Wheatland in Albany County, Wyoming — The American West (Mountains)
Edwin Thomas Thorne
Photographed by Jimmy Emerson
1. Edwin Thomas Thorne Marker
Edwin Thomas Thorne
May 20, 1941 - December 29, 2004
Tom Thorne earned a BA in zoology and D.V.M. at Oklahoma State University. In 1968, he started work as a wildlife veterinarian with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. There he initiated work on the problem of brucellosis in elk and bison, a disease that threatened the economy of western Wyoming and the ecological integrity of the greater Yellowstone area. Over the years, he worked on health issues in Wyoming's big game animals and co-authored the book on the subject, Diseases of Wildlife in Wyoming, one of the indispensable texts for wildlife vets in North America.
In 1983, Thorne became a mainstay in research on the black-footed ferret when a population of the rare animals, thought to be extinct, turned up in northwestern Wyoming. He supervised the difficult effort to breed ferrets in captivity, a project that saved the species and led to reintroduction of ferrets in other western states.
With his wife, Beth, he worked tirelessly to address wildlife disease issues. If there was a wildlife health problem anywhere in the Rocky Mountain West. Tom and
this page online
For more than 35 years, Thorne led a distinguished career with the Game and Fish Department, serving both wildlife and people and earning the respect and admiration of his peers throughout the world.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Animals • Science & Medicine. A significant historical year for this entry is 1983.
Location. 41° 45.849′ N, 105° 22.505′ W. Marker is in Wheatland, Wyoming, in Albany County. It is on Wyoming Route 34, on the left when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2362 WY 34, Wheatland WY 82201, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Wyoming’s Laramie Basin. It is also in the American Mountain West. Globally, it is in North America, the Rocky Mountains, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Republic of Texas.
Other nearby markers. At least one other marker is within walking distance of this marker: Elizabeth Storm Williams (here, next to this marker).
More about this marker.
Photographed by Jimmy Emerson, September 28, 2024
2. Edwin Thomas Thorne Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on October 1, 2025. It was originally submitted on October 1, 2025, by Jimmy Emerson of Dalton, Georgia. This page has been viewed 69 times since then and 48 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 1, 2025, by Jimmy Emerson of Dalton, Georgia. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
