Ranching from the High Point

Ranching from the High Point. . This area of Albany and Laramie Counties is noted for its rich agricultural history. The forests and rolling hills were home to large sheep and cattle herds from the mid 1800s into the 1900s. After the Civil War, trees harvested from what is now the Medicine Bow National Forest helped build the Union Pacific Railroad -- essential to moving livestock to markets. Cheyenne was known in the 1880s as "the wealthiest little city in the world". Much of this wealth was held by area cattle barons.

Tom Horn, an infamous stock detective, was accused and convicted of killing 14-year-old Willie Nickel approximately 30 miles north of here in 1901. Horn was hanged in 1903 in Cheyenne.

to the west, the Laramie Plains are now home to many cattle and sheep ranches. To the east, the High Plains primarily support cattle, sheep and wheat. Less traditional crops such as sunflowers are becoming popular.

Ranching and farming are largely responsible for the wide open spaces that surround you. These agricultural lands provide critical habitat for both wildlife and diverse plant communities. hunting, camping, hiking, and bicycling are activities that easily coexist with agriculture on both private and public lands. . This historical marker was erected by Wyoming. It is in Laramie in Albany County Wyoming