January 31

January 31 is a historically hard day for Wyoming post offices. At least 20 post offices have been discontinued through the years including Cooke in 1882; Pearl in 1903; Cedar in 1909; Cellers in 1911; Trelona in 1912; Silver Crown in 1914; Belle in 1918; Bertralda in 1919; Peckville in 1922; Dietz in 1930; LaBonte and Nowood in 1931; Dad and Hampshire in 1940; Aspentunnel in 1950; Teckla in 1952; Dines and Winton in 1955; Lucerne and Winchester in 1956.

1801 Father Pierre Jean De Smet was born in Termonde, Belgium on January 31, 1801 and came to the United States in his youth. In July 1840, he performed Wyoming’s first Catholic Mass at the Green River Rendezvous on Horse Creek in present Sublette County. It is known as the La Prairie de la Messe. Lake De Smet in northeast Wyoming is named in his honor. Read more at Father De Smet in Wyoming.

1883 The blizzard of 1883 continued through parts of Wyoming.

1909 On January 31, 1909 in a ceremony attended by "the most impressive gathering of Catholic ecclesiastics held in Wyoming," St. Mary's Cathedral in Cheyenne was dedicated.

1917 The Indian Paintbrush (the common name for any of a genus of annual, biennial, and perennial herbs), found in Paintbrush Canyon and Divide in Teton County was adopted as the State Flower on January 31, 1917.