Harold Hellbaum

Who was Harold Hellbaum?

Harold Hellbaum was a prominent farmer, rancher, and businessman in Platte County near Wheatland north of Cheyenne who was a Republican member of the Wyoming House of Representatives from 1963 to 1976. He was the House Speaker during his last two-year term from 1975 to 1976.

Hellbaum was born in Wheatland to Herman Hellbaum and the former Lydia Lust. He was reared on the family farm near Chugwater, where he attended all twelve grades of public school, having graduated in 1944. He later attended the University of Wyoming in Laramie. After college, he returned to assist his father with raising wheat and cattle and running the Tri-County Elevator Company.

Hellbaum served on the Chugwater School Board and the Wyoming State Board of Education. He was a charter member of the trade association, the Wyoming Wheat Growers Association. He was a board member of the American Heritage Center of the University of Wyoming.

He was first elected to the legislature in 1962 during the administration of Republican Governor Clifford Hansen. His service ended when he was Speaker during the administration of Democratic Governor Edgar Herschler.