Ayres’ 100th sure to be party of year

From striking fear into the hearts of Native Americans who believed that an evil spirit killed one of their own, to astonishing a New Orleans reporter with it’s “remarkable mountain gorge,” Ayres Natural Bridge has been leaving men and women in a state of wonder for centuries.

July 18 the park will celebrate the 100-year anniversary of Andrew C. Ayres’ gift of 15 acres of land which included the natural bridge and surrounding areas in Converse County. More land was donated by Glen Edwards in later years, which Wyomingites and tourists have been enjoying ever since. 

The park, which is operated by the Converse County Parks and Recreation Board, will host a full day’s worth of events and educational opportunities for park-goers to celebrate the centennial, according to park caretaker Dee Macdonald. 

The day will begin with Wyoming State Geologist Erin Campbell speaking about the geology of the park that goes back over 250 million years from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., followed by a presentation on the botany of the park by horticulture expert Becky Harris. 

After providing a free hot dog lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., park officials will begin an interactive activity on the biology of the park, with kids fishing larva and insects from the LaPrele Creek followed by a class on the history of the park, dam, power house and the Ayres family hosted by the Wyoming Historic Preservation Office.

Finally they will cap-off the night with live entertainment provided by the Converse County Library and will showcase the winning photos from the photography contest.

Macdonald recommends bringing binoculars and walking shoes for bird watching. If you would like to send in a photo to compete in the photography contest, they will be accepting entries at the Ayres Natural Bridge Photo Contest Entry Page on Facebook until July 1.

As of now events held outdoors are allowed to host up to 250 people per Gov. Mark Gordon’s updated COVID-19 guidelines, which shouldn’t be a problem, as the park only has space for just over 80 vehicles.

The bridge, which is one of only three natural bridges with water flowing underneath them in the United States, is located roughly two miles south of the historic Oregon Trail, and was visited by travelers on multiple occasions despite there being no beaten path to the bridge and the creek below.

The New Orleans reporter mentioned previously was named Matthew Field. Field was traveling on a sporting expedition with a British army officer named Sir William Drummond Stewart to the Rocky Mountains in 1943, where he described the “dangerous decent” through heavy  vegetation to reach the stream. 

In 1847, Brigham Young would lead the first party of Mormons on their historic journey to Utah along with a diarist named William Clayton.

About 53 years later rancher Alvah Ayres won a patent on the land, handed it down to his son, and the rest is history.