By Anne McGowan
Editor
Lander Journal
It is hard to pick up a national magazine these days without seeing a mention of Lander on a 'top town' list.
Sunset, Fly Rod and Reel, True West, and American Cowboy magazines all named Lander a town to know in recent issues.
Lander got a mention in Sunset's March edition in a cover story called The West's Twenty Best Small Towns. Under one of five categories, “outdoorsy burgs,” Lander was noted as “Home of the National Outdoor Leadership School” and recommended the “terrific hiking in the adjacent Wind River Range.” The brief listing mentioned a population of 7,131 and the median cost of a house $249,000.
Small towns have a lot of allure right now as the recession forces us to take stock of what's really important and simplify our lives," said Katie Tamony, Sunset's editor-in-chief, in a news release. “Small-town living means a shorter (if any) commute, a tight-knit community, and in many cases, a lower cost of living that allows residents to chase their dreams instead of a paycheck."
When determining the list, Sunset's editors based their selections on a variety of subjective criteria, including "a sense of connectedness," where people "commute less, know their neighbors" and "follow their passions." Sunset has a circulation of 1.2 million with over 5 million readers. The story appeared in all regional editions of the magazine.
Fly Rod and Reel
In Fly Rod and Reel magazine's March edition, subtitled the adventure issue, an article called Top 10 Trout Towns asks the question, "looking to live in one of the top fly-fishing communities in the Northern Rockies?" The answer: “Look no further than these gems.”
The first gem listed is Lander, “the best in undiscovered fishing.” Author Greg Thomas urges the reader to “forget what you heard about never escaping the wind in Wyoming--- It's possible in Lander .... Top that off with copious cloud-free days and a plethora of local trout streams, and this is a fisherman's paradise.”
Wyoming fared well in the ratings, capturing four of the 10 spots, with Cody in third place, Jackson in fifth and Meeteetse in eighth.
American Cowboy
A story titled Editor's Choice Awards Top 20 Places to Live in the West in the April/May issue names Lander one of the top 20.
Author Kevin Carmody makes no attempt to put the top contenders in order, but Lander is named eighth on the list.
"It’s all about experiencing life, simplified―riding a horse, sleeping under the stars, and getting away from civilization,” Carmody said of the finalists.
Of Lander he wrote, “Take a hike and get away from it all with spectacular views of the Wind River Mountains. Lander saw its first trappers in 1811, became a small military post in 1869, and borders the Wind River Indian Reservation, so get ready to powwow this summer. Really live it up with the help of Lander Llama Company, which uses a different four-legged animal to help one experience the wilderness and true West.”
He names other highlights like the Pioneer Days Parade and Rodeo and the International Climbers’ Festival.
Cheyenne was also named one of the top 20.
True West
In True West Magazine's January issue Lander was listed among the “Top 10 True West Towns of 2008.”
The story said the award was given to “towns that have made an important contribution to preserving their pasts.” The magazine singled out the Lander Pioneer Association for their work in the restoration of buildings that now sit on the grounds of the Museum of the American West.
"Frequented by Old West icons such as Jedediah Smith, Calamity Jane and the only sheriff to have Butch Cassidy locked up in his jail, Charlie Stough, Lander has no shortage of Western pride or tales to tell,” according to the article. “Especially this past year: restoration of the 1917 Noble Hotel under the National Register of Historic Structures and the completion of the Museum of the American West. Much credit goes to the Lander Pioneer group, which has restored 11 significant historic structures in six years.”
True West's editors wrote that they hope this award will encourage federal, state and local governments to continue funding preservation efforts, as well as inspire Western towns to reward its citizens by showcasing the buildings, sites and artifacts that reveal each town’s historical relevance.
Scott Goetz, director of the Lander Chamber of Commerce, had a hand in some of the nominations. He nominated Lander for consideration in both True West and American Cowboy. "This is the second time we've been mentioned in True West. I nominated Lander two years ago and we were in (the magazine) then.”
Goetz said he was on-line when he noticed a call for nominations in American Cowboy and filled out the application.
That's what we do here at the chamber-- find ways to promote our fair city.”
While recognition in nationally distributed magazine's seems likely to increase interest in the town, tracking the response hasn't been clear-cut. "We've been getting lots of hits on the website and I know for sure we got one of them because of Sunset,” Carol King, associate chamber director, said. A person seeking information about Lander specifically mentioned Sunset in their request. Still, since people can opt out of that question, King said it's “ hard to say” how much additional interest in the area the magazines have created.