Thyra Thomson’s astute observations on Washington D.C. in the 1950s were the highlight of her “Watching Washington” newspaper column. Thyra married Keith Thomson in 1939. Keith was elected to the U.S. Congress as a representative from Wyoming in 1954. He, Thyra and their three boys moved to Washington.
After settling in Washington, Thyra wrote a regular column that was published in a number of Wyoming newspapers. She had a press pass, which allowed her to attend official events, including President Eisenhower’s news conferences and the 10th Anniversary meeting of NATO. She was also a member of the Congressional Wives Club.
Thyra reported on everything from the White House Easter Egg Roll to Fidel Castro’s visit to Washington, some three years before the Cuban Missile Crisis. She even shared with Wyoming readers the recipe for First Lady Mamie Eisenhower’s favorite dessert, “Frosted Mint Delight.”
Learn more in the Edwin Keith Thomson papers at UW’sAmerican Heritage Center