The discovery of gold in Montana in 1862 created a rush of miners traveling to Virginia city. The most direct routes were through Wyoming on the Bridger and Bozeman trails. In the spring of 1863, John Bozeman, a miner from Georgia, pioneered a route . . . — — Map (db m164521) HM
Drilling rigs of this type were used from about 1878 into the 1950's. With the drilling of deeper wells, starting in the 1920's, cable-tool drilling was gradually replaced by more modern rotary-drilling methods. This replica was built using plans . . . — — Map (db m95586) HM
On April 9, 1889, application was made to have the town of Casper incorporated. John Merritt made the application in Rawlins, Wyoming since Casper was in Carbon County at that time. On July 8, 1889, Casper was incorporated and George Mitchell was . . . — — Map (db m164529) HM
The summer of 1942 work was begun on an air base in the Casper area. In four months, four thousand workers constructed two hundred buildings, laid utility lines, built streets and laid out runways heavy enough for the largest military planes. On . . . — — Map (db m164533) HM
middle panel:
Shaped by History
Salt Creek oil brought prosperity to Casper, in addition to people and industry. Despite the closure of Casper refineries as well as reduced output of Salt Creek oil in recent years, oil history . . . — — Map (db m92055) HM
The city of Casper, established near the site of old Fort Casper, formerly Plate Bridge Station, was named in honor of Lieut. Casper Collins, who lost his life in an Indian battle there on July 26, 1865. The fort was one of the small army posts . . . — — Map (db m86899) HM
The Casper division of the Civilian Conservation Corps was arranged by the efforts of the Casper Chamber of Commerce in 1937. Work done by the C.C.C, on Casper Mountain and at Alcova consisted of building bridges, improving roads, and reducing fire . . . — — Map (db m164532) HM
Eadsville, a mining ghost town, is situated 12 miles due south of Casper on top of Casper Mountain. It was founded by Charles W. Eads in 1891 after he had staked a 600’ x 1,500’ mining claim around a large spring. Word had spread that large deposits . . . — — Map (db m164530) HM
On Saturday, July 20, 1889, Ellen L. Watson, popularly known as “Cattle Kate”, was hanged with James Averell in Spring Canyon. The site is located 50 miles southwest of Casper near Independence Rock.
Ella and Jim had adjoining . . . — — Map (db m164525) HM
This larger-than-life sculpture, “The Pony Express”, was conceived and created by the heart and hands of Avard Tennyson Fairbanks (1897 – 1987). Born into an artistic family in Provo, Utah, Avard Fairbanks showed childhood talent . . . — — Map (db m86900) HM
The Goose Egg Ranch first received some notoriety when Owen Wister featured it in his book, The Virginian. In the novel, this is where the cowboys exchanged the babies’ blankets, and after the dance, the mothers carried home the wrong . . . — — Map (db m164524) HM
The center piece of the Platte Bridge Station and Fort Caspar was the bridge built here by Louis Guinard in 1859-1860 and used until Fort Caspar was abandoned in 1867. The bridge superstructure stood on 28 timber cribbings filled with rock and . . . — — Map (db m91712) HM
This unique setting of natural beauty cover approximately 320 acres. Viewed from a point of maximum depth, its walls and pinnacles show soft and varied hues comparable to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.
Investigation has confirmed that in . . . — — Map (db m80126) HM
At the time of the great migration of emigrants through Wyoming to the Pacific coast and Utah, Indians were the largest group of residents in Wyoming. Many of these tribes such as Utes and Blackfeet, were semi-permanent and nomadic, traveling in and . . . — — Map (db m164504) HM
John C. Fremont, the “Pathfinder”, was born in 1813 and explored a large portion of central Wyoming including the Casper area. He made an independent survey to the Wind River Mountains of Wyoming in 1842, and the 13,743’ Fremont Peak of . . . — — Map (db m164515) HM
Originally located 3 blocks south of here, this monument was moved to this location in 1952. In an effort to rectify inaccurate information presented on the monument, the following corrections are provided. Oregon TrailThe 1849 date presented . . . — — Map (db m88148) HM
Originally known to trappers and explorers (1830-1847) as Upper Crossing of the North Platte River, it became the Mormon Ferry in 1847. Guinard built a bridge here in 1858, and troops from Platte Bridge Station guarded the telegraph line and . . . — — Map (db m164496) HM
Lt. Caspar Collins was killed July 26, 1865 about three miles from this spot. His body was removed by relatives to his old home in Hillsboro, Ohio. Bodies of soldiers killed from 1858 to 1867 were reburied at Fort D. A. Russell in 1899. Some still . . . — — Map (db m164499) HM
From 1840 to 1869, over 350,000 emigrants traveled past this area on the Oregon/California /Mormon Trails. The promise of free land, sudden riches, or religious freedom caused these pioneers to endure great hardships. Thousands of persons died in . . . — — Map (db m164516) HM
Two plaques and a medallion are located at this site:
Oregon- California Trail
During the years 1841-1867 over 350,000 persons passed through Casper on their way West. The majority of them traveled through what is now the lobby . . . — — Map (db m92022) HM
Pioneer Monument Erected on this site of the Old Oregon Trail in memory of the pioneers who blazed the way. Built by Natrona County Pioneer Association 1849 1911
Fort Casper ---------- U. S. Military Post Established about 1864 by . . . — — Map (db m86897) HM
You may be surprised that no one is buried under these stone markers. They represent some of the soldiers who died while stationed at Platte Bridge Station (Fort Caspar). The army removed the bodies originally located here and reinterred them at . . . — — Map (db m164500) HM
Today you stand where the Pony Express ran in 1860-61, when daring riders on swift horses carried the mail between St. Joe, MO and Sacramento, CA.
A January 30, 1860 news release read: “Have determined to establish a Pony Express to . . . — — Map (db m164520) HM
The first passenger train arrived in this area on June 15, 1888 as part of Fremont, Elkhorn & Missouri Valley Railroad System at the site of an “old town” that would later become Casper, Wyoming. A depot was built after the tracks were . . . — — Map (db m164526) HM
From Wyoming's very beginnings and with the completion of the first transcontinental railroad, the livestock industry was anticipated to secure a viable ecumenic base for the new territory. Most of the territory consisted of rangeland where buffalo . . . — — Map (db m164522) HM
These fort buildings were reconstructed on the original site in 1936 by the Works Progress Administration. The WPA was a government program created during the Great Depression to provide jobs for the unemployed.
Prior to his death on July 26, . . . — — Map (db m91702) HM
The military camps and Richard Bridge were located in the bend of the North Platte River about one-half mile north of Evansville, Wyoming. Locally known as Reshaw’s Bridge, the area is marked by a historical sign.
John Richard (Reshaw) . . . — — Map (db m164518) HM
Approximately eight miles southwest of here, Robert Stuart built the first cabin in the state of Wyoming. The cabin was built in a three day period in early November,1812, at a site on the North Platte River at Bessemer Bend.
Robert Stuart was . . . — — Map (db m164514) HM
The famous Salt Creek oil field is located in Natrona County, 40 miles north of Casper. Representative Stephen W. Downey was the first man to acquire land at Salt Creek in 1883, after the discovery of the Jackass Spring oil seep. The discovery oil . . . — — Map (db m164528) HM
U.S. Military Post
On the Oregon
Trail
Established 1858
Rebuilt 1865
Enlarged 1866
Troops Withdrawn 1867
Burned by Indians 1867
Restored by City of Casper
1936 — — Map (db m164498) HM
Built by Louis Gurnard
1858-59
Immediately south and west are the sites of Platte Bridge Station, First Overland Telegraph, Stage, and Pony Express Stations on the Old Oregon Trail
opposite side:
One half mile north and . . . — — Map (db m91710) HM
Casper’s unique National Guard Armory was built here in 1930 to house the Headquarters Troop of the 115th Cavalry Regiment. The indoor field provided room for training both horses and men, and even hosted the occasional polo match until the regiment . . . — — Map (db m91674) HM
Early on the morning of July 26, 1865 Lt. Caspar Collins led a troop of men to reinforce an army supply train coming into Platte Bridge Station. Only a mile west of the post, the group was ambushed by members of the Sioux, Cheyenne and Arapahoe . . . — — Map (db m164501) HM
A desperate battle to save a supply train ended tragically the same day as the Battle at Platte Bridge. Sgt. Amos Custard and his men were bringing five supply wagons from the Sweetwater Station near Independence Rock. The group came into view of . . . — — Map (db m164502) HM
“….A Company have gone back about three miles to make two canoes on which they intend to build a boat to be used here till the next company comes up. Another company also went about half a mile up the river to make slabs or puncheons to lay on . . . — — Map (db m91693) HM
Brigham Young led the first group of Mormons west from winter quarters in Nebraska in 1847, finally settling in the Salt Lake Valley. When these pioneers crossed the river here, they left nine men to operate a ferry. This ferry served fellow Mormons . . . — — Map (db m164517) HM
Here was the bustling Platte Bridge Station (later renamed Fort Caspar) with a relay station for the Pony Express. The bridge was a catalyst drawing together wilderness wayfarers -- frontiersmen and immigrants -- to learn late news of the trail . . . — — Map (db m164505) HM
From the late 1840s through the 1860s, an exodus of more than 70,000 Mormons passed by here on their way to their “New Zion” in Utah. Starting from Nauvoo, Illinois in February 1846, the first group of at least 13,000 Mormons crossed . . . — — Map (db m91708) HM
The North Platte River that we see today is considerably different than the river that the 1847 pioneer party had to cross. As series of dams upstream from this site strictly regulates the flow of water on a year round basis.
(Map of Platte . . . — — Map (db m91704) HM
Native Americans were the first to use Wyoming's oil and later show early explorers where to find it. Sticky black liquids bubbling in natural seeps were used for liniments and paints. In 1832, Captain Bonneville found the "great tar spring' below . . . — — Map (db m95587) HM
