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Historian, Dave Marcum, to Give Talks on the History of Wyoming’s Airmail Service

Details: Category: Archives News; Published: Tuesday, 25 May 2021 08:03

Historian, Dave Marcum, to Give Talks on the History of Wyoming’s Airmail Service

Wyoming historian, Dave Marcum, will be sharing his love of aviation in the state in a series of public talks in June, titled, “History of Airmail Service in Wyoming.”

Marcum has a long history of involvement with the United States Air Force, beginning as a child.

“I was born an Air Force ‘brat’ and was raised on Air Force bases in both the United States and Europe,” he said. “I grew up around airplanes and have developed a passionate interest in them that only grew when I became an aircraft mechanic working on B-52s, F-4s, F-16s, F-111s, Kc-135s, SR-71s and U-2s. The seed was thus planted in me at an early age which only grew after I became a member of the Wyoming Air National Guard.”

Having worked with flight engineer and historian, Melvin “Mel” Duncan, in the Guard, Marcum decided to follow up on Duncan’s tales of concrete arrows found at sites throughout the state. He spent summers locating and cataloging the sites, following up these field explorations with research at the Wyoming State Archives, as well as a number of other Wyoming museums and archives.

Marcum has since retired from careers in the United States Air Force, and 30 years as a political science instructor at Laramie County Community College in Cheyenne. Marcum’s extensive research has led to two recent articles published in the “Annals of Wyoming” on Wyoming’s aviation history (and more to come!) and the happy task of sharing his findings with local audiences. He dedicates his writings and talks to Mel Duncan, who died in 2007.

Marcum will be speaking about his research at three locations in June:

● At noon on Wednesday, June 9th at the Uinta County Museum 1020 Front Street Evanston as part of their Lunch Time Series.

● At 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 23rd at the Rock Springs Historical Museum 201 B St, in Rock Springs.

● At 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 30th in the Wyoming State Museum Classroom, 2301 Central Ave. in Cheyenne.

These talks are sponsored by the Wyoming State Archives, as part of a much-delayed celebration of American Archives Month (normally held in October). The State Archives is located in the Barrett Building, first floor, 2301 Central Ave, Cheyenne WY 82002.

For further information, contact Kathy Marquis, State Archivist at 307-777-8691 or message her at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The State Archives collects, manages, and preserves Wyoming state public records that have long term administrative, legal, and historical value. These records document the history of our state and the activities of Wyoming’s government offices. The Archives also collects non-government records that contribute to an understanding of the state’s history.

The Wyoming State Archives is accessible according to the Americans with Disabilities Act guidelines. If you require special assistance, please contact the Wyoming State Archives at 307-777-7826.