Sheridan County in Miniature

Sheridan County in miniature. That might be a good way to describe the dioramas that Tom Warnke crafts about various historic events around the area. Most people in Sheridan are familiar with his dioramas on display at the Sheridan Fulmer Public Library, (Crook’s Camp) the Bozeman Trail Museum, (Big Horn City) and those at the Museum at the Bighorns.

In a recent interview, Warnke, who owned KWN Construction at one time, and creator of the dioramas, talked about his craft. He also talked about why he feels it is important to preserve the area’s history.

Warnke has done many dioramas, some on display and some that are looking for a new home, and a place where they can be available for the public to look at and enjoy, and learn about our history. The dioramas are a great way for school children and history buffs to actually see the battles and just what Sheridan looked like in it’s early days. And, as Warkne said, older people often can no longer walk the entire Rosebud Battlefield or other battlefields, and they can see get the sense of place when looking at the dioramas.

In his basement Warnke had a diorama showing the first three buildings in what is now Sheridan in about 1879 or 1880.

He talked about how different the town was before they re-directed the Goose Creek to its present channel, and of course how many new buildings have grown up in what was once an open expanse of pasture land. He also enjoys adding bald eagles to many of his dioramas.

There is a diorama at the Sheridan County Museum, which shows what Sheridan’s main street looked like in 1888, which is diorama #12 built in 2004, nearly 20 years ago.

He mentioned some of the other dioramas he did that are now in storage, including the Connor Fight near Ranchester and the Fetterman Fight. Although unfortunately the original diorama of the Rosebud battle was destroyed, Warnke has a new, larger one that is looking for place to call home. He also constructed the diorama of the OW ranch that is on display at the Kendrick mansion.

He said he makes the houses out of wood, and he describes how he makes the trees and the bushes.

This is not a one-man show. He said that many, many people help him with the dioramas, sometimes 20 people will work hundreds of hours, and many benefactors who contribute funding for them as well. He does a great deal of research to make sure they are historically accurate. He works from old photographs when he can find them.

When the Sheridan County Museum, now the Museum at the Big Horns, was first opening, Warnke said the people from Monarch wanted something in the museum about the miners. At first, museum director, Dana Parter, wanted him to design a diorama of a coal vein but that didn’t appeal to him, but he heard about the Sheridan Model Railroad club, and saw what they did. He called Dana Prater and said,

The new Rosebud Battlefield diorama, due to the fact that the battlefield is so large, is large in size to accommodate all the different skirmishes that made up the battle. He talked about the book Rosebud, June 17, 1876 by Paul Hendren and one scene in the book that was recreated in the diorama.

He added about another scene that he had in the diorama.

The battle field state park in Montana encompasses over 3000 acres, and is still much the same as it was during the time of the battle. Like Warnke said, it is a lot of country to walk, so the diorama is a good way to see the action in the battle and the surrounding countryside. Being very attentive to detail, Warnke also collected a few small rock chips from the battlefield to add authenticity to the diorama, especially on the hill where the miners were located.

He also included the scene where the battle received its Cheyenne name, Where-the-Girl-Saved-Her-Brother. A Cheyenne woman warrior, Buffalo Calf Road Woman saw her brother, Chief Comes-In-Sight’s horse shot out from under him. Seeing this, she jumped on a horse and rode down the hill into the battle. Her brother jumped onto the horse with her and, together, they made it to safety. Later, she also fought in the Battle of the Greasy Grass at Little Big Horn River.

Warnke is also a talented woodcarver who has done carvings of the Mesa Verda Cliff Dwellings and he is currently working on a carving of Black Elk’s Peak and the fire lookout tower on it’s summit in South Dakota.

He has many dioramas around Sheridan, in the basement of Trail End Historic site, the Bozeman Trail Museum, Museum at the Big Horns, and Sheridan County Fulmer Public Library. They give a glimpse into Sheridan County’s past that can be seen no other way, and they give the viewer a bird’s eye view of a scene that is now passed into history.

Some of the dioramas are in storage, and Warnke said he hopes to find new places for them so area people can enjoy them. Please contact Tom Warnke 307-752-7660.