Jordan Utley

Out Here On Our Own | Rock Springs, Wyoming is a boomtown. Although due to its economy being historically tied to the extraction of resources from the earth, the town has seen several stark bust periods. This boom or bust cycle is the focus of the book, “Out Here On Our Own: An Oral History of an American Boomtown,” written by J.J. Anselmi. I was commissioned to give ocular proof of the words gathered through countless interviews conducted for the book. Although this work is focused on the community of Rock Springs, it could be about any town in America. Hundreds of places in this country are going bust, or are about to, and this is where the true story lies. Rock Springs is home to massive Halliburton and Schlumberger facilities, now abandoned. This economic fallout has led to far above average rates of drug use and suicide.

The people of Rock Springs are resilient. It takes a certain kind of strength to live in such an unforgiving place. In fact, the high desert winds are known in local folklore as being the last straw, a deciding factor to the area’s high suicide rate. Although, it’s far more likely to be the lack of opportunity. 

Rock Springs has long called itself, “Home of 56 Nationalities,” but it is far from diverse. Racism in the United States is nothing new, and Rock Springs is no different. In 1885, Rock Springs was home to a massacre of Chinese immigrants working in a local coal mine. The emergence of Donald Trump did not help ease any tensions in an area with an already checkered past. Through good and bad, the people of this community persevere. Rock Springs, Wyoming. Anytown, USA www.jordanutley.com