e04c6bb1e7135151b1fe129c2039&start=1358&end=2476","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2939502-21c6e04c6bb1e7135151b1fe129c2039/thumbnail_1358000.jpg","/articles/6608419/Weston-County/Wyoming/Panelists-say-1950s-oil-boom-drove-Newcastle-population-surge-housing-crunch","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6608419-8b6d3ef5d5e279405be11eefd72a0623/orig.mp4?Expires=1771182946&Signature=ZOZC7kBnUotlP2ueECsUjuuH7MtO0w6jIysibdg-JxqDSmxY48WZ6ch-sOWI9I2aAWBV4Z6HN4EAEP2qnxu5XXbv3P1ryKzr~gi0wle3NGfUTg4Qmrl1Xl22yr6rWX993J8yHpayBlyGNkrTgIQ1t1l7UZVYrl~LxLbWlyjv9U5XPlJXEJDMpsd7wIpO7Q3LRDJjVHtuJvoJgqUxV1AiOYnoNJ3F0X0SIlSyjvAjSHqcb02iwZscQfo8iNTYi7bHoAMtxQeA6qQY6B6tTt4LR6RG8MhGVKKGusJk6gBSJvr~QRbQOfkJvcMUbdSVD~VVRCEToQR8boJS2qcfPtRo8Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Longtime Newcastle residents told a Weston County Historical Society panel that an oil boom in the late 1940s and 1950s brought thousands of workers and families to the area, producing a sharp rise in population and widespread temporary housing.

\"There were trailer houses in every corner of this town and in the middle of town,\" panelist Barb Judd Hansen said, describing the visible housing solutions during the boom years. Panelists told the group that Newcastle’s population rose from roughly 1,500–1,600 before the boom to an estimated 5,000–6,000 at the peak, a change that stressed the town’s housing stock and municipal services.

Speakers described a variety of short-term housing arrangements: trailers parked in empty lots and backyards, converted sheds and garages used as living spaces, families living in boxcars and improvised structures, and the rapid construction of small subdivisions such as Frontier Homes. One panelist recalled a family living \"in a culvert, maybe east of town,\" underscoring the urgency of finding shelter for workers and their families.

Panelists said the growth attracted oil-field supply and service companies that employed local residents and newcomers. They named contractors and suppliers that operated in the area during that period, and noted related businesses—trucking firms, fuel suppliers and drilling contractors—helped support the local economy.

The panelists also recounted how the boom spurred commercial activity: grocery stores, diners and entertainment venues opened or expanded to serve the enlarged population. Several attendees said parts of those additions have since been torn down or redeveloped.

The program did not attempt to reconcile anecdotal population figures with census records; panelists described their memories and cited local yearbook entries and property changes as evidence. The Historical Society will continue the oral-history series with planned presentations covering other decades.","At a Weston County Historical Society program, residents described an oil-driven population increase in the 1950s that created an urgent need for housing, temporary trailers and rapid construction of small housing additions.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6608425,"Weston County Historical Society panel recalls 1950s life in Newcastle",0,37000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2939502-21c6e04c6bb1e7135151b1fe129c2039&start=37&end=37","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2939502-21c6e04c6bb1e7135151b1fe129c2039/thumbnail_37000.jpg","/articles/6608425/Weston-County/Wyoming/Weston-County-Historical-Society-panel-recalls-1950s-life-in-Newcastle","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6608425-d85933806383d8844f29f310b0c0d694/orig.mp4?Expires=1771182946&Signature=a7RYzvh6kKJ5ZhEsdt7TwalqoIeogFKWoEPuJ3XyDqk8LNY9VMnEmQgz1rPfjmHJqoemOWAProfcToUkOZ3FgN25P4xtLzAvlut4l7esu3WAeDzS7Yr31zx6XoonFwK569ksGNoVG5tsm9lAK8gwxusmi~4FOQ-xlsQu4dOUP6G0fMOn9XXSquCVUJVEY5sCLLHQzbj6YEEt9FAJzMUU-tp38Uy2LZZPsskinMVpwPB6QVD6VnA~LZYMBt54lb2BFNTo5ychRsoQYdnqp8tiyFMUdlQmgRuHgpLFUrfu8br1nKIr89FTzIpLiHH9auheJB24uZA0yLk5WtX1ToGGLw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Weston County Historical Society hosted a community program on the 1950s in Newcastle, where longtime residents and panelists described rapid population growth, housing shortages and changes in local business and services driven in part by an oil boom.

The event, initiated by the Weston County Museum District Board, brought together panelists who grew up in the area to share first-hand memories of schools, housing, local businesses, the outdoor pool and hospital services. Moderator and president of the Weston County Historical Society opened the program and invited members of the audience to ask questions and share memories.

Panelists described how the postwar expansion and mid-century energy demand transformed the town. They recounted an influx of workers and families, the construction of temporary housing such as trailers and hastily built additions, and the arrival of oil-field supply companies and contractors. Several speakers said the town’s population increased substantially during the boom years.

Speakers also recalled local institutions and everyday life: the outdoor community pool and AAU swim program; the Castle and Dogie movie theaters; Main Street businesses including grocers, service stations and repair shops; and medical care delivered through house calls and a small local hospital. The panel read passages from a 1958 school yearbook and shared anecdotes about school carnivals, dances and fashions.

The program was part of an ongoing series: the organizers said they have already presented the 1940s and planned a session on the 1960s. Attendees were invited to upcoming local events including a book signing and presentations on local historic buildings recorded by the museum district.","A panel organized by the Weston County Historical Society and Weston County Museum District Board reviewed daily life, growth and community institutions in Newcastle during the 1950s, focusing on the oil boom, housing, schools, entertainment and local services.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Panelists recall 1950s schools, outdoor pool, theaters and social life in Newcastle

Panelists say 1950s oil boom drove Newcastle population surge, housing crunch

Weston County Historical Society panel recalls 1950s life in Newcastle