Chuck Morrison Alternative Photographs
A collection of photographs taken by Charles "Chuck" Morrison of skiers, rodeo participants and flag bearers for Central Wyoming Fair and Rodeo, fishermen, rescuers from the Kevin Dye operation at Crimson Dawn, shots from the making of Spencer's Mountain Movie, World War II planes, and horse cart races in Medicine Bow.
Morrison was an avid outdoorsman, a ski instructor, a WWII veteran, a photographer for Casper Morning Star and later Casper Star-Tribune, a representative for the great state of Wyoming, a local historian, and a friend to many in Casper, especially faculty members and students at Casper College. He is the photographer for many of the photos in this exhibit and other collections, such as Wyoming Mountaineers at Casper College, Dale Stiles Rodeo, etc. After leaving the Star-Tribune, he started Chuck Morrison Photography. The letterhead on his business correspondence says “Master Photographer, Antique & Estate Appraiser, Historian, Archaeologist, Casper Historical Society, Legislative Consultant.” He also worked at the U.S. Postal Service from 1977 through retirement in 1990.
After Chuck died, the family had to decide what to do with an immense amount of papers, photos and other historical items Chuck had collected through the years that filled the house. While many of the items were auctioned off or given away, the letters, documents and — most importantly — photographs were given to the Western History Center at Casper College. Chuck’s papers at the library range from stacks of letters from his WWII days to pay stubs from the Star-Tribune. The papers show the highs and lows of a working journalist in Wyoming. Chuck is heaped with praise by an Associated Press editor for his work covering the infamous Starkweather mass murder story in 1958. Among the countless newspaper clips he kept were the daily diet of newspaper photographers of the era. Prom kings and queens, cute kids doing cute things, brutal car wrecks, prep sports, murderers and politicians, and buildings going up or coming down.
Robyn, his niece, says she was at first reluctant to move back to Casper, but seeing her uncle’s pictures helped change her mind. “His photo collection has helped me feel much more deeply rooted here than I could have imagined,” she said. “They certainly make me wish to have known him better and long for any bits of knowledge about him. I have an impression of him that he was a pretty remarkable guy, and that really is captured in his photographs.”
What lives on are Chuck Morrison’s photographs documenting his community. The pictures are everywhere, hanging inside businesses and public offices, appearing on the Casper College Western History Center’s Facebook page, and appearing in history books. He was a beloved member of the community and his photos reflect the richest bits of Wyoming's culture, allowing Chuck to live on through his incredible work, keeping him alive in his favorite community.
Read more about Chuck Morrison and his collection here:
