Belle Sanders–Belle of Wyoming Day

My grandmother is Isabelle Lyman Sanders. One of my favorite things to do when I was growing up was to visit Grandma Sanders. She owned a small country store on the highway that passed through Otto, Wyoming. Her house was attached to the store, and we thought it was delightful that she always served all kinds of store-bought treats. I loved her sandwiches on Wonder bread, chips and dip, vanilla sandwich cookies, and of course soda! My siblings and cousins and I loved sitting in the old metal chairs on the covered porch in front of the store on hot summer days.

A voracious reader, winter visits found me being entertained for hours by perusing the stash of magazines she kept on the end table in her living room. Another treat was the book section of her store. She was an LDS book carrier, and she always allowed me to sit between the shelves and read for as long as I wanted.

Apparently Belle’s Store was not just a favorite for the grandkids. Although I didn’t realize it during my childhood, my Grandma was quite well-known by travelers from all over the country who stopped in to stretch their legs, buy some snacks, and visit for a few minutes before continuing their journeys.

Travelers Were Welcomed by Belle, Who Greeted Them from Behind Her Counter as They Came Into the Store

My Grandma’s notoriety was brought to the attention of Governor Mike Sullivan, Governor of Wyoming in 1992, and he proclaimed December 14, 1992 Belle Sanders–Belle of Wyoming Day.”

This proclamation is a wonderful tribute to the beloved matriarch of the Sanders family and paints a picture of her life and character:

WHEREAS, Belle Sanders, born in 1908, has devoted her life to her family and community of Otto, Wyoming; and

WHEREAS, in her spare time she has become widely known as a premier gardener, cultivating beautiful flower gardens and growing vegetables which she cans and sells at her small country store, “BELLE’S”, which she has been operating since the early 1950’s. “BELLE’S”, on the road to Yellowstone, is known the world over as a quaint little place with a charming lady proprietor; and

WHEREAS, this busy lady has also been a success as a mother of nine, a grandmother of sixty and a great-grandmother of seventy-eight, and still found time to work as a correspondent for three newspapers in the Big Horn Basin; and

WHEREAS, Belle has contributed greatly to the beautfication of Wyoming through her planting of wildflowers along the highway that runs through Otto. When a highway project threatened her efforts, this eighty-years-young lady decided to adopt this section of highway and treat the passersby to her tremendous gardening talents; and

WHEREAS, the Greybull Standard has named her “The Belle of Otto”;

NOW THEREFORE, I MIKE SULLIVAN, Governor of the State of Wyoming, do hereby proclaim December 14, 1992 as

“BELLE SANDERS—BELLE OF WYOMING DAY”

in Wyoming.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have herunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of Wyoming to be affixed this 14th day of December, 1992.

Signed by Mike Sullivan, Governor

Grandma was featured in the local newspapers and was the Grand Marshall of the Big Horn County Fair Parade the next summer.

Belle Sanders – The Belle of Wyoming

I’m so proud to be able to call Belle Sanders – The Belle of Wyoming – my Grandma! I’m remembering her on this special day.

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