South Pass City

The Cave (l) and John & Lida Sherlock House (r) are in the background.

On posts located on either side of the South Pass City Monument.

South Pass City began during the 1868 gold rush. During it heyday, the town had more than 300 buildings and 2,000 residents. But, South Pass City’s bustling days ended when many of the gold claims started to play out and the anticipated high grade of ore simply was not found. By the mid-1870s only a few miners, merchants and families were left in the valley. Most of these residents looked to ranching, timber cutting, or hauling freight as a means of making a living.
As seen today, the town is nearly indistinguishable from its appearance of a century ago. In 1967, a non-profit group of Wyoming citizens acquired the town and donated it to the State of Wyoming for preservation and public benefit. The town’s structures were stabilized and restored to their original state, with nearly all of the buildings housing interpretive exhibits about commerce, mining, and a way of life from days long gone. Notably, the Smith-Sherlock Company Store is still an operating business and post office where patrons can by merchandise and visit with the staff. Caption: (top left) South Pass City, 1906.
Click on the image to enlarge the map.

W.C. Ervin Store (l), South Pass Hotel (c), Exchange Saloon (r).

(left edge to right) Sherlock Garage and Sherlock Barn (above), Libby Cabin (on hill), Ice House, W.C Ervin Store, South Pass Hotel, Exchange Saloon, John & Lida Sherlock House and Smith-Sherlock Co. Store (roofs only).