Green River in Sweetwater County, Wyoming — The American West (Mountains)

Green River: No Longer Wild, Forever Tamed

Still Home to People & Wildlife

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, September 10, 2015

1. Green River: No Longer Wild, Forever Tamed Marker

Inscription. Welcome to Green River, Wyoming - a town named for the river below you. This high-desert community was established in 1868 as the Union Pacific Railroad expanded across Wyoming. Throughout history Native Americans, explorers and trappers have referred to this once wild river with different names, including "Spanish River" and "Seed-ke-dee", or Prairie Hen River. The name Green River dates back to 1824. Many adventurous men and women have floated this river before and after Major John Wesley Powell's famous expeditions in 1869 and 1871. Have you floated the river?
Although early river runners experienced some of the same natural beauty you will experience along the Green River today, much has changed over time. This town and the river have been forever changed by humans and forces of nature, providing this very opportunity to share with you their history, ecology, and geology.
Surrounding you are rock formations made famous through historical paintings, photographs and post cards. Palisades and Tollgate Rock to the north are part of the Green River Formation formed some 50 million years ago. The greenbelt through

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town has trails to walk and interpretive signs to help you learn more about the area, You may ask for their location at the visitor center. For now, we invite you walk this trail and witness a river always in motion and never the same.

Erected by Green River Chamber of Commerce, City of Green River, Wyoming Game & Fish Department, Sweetwater County Historical Museum, Wildlife Heritage Foundation of Wyoming and Wyoming Governors's Big Game License Coalition.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Waterways & Vessels.

Location. 41° 32.231′ N, 109° 28.874′ W. Marker is in Green River, Wyoming, in Sweetwater County. It is on West Flaming Gorge Way (County Route 374) near Hillcrest Way when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1155 West Flaming Gorge Way, Green River WY 82935, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Wyoming’s Westward Expansion Trails Region.

It is also in the American Mountain West.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Rocky Mountains,

the Western Hemisphere,

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, September 10, 2015

2. Green River: No Longer Wild, Forever Tamed Marker

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once Mexico’s Alta California.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within one mile of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Construction and Cooling: (a few steps from this marker); Crossing and Cruising: (within shouting distance of this marker); The 24-Hour Town (within shouting distance of this marker); Green River Brewery (approx. 0.9 miles away); Oregon Trail Memorial (approx. 0.9 miles away); John Wesley Powell (approx. 0.9 miles away); The Paddlewheeler Comet - 1908 (approx. one mile away); Sunbeam - 1908 (approx. one mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Green River.

More about this marker. This marker is located at the Green River Visitor's Center.

Union Pacific Railroad construction at Green River, WY image. Click for full size.

Photographed by A.J. Russell, circa 1868

3. Union Pacific Railroad construction at Green River, WY

Castle (Citadel) Rock in the background.

Palisades, Lincoln Highway (U.S. 30) at Green River, Wyoming image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Postcard, circa 1932

4. Palisades, Lincoln Highway (U.S. 30) at Green River, Wyoming

Tollgate and Castle Rocks in the distance

Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on October 28, 2015, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 816 times since then and 66 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on October 28, 2015, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.