This small pocket park was built in the mid-1980s by the local Rawlins Soroptomist Club to replace a vacant eyesore left by the razing of an old building downtown in the 1950s. The park opened in 1987, and is now owned by the City of Rawlins.
From the Historic Rawlins Walking Tour Pamphlet, the history of Soroptomist park: (
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"BUFFALO BETWEEN 4TH & 5TH STREETS - SOROPTOMIST PARK -
A fire in the 1950s destroyed the old Ballard Meat Locker, leaving a "substandard" vacant lot for many years where no future building project was deemed feasible. In 1985, Rawlins Soroptomist Club built the pocket park, thanks largely to a donation of the land from the Rawlins National Bank and much assistance from the RNB Board members including L. M. Olson and H. T. Neuman. The land has been deeded to the City of Rawlins, whch maintains the park, but Soroptomist improvement projects in the park are ongoing."
In 2010 the City of Rawlins proposed an expansion to Soroptomist Park as part of its new downtown revitalization plan: (
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"Soroptimist Park. Soroptimist Park could double its size with the loss of the building on the adjacent property. The present park would remain intact, with the pathway extended towards the courthouse. A new shelter or bandstand at the street-level could be constructed for staging small concerts or presentation, while the rest of the site is terraced towards the alley. The terraces would act as natural seating spaces"
Unfortunately, as of 2022 Soroptomist Park is not only not expanded, it is still bordered by a dusty and unsightly vacant lot that remains after the adjacent building was destroyed.
The Soroptomist Club of Rawlins was chartered in 1951 as an off-shoot of the Laramie Soroptomist Club. (
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"Laramie, Wyoming, has had two Soroptimist clubs. The first club was chartered on July 8, 1943 by Soroptimist International of Ogden, Utah. Member Susan Dixon served three biennium’s on the Rocky Mountain Region Board as a Member at Large in 1942-1944 and Region Treasurer during 1950-1952 and 1952-1954. The Laramie club sponsored the chartering of two additional clubs – SI Rawlins, Wyoming, on December 8, 1951, and SI Casper, Wyoming, on April 15, 1950.
. . . The club disbanded on June 29, 1959.
Soroptimist International of Laramie was re-chartered on March 9, 1975 at the Holiday Inn by Soroptimist International of Worland, Wyoming with twenty-three members. Soroptimists from Rawlins, Longmont, Colorado and Scotts Bluff, Nebraska were in attendance. Mary Quealy, Development Chair of the Rocky Mountain Region, from Rawlins presented the charter and Madeleine Gillilan, Governor of the Rocky Mountain Region, from Rawlins conducted the installation of officers.
Since our charter in 1975, Soroptmist International of Laramie has been a staple in the volunteer community of Laramie, WY."
In 2023 the Rawlins Soroptomist Club appears to be active with a roster of members, but I cannot access it since I am not a member. (
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