McFadden, Wyoming: A case study in narrating our changing energy landscapes

This thesis uses McFadden, Wyoming, and the Rock Creek Valley to discuss Wyoming's changing energy landscapes and argues that a cultural landscape approach to documenting our historic and cultural resources can contribute to properly siting energy developments. Though Wyoming stands to gain from the construction of wind farms, they should be carefully sited in order to balance environmental and cultural resource preservation with energy needs. Wyoming has a long history as an energy hinterland and provides a significant portion of energy to the U.S. However, the nation's demand for energy should not take precedence over preserving the cultural resources and vast open landscapes that represent Wyoming's heritage. A history of the Rock Creek Valley as a home to Native Americans, a transportation corridor, oil field, and wind farm site is presented along with a discussion of energy consumption and Wyoming's role in the energy market. The thesis also considers the importance of education, public discourse, and narrative as tools for planning a sustainable future with regard to energy, the environment, and cultural resources.