Shell, Wyoming

The community is named for the abundance of fossil shells located in the area. Nearby exposed formations such as the Cloverly Formation and the Morrison Formation have yielded numerous fossils of dinosaurs and other animals. Located to the west of the town is the Red Gulch Dinosaur Tracksite, a rare collection of dinosaur tracks from the Jurassic.

Veteran, Wyoming

As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 28 people, 11 households, and 8 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 20.9 people per square mile (8.1/km²). There were 16 housing units at an average density of 12.0/sq mi (4.6/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 100.00% White. 0.00% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 11 households out of which 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 81.8% were married couples living together, and 18.2% were non-families. 18.2% of all households were made up of individuals and none had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 2.89.

In the CDP, the population was spread out with 17.9% under the age of 18, 3.6% from 18 to 24, 17.9% from 25 to 44, 39.3% from 45 to 64, and 21.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 52 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 109.1 males.

Sheridan, Wyoming

The city was named after General Philip Sheridan, Union cavalry leader in the American Civil War.[7] Travel book information describe Sheridan at the scene of many fierce battles between US Cavalry and the Sioux, Cheyenne and Crow Indian tribes.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 10.95 square miles (28.36 km2), of which, 10.93 square miles (28.31 km2) is land and 0.02 square miles (0.05 km2) is water.[1]

Like many towns in the western United States, Sheridan's early industries included cattle ranching, logging, coal mining, railroading, agriculture, and small factories including a flour mill, brewery, and sugarbeet refinery. Residents today find employment in many fields including nearby coal mines; education; coal bed methane extraction; health care; retailing; banking; law firms; city, county, and state government; National Forest; home construction; and a large number of small businesses; farming; and ranching.

Carbon County, Wyoming

Carbon County is a county in the U.S. state of Wyoming. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 15,885.[1] Its county seat is Rawlins.[2] Its south border abuts the north line of Colorado.

Originally about 3,400 square miles (8,800 km2) in the center of Carbon County were once part of the Spanish Empire, then part of the Republic of Texas (1835-1845) and part of the State of Texas until 1852 when the northernmost part of that state was ceded to the US government. This area is defined by the 42nd parallel on the north, and straight lines south from there to the headwaters of the Arkansas river on the east and the headwaters of the Rio Grande on the west. The documents defining that area include the Adams-Onís Treaty of 1819, the 1824 Constitution of Mexico, and the 1845 "Joint Resolution for the Admission of the State of Texas into the Union".

Carbon County was organized December 16, 1868, from Laramie County in Dakota Territory, which at the time had jurisdiction over part of modern-day Wyoming.[4] It became a county in Wyoming Territory when that territory's government was formally organized on May 19, 1869.[5][6]

Wyoming Highway 487

Wyoming Highway 487 begins its south end at US 30/US 287 (Old Lincoln Hwy.) in Medicine Bow. WYO 487 travels north towards Shirley Basin and intersects WYO 77 at 22.1 miles (35.6 km), that route's southern terminus. Again WYO 487 intersects WYO 77 at its north end, but at 45 miles (72 km). WYO 487 travels another 27 miles (43 km) to its north end at Wyoming Highway 220 which is located 11 miles (18 km) NE of Alcova and 19 miles (31 km) SE of Evansville.

Wyoming Highway 75 was created during the early 1970s with the inception of the Wyoming secondary state route system. Highway 75 was routed along the path of present day Wyoming Highway 487 between the two junctions of current Wyoming Highway 77 in Shirley Basin. When Wyoming 487 was rerouted over Highway 75, old WYO 487 was recommissioned as WYO 77, and WYO 75 was decommissioned. The renumbering occurred in the mid-1970s.[2]

Wamsutter, Wyoming

The original inhabitants of the area were the Shoshone and Ute tribes. Westerners did not really settle in the county until the coming of the railroad in the 1860s.[6] Originally, the town was known as Washakie. Confusion with nearby Fort Washakie prompted an 1884 name change to Wamsutter, after a Union Pacific bridge engineer.[7]

The town, which bills itself as "The Gateway to the Red Desert" is located along Interstate 80 between Rawlins and Rock Springs, on the easternmost border of Sweetwater County. The natural gas industry has had a lot of influence on Wamsutter in recent years. Both in employment opportunities in the area, and by contributing to the community directly.[8]

BP has an office in Wamsutter, and the small town's population reportedly has increased to over 1200 over the past several years. Some estimates place the town's population over 6000 within the next ten years, and the town is struggling with this rapid growth, particularly due to the lack of available housing.[11]

Shoshoni, Wyoming

Shoshoni is a town in Fremont County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 649 at the 2010 census. The town is named for the Shoshone tribe of Native Americans, most of whom live on the nearby Wind River Indian Reservation.

Shoshoni's closest body of water is Boysen Reservoir which is also the confluence of the Wind River, Badwater Creek and Poison Creek. As the water exits the dam it flows into the Wind River Canyon and joins the Big Horn River at the Wedding of the Water at the canyon egress.

Established as a railroad and mining town, Shoshoni lies at the intersection of U.S. Routes 20 and 26, which together were formerly known as the "Yellowstone Highway." Shoshoni has a dramatic increase in visitors in the summer, when roads to Yellowstone National Park are open. Visitors also stop to camp and fish at nearby Boysen Reservoir and the surrounding Boysen State Park. Anglers participate in fishing derbies at the reservoir, including an ice fishing derby in the winter.

Wapiti Ranger Station

Wapiti Ranger Station is the oldest United States Forest Service ranger station in the United States.[3] The station is located in Shoshone National Forest, Wyoming, and has been used continuously since it was built in 1903. The station was the first forest service ranger station built with federal funding. Constructed with native forest timber, the structure is maintained regularly, with some recent improvements – such as replacing some rotting timber – implemented in 2005.

A location called Wapiti Station is featured in the 2016 game Firewatch, which is set in the Shoshone National Forest. However, its depiction and location within the forest do not resemble Wapiti Ranger Station.

Sinclair, Wyoming

The town was originally called Parco, after the Producers & Refiners Corporation (or PARCO) which founded the refinery and the company town.[6] It was renamed Sinclair after PARCO was acquired during the Great Depression by Sinclair Consolidated Oil Corporation. The original refinery, located just east of town, remains in use to this day. Sinclair's population was 433 at the 2010 census.

The town was built as a planned community in 1924-25, designed by Denver architects Fisher & Fisher in a Spanish Colonial Revival style. The historic center of town was designated the Parco Historic District in 1987.[7][8]

Just six miles east of Sinclair is the ghost town site of Benton, Wyoming at milepost 672.1 of the Union Pacific Railroad.[9] As the terminal of the railroad at the time, Benton had a colorful three-month history which ended in September 1868 with a visit from Republican presidential candidate Ulysses S. Grant and the departure of the final overland wagon trains on the Mormon Trail headed for the Salt Lake Valley before completion of the railroad the following year.

Weston County, Wyoming

Weston County is a county in the U.S. state of Wyoming. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 7,208.[1] Its county seat is Newcastle.[2] Its east boundary line abuts the west line of the state of South Dakota.

Weston County was named for Jefferson B. Weston, a geologist and surveyor.[4] In 1887, Jefferson Weston and Frank Mondell found rich coal deposits north of Newcastle which caused a railroad to be built through the area.

As of the 2000 United States Census,[9] there were 6,644 people, 2,624 households, and 1,868 families in the county. The population density was 3 people per square mile (1/km²). There were 3,231 housing units at an average density of 1.3 per square mile (0.5/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 95.94% White, 0.12% Black or African American, 1.26% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.93% from other races, and 1.54% from two or more races. 2.06% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 33.0% were of German, 13.0% English, 8.9% Irish and 7.2% American ancestry.