Pedigree Stage Stop Race

Wyoming Stage Stop Stage 3: Big Piney / Marbleton, Wyoming

Big Piney is a rural ranching community which also supports the local oil and gas industry. Big Piney is home to the Green River Valley Museum, the famous Green River and the Wyoming Range Mountains which are just a short distance from this community. Big Piney is just a mile from the town of Marbleton which is a story in itself. Between Big Piney and Marbleton, the population is approximately 1500. Big Piney is home to the elementary, middle and high schools as well the outdoor ice rink and the recently completed Recreation Center. The Big Piney Town Hall and office building are located on the newly renovated Budd Avenue downtown. It sports spacious new sidewalks and street lamps that enhance the downtown area.

Each year the community hosts the 4th of July Chuckwagon Days parade, barbecue, rodeo, and fireworks. The Big Piney Marbleton Volunteer Fire Department holds their Annual Cat Fish Fry in July.

Big Piney is the oldest settlement in Sublette County. The town was named by Dan B. Budd for the Piney Creeks which run through town. In 1879 Daniel B. Budd and his partner Hugh McKay brought a thousand head of cattle from Nevada hoping to ship them at Point of Rocks. But the winter caught up to them here in the Green River Valley. The following year, Dan Budd moved his family here and that is how the settlement of this town began. Big Piney was called “Ice Box of the Nation”: when it was officially made a weather station in 1930 and had the coldest year-round average temperature of any place in the nation.

It’s a curiosity, considering most Wyoming towns are few and far between the Big Piney and Marbleton would only be a mile apart on Highway 189. The town of Marbleton, incorporated in 1914, was the dream of Charles P. Budd, the eldest son of Dan Budd who founded Big Piney. In the early days, there was a lot of drainage problems with the site on which Big Piney was built. So Charles Budd tried to move the town up to the bench to take advantage of the better building sites. Charles did establish Marbleton on the bench in late 1913, but it never replaced Big Piney.

Marbleton has been under construction during the last decade. A new town hall graces the highway as one travels through town. The Marbleton/Big Piney Clinic has opened its doors to provide medical and health care services to south county residents. New streets, curb and gutter, and ongoing sewer and water upgrades have been completed. East Marbleton has a new water tower that has changed the skyline of the town and the beautiful Southwest Sublette County Pioneer Senior Center will again be hosting the Musher’s Banquet. The new senior apartments surrounding the center were completed this fall and are a welcome addition. The new twin theatre and 8 lane bowling facility adjacent to the Senior Center has been enjoyed by local residents. Marbleton is definitely “on the grow.” Look for lots of summer activities this year as the town celebrates its centennial.

The Sublette County Fair Grounds are located just north of Marbleton and is the site of the Sublette County Fair in July each year. The Ag Center building hosts many horse-related events and functions throughout the year. The new expansive livestock pavilion has been a welcome addition to the annual fair as well.

The Marbleton/Big Piney Airport has undergone major runway and facilities renovation. It is a welcoming spot for pilots and air travelers. The facilities are definitely first class. The second annual car show and fly- in, complete with a free breakfast, will be held in late June again this year. Plan on dropping in or cruising by for this fun event.

The towns of Big Piney and Marbleton want to warmly welcome you to this year’s Pedigree® Stage Stop Race.

Note: There is Water at the Senior Center for Dogs.

Bob Beiermann — Stage Chairperson — Big Piney/Marbleton, Wyoming
Dr. Bob Beiermann has been instrumental in bringing the Stage Stop to the Wyoming mountain range. A well-respected veterinarian he works nonstop, giving 110% to every project. To name just a few, he’s involved in 4-H, hockey, rodeo, church, the Veterinary Medical Association, as well as the Preservation Board. He’s marched in parades, been a volunteer announcer, and a silver-tongued auctioneer. He’s also been a member of both School and Town boards. To sum it up, he’s an all-around ready, willing, and able gentleman. As chair of the Stage Stop Race in Big Piney/Marbleton his sense of humor, friendly smile, and positive outlook has won over everyone he comes in contact with.