| 1981 |
Ucross Foundation is incorporated on June 1, 1981, founded by Raymond Plank, the founder of Apache Corporation.
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Ucross presents the first annual Fireworks Extravaganza for the community on July 4th, inaugurating a hugely popular annual event for local families and visitors |
| 1982 |
Renovations begin of the historic Ranch House and Big Red Barn, built in 1882 as the headquarters of the Pratt & Ferris Cattle Company
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Clear Creek Hunting Preserve opens for pheasant hunting |
| 1983 |
On July 2, renovations of the Big Red Barn and the Ranch House are celebrated with a dedication ceremony attended by over 1,000 people |
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In August, the first four artists-in-residence arrive at Ucross |
| 1984 |
Big Red Complex placed on National Historic Register |
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Wyoming Futures Project, a joint project between Ucross Foundation and the State of Wyoming, is created, dedicated to research, problem solving and constructive change for all sectors of Wyoming |
| 1985 |
Triple Creek Park, including Roy’s Trail and Mike's Pavilion, are dedicated at a picnic and celebration on July 4, 1985 |
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The Ucross Foundation Art Gallery opens to the public, featuring an exhibition of 15 Wyoming artists |
| 1988 |
Burlington Northern Train Depot is moved from Clearmont to Ucross |
| 1990 |
Ucross Foundation participates in Freedom Lift project, to provide relief assistance to citizens of Romania |
| 1991 |
Work begins on the renovation of the Depot and construction of the Kocur Writing Retreat |
| 1992 |
In August, a Dedication Ceremony for the Depot and Kocur takes place |
| 1993 |
Residency Program expands to accommodate eight individuals |
| 1994 |
Annie Proulx wins Pulitzer Prize for The Shipping News, written in part at Ucross. Proulx later serves for several years on the Ucross Board. |
| 1995 |
Ernest Hemingway Foundation/PEN Award for First Fiction partnership is established |
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Lois Nellie Gill Award established through a gift from Annie Proulx, to support female visual artists of exceptional merit |
| 1997 |
The Terry Lodge log house is built and serves for many years as accommodations for special guests, such as the Ucross Selection Committee |
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The first of a series of weekend retreats for students of the Wyoming Girls School takes place at the School House |
| 1998 |
Planning and capital campaign begin for construction of new Visual Arts studios |
| 1999 |
A conservation easement is placed on over 12,000 acres of the Ucross Ranch, held by the Wyoming Chapter of The Nature Conservancy |
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Holistic resource management begins on the Ucross Ranch, reflecting the Foundation's commitment to land stewardship |
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Partnership with the Sundance Institute Theatre Program is initiated |
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An opening for the new Apache House takes place in May. The house is built by Apache Corporation and soon becomes a favorite spot for special guests of Ucross. |
| 2000 |
Construction begins on new visual arts studios and composer's cabin |
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First Sundance Playwrights Retreat at Ucross takes place in February. Participants include Doug Wright, whose play I Am My Own Wife later wins the 2004 Pulitzer Prize |
| 2001 |
Opening of new visual arts studios, called the Rock Studios, and first composer's cabin, called Jesse’s Hideout. Visual arts studios are doubled in size to more than 400 square feet. |
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The Depot is renovated to include two spacious writer's studios, Marvelous and Marvelous Too. |
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The first composer to work in Jesse’s Hideout is Adam Guettel, grandson of Richard Rodgers, who has come with the Sundance Playwrights Retreat to work on a new musical, The Light in the Piazza. |
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A research partnership is established between the Ucross Foundation, Apache Corporation, and prominent scientists from Stanford University, Columbia University and the University of Wyoming to study the impact of coalbed methane development in the Powder River Basin
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| 2002 |
A partnership is established with the Herb Alpert Foundation’s Alpert Award in the Arts(administrated by CalArts), in support of mid-career composers and visual artists |
| 2003 |
In the Big Red Barn Loft, a long-range planning meeting takes place for the Fund for Teachers, a nonprofit also started by Raymond Plank that supports K-12 teachers with sabbatical grants |
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Wild Spaces, Working Places, the first of two art exhibitions cosponsored by Ucross and the Wyoming Chapter of The Nature Conservancy, takes place |
| 2004 |
The Ucross corner is transformed – After many years of effort, the corner junkyard is cleaned up this spring, closing a prolonged chapter in the Foundation's history and opening a new chapter in its landscape goals. The enormous project involves the cleanup of two square acres filled with salvage steel, car bodies, buses and approximately 8,500 tires.
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Upon completion of the cleanup, the corner is planted with wildflowers and native grasses. |
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Working in the Kocur Retreat, Elizabeth Gilbert writes draft of Eat, Pray, Love, which goes on to become an international bestseller |
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Kawai 6’1” grand piano is added to the Barn Loft for public performances and use by Ucross Resident Composers and collaborations in the performing arts |
| 2005 |
Adam Guettel wins a Tony Award for Best Musical Score for The Light in the Piazza. (The play is nominated for 11 Tony Awards and wins six.) Ucross celebrates with an alumni reception at Lincoln Center's Kaplan Penthouse.
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American Composer's Forum awards a Continental Harmony grant to Ucross Foundation and composer Philip Aaberg |
| 2006 |
In January, the Ucross Ranch is leased to the Apache Foundation, a nonprofit that seeks to improve the world through scientific study, the application of environmentally sound land use planning principles, and tree planting as a method of carbon sequestration. Apache Foundation has a goal of planting a million trees worldwide – including 100,000 in Ucross.
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In February, Ucross receives Wyoming Governor’s Arts Award for Excellence in the Arts
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In March, Ucross presents a public symposium on coalbed methane development in connection with a photography exhibition The New Gold Rush: Images of Coalbed Methane, which tours throughout Wyoming and Montana |
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In the spring, blue flax blooms at the site of the former junkyard! |
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In September, the world premiere of Philip Aaberg's Pop 25, composed in honor of the 25th anniversary of the Ucross Foundation through support from the American Composer's Forum, takes place at Sheridan's WYO Theater
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| 2007 |
Yamaha baby grand piano is added to Jesse's Hideout |
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Ucross begins a collaboration begins with the University of Wyoming's MFA Program in Creative Writing |
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Construction begins on a second composer's studio |
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Birds of Ucross, an exhibition of photographs by Ernesto Scott, opens in the Art Gallery |
| 2008 |
In February, Jesse's Hideout Two opens for residents. The facility has living space and studio space, and includes a Yamaha grand piano |
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Apache Foundation hosts students from Yale School of Forestry at Ucross to explore the creation of a computer model of the ranch with an inventory of soil types, plant and animal species and water resources |
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With the support of Raymond Plank, Ucross works toward reducing its greenhouse gas footprint through the installation of two GARN units to heat the Big Red Barn and Ranch House, a switch from propane gas to carbon neutral, renewable wood fuel |
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Ucross hosts The Great Big Piano Trio (born in Ucross in 2005) for performances at UC Denver and Sheridan's WYO Theater |
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Plans begin for a partnership with Houston's Alley Theatre |
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Nearly 6,000 trees and shrubs planted on the Ucross Ranch |
| 2009 |
Ucross hosts a public reception at the National Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, attended by numerous artists and managers of cultural organizations. |
| 2010 |
Elizabeth Gilbert, bestselling author of Eat Pray Love, gives a benefit reading for Ucross at Houston’s Alley Theatre to a full house of 800 people |
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Collaboration begins with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra’s Elaine Lebenbom Award – the first Lebenbom Award winner to receive a Ucross residency is Du Yun, whose music will be performed by the DSO in Fall 2011 |
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The winner of the first Aura Estrada Prize, writer Susana Iglesias Garcia of Mexico City, comes to Ucross for a one-month residency |
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The Nicolaysen Art Museum in Casper, Wyoming, opens a retrospective exhibition of Ucross visual artists from 1983-2010 |
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Fund for Teachers hosts its first Teacher’s Institute at Ucross in July |
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Planning begins for a new community park to be created at Ucross, at the site of a former salvage yard. Phase One includes the construction of a small nondenominational stone chapel located in the park. |
| 2011 |
Ucross hosts a reception in Santa Fe, New Mexico, at the home of Founder Raymond Plank, for artists and others in the community with an interest in arts and conservation |
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Arbor Day Foundation names Raymond Plank and Ucross Foundation as recipients of the prestigious Good Steward Award, presented at a ceremony at the Arbor Day Foundation in Nebraska City, Nebraska, on National Arbor Day, April 30 |
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Second Annual Fund for Teachers Institute takes place during July |
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Dedication for the new chapel in the Park at Ucross is planned for July |
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Discussions begin to create a library/museum in the new park, honoring the lifelong work of Raymond Plank in areas including education, land stewardship, energy, historic preservation, business, the arts and international affairs |
