JACKSON - Ever look at a newcomer and think, "If they only knew how we did things here in Wyoming"?

Enter the Wyoming Humanities Council, a group putting together "Welcome to Wyoming," a guide for newcomers. The idea was introduced last year during a series of "conversations" held around the state on different topics by the council.

"One of the themes was newcomers," said Humanities Council member Victoria Sherry. "Everyone really responded to this issue, and we said, 'We need a way to help newcomers understand Wyoming and understand what makes us special and unique.'"

Sherry said the guide won't tell people how to find services or where to vote, but will instead talk about what Wyoming is all about, and how people think and interact.

Sherry has been conducting interviews with people around the state who themselves were newcomers in the last decade or so. What things do they wish they knew before moving here?

"Everybody talks about the weather, but we're not going to focus on that," Sherry said.

An emerging theme: Newcomers should observe and listen.

"Learn how things are done before you jump in and offer your advice," Sherry said, in discussing emerging themes. "Some people want to jump in and share right away."

People can also become involved in the community through volunteering.

"Everyone comments on how friendly people are," Sherry said. "When someone's car breaks down, you stop and help. Neighbors helping neighbors, no questions asked. This is a wonderful thing that's being lost in the rest of the United States."

That's a scenario that Brian Dougherty, a resident of Jackson for less than a year, noticed.

While buying a table and chairs at a local thrift store and trying to load them into his car, a man walked by and asked if he needed help.

"Before I knew it, this complete stranger had loaded my table and chairs into his pickup truck and was enthusiastically offering to follow me to my place, which he did," Dougherty said. "I remember taking a right turn at a stop sign and thinking, 'If I was in New York, this guy would take a left turn.' But he didn't. The stranger had no ulterior motives, just kindness.

"That is the one consistent trait I find across the board here in Wyoming. People are nice and willing to help. All you have to do is be nice back, as one's only responsibility here is to keep the kindness going, which I hope I am doing."

John Dorst, a professor of folklore in the American Studies department at the University of Wyoming, said there are a lot of different cultures in the Equality State.

"There is no such thing as a single 'state culture,' for Wyoming or any other state," he said in an e-mail. "For one thing, states are obviously not units of culture, but political entities. Any generalization one might make about 'Wyoming culture' (e.g., Wyomingites are notably friendly practitioners of Western hospitality) is of course not going to be equally true at all times in all circumstances with all people, nor can it be claimed as unique and distinctive (what state tourism board does NOT tout the friendliness of its people?)."

Sherry said sometimes people are reserved, and another theme that is emerging is that friendships aren't formed instantly.

"No one's interested in how much money you have or how big a house you have," she said. "They're interested in who you are and what your values are."

She also said some issues shouldn't be brought up, such as wolves.

"There are certain things you don't want to bring up because people feel very strongly about it," Sherry said. "We had one woman say, 'I wanted to learn about (wolves), but the way to do it was not to ask people about it.' People said, 'Beware of some issues.'"

Lori Cochran, who moved to Jackson 10 years ago, said she would tell newcomers to respect the animals in the area, as they were here first.

One of her favorite events is in the spring when a family of ducks crosses busy Jackson streets, and people stop.

"There's a line of cars, and no one's honking," she said.

The newcomers' guide is expected in a first draft later this month, and that will be circulated to participants and some old-timers, to see if it rings true with what people have said.

A final guide will be printed this spring, and will be revised as needed over the years.

Reporter Whitney Royster can be reached at (307) 734-0260 or at royster@tribcsp.com.