'Stampede'-ing to the University of Wyoming

What do Stan Lee, C.J. Box and Jerry Palen all have in common?

While they are each creative people, all three are also included in the American Heritage Center at the University of Wyoming in Laramie. Palen's long-running cartoon "Stampede" was recently added to the extensive collection at UW. The cartoon series will be part of the Jerry Palen Papers, which include a variety of horse memorabilia and saddles.

The cartoon series followed the daily life of Elmo, Flo and their dog, Dammit.

On August 10, Palen and his wife, Anne, were joined at the Eagle's Nest at the Old Baldy Club by members of the American Heritage Center Board of Advisors and Director Paul Flesher. Joining by phone were Art and Katherine Nicholas, longtime friends of Jerry and Ann Palen and donors of the materials.

"We're here to honor Jerry (Palen) and his art. For those of you who aren't here, we have a nice display in the room of about 24 of Jerry's paintings. They are not a historical review or a retrospective. I sent Jerry an email and I said, 'Tell me what your favorites are,'" said Flesher. "I expected two or three and they sent me two dozen. So, that's what's here and we have a nice mix of stuff. We have a couple, I think, from the very first year of Jerry's work and certainly many that come much closer in date. I want to thank the two of you, Art and Katherine, for donating these materials to the American Heritage Center."

Starting in 1973, Palen drew the regular comic for 43 years until January 1, 2015. In that time, he drew 3,000 cartoons. During those four decades, Palen's work became the largest weekly syndicate cartoon feature in the agricultural sector of both the United States and Canada. Initially sponsored by Mort Walker, creator of "Beetle Bailey", Palen had the distinct pleasure of displacing Walker's comic in at least one newspaper. 

"They have now been catalogued and you can come over to the AHC to visit them. We've begun to put some of them online, but we're trying to be cautious because, of course, they are copyrighted," Flesher said. "Really, what we're thinking of doing in the short term, is doing some traveling displays with selected materials and this is our first go."

Among the center's Board of Advisors were Keith Bailey and Box himself. Box grew up in Wyoming and donates his own materials to the American Heritage Center.

"I've been a fan of your work growing up in Wyoming all my life. It seems like such a natural, wonderful fit with the American Heritage Center," Box said to Palen. "I think they take great care of things. I think that things are only going to grow and I can't think of anything more symbiotic than your work and the American Heritage Center."

Palen was quick to praise Art and Katherin Nicholas.

"They have done a wonderful job of keeping it and putting it back in order," said Palen. "I can't think of a better couple than Art and Katherine to instigate and put this all together."

In a press release from the University of Wyoming, Palen was quoted as saying "It has been my true privilege to peek into the lives of rural American and bring humor to such hard-working and resilient folks. Of course, growing up with a veterinarian father who made house calls to farm and ranches gave me an edge. Dad always took two flunkies with him to do the dirty work: my brother and me. Flo and Elmo were on every farm or ranch we visited, and they have been wonderful inspirations for a humble cartoonist like me. The 'Stampede' is Flo and Elmo's story.

To honor both the artist and the donors, two of the pieces donated to the American Heritage Center were framed with Jerry and Ann Palen getting the first pick of the two.