by Jim Krumm
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If you would like to see an interactive map click on the link above which will allow you to move across the state and see sights in the state from various locals.
Wyoming:
Wyoming has the smallest population for any state in the United States with just 509,000. The largest city and the capital of Wyoming is Cheyenne with a population of 53,000. The second largest city, Casper, has a population of 49,644. Wyoming spans 97,818 square miles of of high plains, mountains, and desert. Wyoming became a territory in 1868 and was admitted to the United States July 10, 1890. The tallest mountain in the state is Gannett Peak at 13,809 ft. About 50% of the state is federally owned shared by the Bureau of Land Management, National Forest Service, and National Parks. Yellowstone Park and Teton National Park, as well Devils Tower National Monument are in Wyoming. In 1869, Wyoming was the first state in the nation to grant women the right to vote. The economy of Wyoming is largely supported by coal and mineral mining, oil and natural gas production, tourism, and ranching. Wyoming has no state income tax. Wyoming is first in the nation in coal production, second in the nation in natural gas production, and fifth in oil production. Wyoming also produces one fourth of the world's trona. The state bird is the meadow lark, the state flower the Indian Paintbrush, and the state mammal the buffalo. The average altitude of Wyoming is 6,700 feet. The mean annual temperature of Wyoming is 45.6°. In 1933 the lowest temperature ever recorded in the state hit 66° below zero. The hottest temperature ever recorded in the state was 116°. Much of the state (except for the mountains) is quite dry. For example, Cheyenne has an annual rainfall of only 15.46 inches. Lysite on average receives the least amount of annual precipitation with 5.11 inches. The Snake River area in Western Wyoming receives the most precipitation at 31.54 inches.
Scenes from Around the State
The Riverton Balloon Festival happens on July 17. The rugged Beartooth Mountains are visually stunning. The Chief Joseph Highway, one of the most scenic highways in the United States, runs this area. It marks the path of part Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce and his people took on their desperate flight following the Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone River. The Beartooth highway, US-212, which passes over these mountains is the highest paved road in Wyoming reaching 10,947 feet. Devil's Tower is what is left of an ancient volcano. The Sioux called Devils Tower Bear Rock and told a story of how a giant grizzly bear clawed the sides of the rock trying to catch two boys it was chasing. The Tetons are widely believed to be the most beautiful mountains in America. To see the Tetons as they come into view is breath taking. From the top of Medicine Bow Peak at 12,013 feet, the highest point in the Snowy Range Mountains you can see hundreds of miles, but is a hike well worth the effort. The Bridger Wilderness area is one of the most pristine, wild, and beautiful areas in the country offering unparalleled primitive hiking and camping. Veedauwoo, means Earth Born in Arapahoe and was a sacred site used in their vision quests. The Arapahoe believed that spirits stacked the rocks upon each other to create the striking piles of rock seen today. Veedauwoo is magical. Today Veedauwoo is a popular picnic and rock climbing destination, conveniently just off I-80. Yellowstone Park is vast and is probably best known for its geysers and wildlife found throughout the park. Thermopolis boasts the largest hot springs in the entire world.
Cheyenne Frontier Days
In the last full week of July Cheyenne has its annual Frontier Days. Frontier days consists of the largest rodeo in the world, an air show, an aerial acrobatics demonstration by the Thunder Birds,a pow wow at Lions Park, a carnival, and daily parades. The celebration attracts people from across the United States.
History of Wyoming
Our area has a rich history. This is country visited by Jim Bridger, John Colter, General John Fremont, and General Custer. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid made their home in the Hole in the Wall just 70 miles north of Casper. Red Cloud ruled the Bozeman trail in the 1870's making the front range of the Bighorns almost impassable. William Cody lived in Cody, the town named after him. Tom Horn, a hired gunman, lived here and was hung for murder and was said to be the last man legally hanged in Cheyenne. Near Sheridan and Buffalo the Johnson County War occurred in 1892 which pitted small homesteaders against the cattle barons of the Wyoming Stockgrowers Association. The "war" occurred in Johnson, Natrona, and Converse counties. Ranchers hired 100 mercenaries to drive out the homesteaders brought by train from Texas. After a number of people were killed by the Texans, the Texans were surrounded by angry citizens bent on killing them. However, the cavalry arrived at the last minute and "arrested" the Texans, saving them from the citizens. Charges were brought against the ranchers who hired the Texan mercenaries for creating an invasion of the state but were never pressed and everyone was let go. This "war" which hit the national papers and forced the president of the United States to intercede.
The snapshot of the buffalo skull is from the National Trails Historical Center. The shot of Chief Washakie was taken from the lobby of the Capital building. Several Native Americans from the Wind River Indian Reservation at march in the parade in the Cheyenne Frontier Days. The Wind River Indian Reservation is the 7th largest Reservation in the United States covering 3,473 square miles. Native Americans conduct Pow Wows throughout the west including Wyoming where they proudly share their culture and dance. It is a profound experience to hear Indian drums from a mile away. The Wind River Indian Reservation is shared by the Eastern Shoshone and the Arapahoe Indians. The Indian Petroglyphs from above at Castle Gardens may be as old as 10,000 years old and are said to be among the best preserved Indian Petroglyphs in the United States. Castle Gardens is a beautiful, remote, and strange setting with it oddly shaped and striking rocks. The Battle of Bonepile Creek is a copy of the painting in the Capital Building. The picture of the mountain man was taken just above Fremont Lake near Pinedale. I wasn't sure why he was dressed up and riding down the rode, but it made for an an interesting picture. There is a local museum in Pinedale dedicated to the early Mountain Men and trappers of Wyoming. Independence Rock is where some settlers following the Mormon trail scrawled their names on the rock. Above is also a copy of of C.O. Willards name scribed on Independence Rock displayed in the National Historic Trails Interpretive Center in Casper. Some of the most important Immigrant Trails passed through Wyoming including the Bozeman Trail, the Overland Trail, the Oregon Trail and the Mormon Trail. There are still places where you can still see the wagon ruts. The picture of the cowboys working their herds was taken near Jackson. The picture of the longhorn cow was taken on the backside of Casper Mountain. Longhorns were often taken on trail drives from Texas into Wyoming and Colorado to be sent east by rail in the 1800's.
Wyoming Wildlife
Wyoming is rich in wildlife. There are over 100,000 elk in in the state. One of the most common animals seen in the state is the Pronghorn. Pronghorns are the second fastest land animals in the world (only the African cheetah is faster). They can easily keep up with a car driving 50 miles an hour. Formidable prehistoric predators like american cheetahs and lions may have forced pronghorns to become so fast to survive. Wyoming has mountain lions, and bears which on occasion may even be sighted in municipal areas such as in Casper area. Wyoming also has eagles, owls, hawks, huge ravens, trout, moose, beavers, badgers, deer, mountain sheep, moose, and mountain goats, just to name a few animals. Mountain goats are a newer addition to the animal life in Wyoming and can be seen on the Beartooth Plateau. Wolves, which were exterminated in Wyoming have been reintroduced to Wyoming, now thrive in the Yellowstone area. Reports of wide ranging wolves now are common across Wyoming including recently in the Laramie Range now in the southeastern Wyoming to the West of Douglas. Moose, which also often range widely and are generally found in the highest mountains of Wyoming have even been spotted in the Pole Mountains just to the west Cheyenne. For the residents of Wyoming who love the outdoors, it is a place where you can find solitude in the mountains in places so remote you not see anyone for days.
©All rights reserved by James Krumm. Originally made available at www.caspercomsci.com. Materials here can be used, and redistributed, provided proper reference is made to the origin and author(s) of these materials. Please send any corrections or suggestions to jkrumm@caspercollege.edu. Last modified Aug 12, 2009.
James Krumm |
