Wyoming Student Atlas - University of Wyoming

Wyoming
Student
Atlas
Exploring our geography
Acknowledgments
The Wyoming Student Atlas is a project of the University
of Wyoming’s Department of Geography, Wyoming
Geographic Information Science Center, and Wyoming
Geographic Alliance.
Supervising editors: Jeffrey D. Hamerlinck, Ph.D, Gerald R.
Webster, Ph.D
Lead cartographer: Margo E. Berendsen
Contributing University of Wyoming students: Caroline H.
McClure (MS, Geography, 2012); Nick C. Swartz (MS, Geography, 2013);
Keith E. Wresinski (MP, Planning, 2014).
Graphic design: Mariko Design LLC/Elizabeth Ono Rahel
Credits: Information on references, data sources, and image credits may
be found on pages 53-55.
Acknowledgments: Publication of the Wyoming Student Atlas would
not have been possible without the contributions of many individuals.
We recognize the following...
• Judy Kallal, Wyoming Geographic Alliance Coordinator; Matt
Balentine, Wyoming Geographic Alliance Graduate Assistant;
Germaine Wagner, Wyoming Geographic Alliance Professional
Development Coordinator; and the members of the Wyoming
Geographic Alliance Executive Board and Steering Committee.
• Fawn Sprague, Office Manager, Wyoming Geographic Information
Science Center, University of Wyoming
• Barbara Powell and Adrienne Szabady, Office Staff, Department
of Geography, University of Wyoming;
• Dr. Carol Frost, Department of Geology & Geophysics, and
former Vice President for Special Projects, University of Wyoming
• Dr. Jim Verley, Science Specialist, Wyoming Department
of Education
• University of Wyoming Institutional Marketing
• Wyoming Department of Tourism
• National Center for Geographic Education
Subject experts: The following individuals provided subject expertise:
Mark Anderson, Wyoming Natural Diversity Database; Dr. Alan R. Buss
and Dr. Peter W. Moran, Department of Elementary & Early Childhood
Education, University of Wyoming; Dr. Robert L. Kelly and Dr. Charles
A. Reher, Department of Anthropology, University of Wyoming; Tamsen
Hert, Head of Special Collections, University of Wyoming Libraries; Tom
Drean, Wyoming State Geologist and the staff of the Wyoming State
Geological Survey; Mary Hopkins, Wyoming SHPO Deputy Director and
the staff of the Wyoming State Historic Preservation Office.
Reviewers: A number of educators from school districts around the
state and the University Wyoming, as well as a group of enthusiastic
‘Friends of the Atlas’ provided valuable feedback reviewing content and
design prior to the Atlas’s completion. Reviewers included (in alphabetical
order): Alan Buss, Ken Driese, Casey Dukeman, Nick Graf, Claire
Hamerlinck, Julie Hamerlinck, Moira Hamerlinck, Peter Moran, Dylan
Perkins, Greg Schliske, Adrienne Szabady, and Germaine Wagner.
Funding: funding for this project was provided by the University
of Wyoming President’s Office and the University of Wyoming Berry
Excellence Fund, with additional support from University of Wyoming
Department of Geography and the Wyoming Geographic Information
Science Center.
Cover design: The Steamboat horse and rider is a registered trademark
symbol owned by the state of Wyoming and is included by permission
from the University of Wyoming Trademark Licensing and Institutional
Marketing Department.
Website: For more information on this publication or to learn more about
obtaining additional copies please visit: www.uwyo.edu/wga
© 2014 University of Wyoming. This work may be reproduced, distributed and
displayed for educational purposes only; all other rights reserved. Hamerlinck,
J.D., Webster, G.R., and Berendsen, M.E. (2014). Wyoming Student Atlas:
Exploring our geography. Laramie, Wyoming: University of Wyoming.
ISBN# 978-0-9907978-0-7
Table of contents
About the Atlas
Human Geography
Acknowledgments.........................................................Inside front cover
Introduction.......................................................................................... 1
Note to teachers.....................................................................................2
Archaeological sites.............................................................................23
Native American tribes........................................................................24
Early explorers and fur trappers.........................................................25
Emigrant trails, landmarks, and forts.................................................26
Railroad expansion, stage roads, and cattle trails.............................. 27
Counties and county seats...................................................................28
Population change...............................................................................29
Population centers in and around Wyoming......................................30
Migration to Wyoming........................................................................ 31
Migration from Wyoming...................................................................32
Age, gender, and race..........................................................................33
Land ownership...................................................................................34
Employment........................................................................................35
Agriculture...........................................................................................36
Livestock..............................................................................................37
Major crops..........................................................................................38
Oil and gas resources...........................................................................39
Coal mining.........................................................................................40
Other mining....................................................................................... 41
Wind resources....................................................................................42
Transportation.....................................................................................43
Parks, monuments, and historic sites.................................................44
Wyoming’s Western heritage..............................................................45
Election patterns.................................................................................46
Population tables.......................................................................... 47–48
Map Reading Skills
What’s special about maps?..................................................................3
Types of maps........................................................................................4
From globe to map................................................................................5
Map scale...............................................................................................6
General Geography
Wyoming and the world........................................................................ 7
Wyoming geo-facts................................................................................8
Physical Geography
Wyoming’s tectonic past.......................................................................9
Geology................................................................................................ 10
Physiographic features.........................................................................11
Geothermal features ........................................................................... 12
River basins......................................................................................... 13
Major streams, lakes, and reservoirs.................................................. 14
Temperature........................................................................................ 15
Precipitation........................................................................................ 16
Climographs........................................................................................ 17
Tornados and other extreme weather events..................................... 18
Earthquakes and landslides................................................................ 19
Land cover and ecoregions..................................................................20
Wildlife ............................................................................................... 21
Species richness...................................................................................22
References
Glossary of geographic terms....................................................... 49–52
Data sources and bibliographic references...................................53–54
Image credits.......................................................................................55
Wyoming state symbols............................................. Inside back cover
1
Introduction
Introduction
Geography is about the study of place, asking the question “What’s where, and why?” The Wyoming Student
Atlas is one way of studying the place we call Wyoming, providing an opportunity to learn about its people
and landscapes and how they interact.
An atlas means maps, and this book has a lot of them, as well as some text and photographs. The maps
in the Wyoming Student Atlas are designed to introduce you to the spatial patterns of a wide variety
of physical and human phenomena and events in the state to help you understand how they relate to
one another.
To help get started in working with maps and geographic information, the Atlas first describes different
types of maps and their components, and two important mapping concepts: map projections and map scale.
The maps that follow are organized around major physical and human geography themes, ranging from
geology, climate, and wildlife to human settlement, economic resources, and culture. Additional population
data and a glossary of geographic terms are included at the back of the book, along with information on data
and image sources, books, and other references used in creating the maps and text.
One way to begin exploring the Atlas is to think about the types of questions that its maps might help
answer. For example:
• Page 13: to which ocean does water flow, if it falls in the Great Divide Basin?
• Page 15: what might cause average July temperatures to be highest in the northeastern part of
the state?
• Page 18: in which Wyoming county would you be least likely to experience a tornado?
• Page 20: which is the most common type of vegetation found in Wyoming?
• Page 25: why did the route of explorer George Droullaird end in the Wind River Mountains?
• Page 29: which counties experienced the greatest population increase between 2000 and 2010? What
may have caused this change?
• Page 33: why does Albany County have such a high percentage of people aged 20 to 29 years?
• Page 34: how would you describe the spatial pattern of private land across the state?
• Page 37: in which two counties do sheep outnumber cattle?
• Page 40: why are most of the coal mines in the state located in Campbell County?
• Page 42: based on this map, where would you find the highest winds in Wyoming?
• Page 46: what does the series of voting maps tell you about Wyoming voting preferences?
These are just a few of the questions you can find the answers to in the Atlas. While you’re at it, be sure to
look closely for the hard-to-catch mythical jackalope who’s found his way onto one of the maps.
Can you find the map where he is hidden?
2
Note to teachers
It is our hope that the Wyoming Student Atlas serves as a useful
resource to educators for teaching students about Wyoming’s past and
present physical and human geography. The maps and supporting
information in this publication have been developed with a focus on
learners in upper elementary through junior high grades. One guiding set
of principles in designing the Atlas was the National Geography Standards
for grades K through 12 published by the National Center for Geographic
Education (NCGE) on behalf of the Geography Education National
Implementation Program.1
First published in 1994 and revised in 2012, the National Geography
Standards continue to serve as the foundation for geography curriculum
design and instructional material development in many of the 50 states,
including Wyoming. There are 18 Standards grouped according to six
Essential Elements (see accompanying table). Grade-level knowledge
themes and content, as well as corresponding student performance
statements are specified for three grade bands (4th, 8th and 12th).
National Geography Standards Essential Elements
(pending) update of the Wyoming Science Content and Performance
Standards including content associated with “Earth’s Systems,” “Earth and
Human Activity,” and “Ecosystems.”
Above all, the Standards embody the philosophy that “the goal of teaching
geography is to equip students with the knowledge, skills, and perspective
to do geography” [emphasis added] (Heffron and Downs 2012, p. 13).
That is, combining geographic information with geographic thinking to
support well-reasoned decision making and successful problem solving. We
believe the Wyoming Student Atlas supports this goal by combining factual
geographic knowledge with visual geographic representations to help
students better understand what is happening in our state, why it happens
where it does, how it has changed from the past, and how it may change in
the future.
We hope you find the Atlas useful in your teaching. More information
about potential classroom uses of Wyoming Student Atlas may be found
at the Wyoming Geographic Alliance web site (www.uwyo.edu/wga),
including digital versions of many of the Atlas maps, additional ancillary
data, web resources, and sample lesson plans.
The World in Spatial Terms
Places and Regions
Physical Systems
Human Systems
Environment and Society
The Uses of Geography
Source: Heffron and Downs 2012.
The National Geography Standards’ content encompasses a wide range
of human and physical geography topics, corresponding closely to the
geography element (“People, Places and Environment”) of the most
recent version of the Wyoming Social Studies Content and Performance
Standards.2 The Standards can also be related to components of the latest
1 The National Geography Standards may be accessed from the NCGE at: http://ncge.org/geography-for-life
2 Current Wyoming K-12 education standards may be accessed from the Wyoming Department of Education web site: http://edu.wyoming.gov/educators/standards
3
What’s special about maps?
Photograph of
Devils Tower
A photograph gives a detailed real
life perspective of an area or feature
of interest, but not its location
or relationship to features in the
surrounding area.
Map of Devils Tower
Elements of a map
A map uses colors, symbols, and labels to locate and describe features within an
area, including relationships between surrounding features such as roads, streams,
and differences in elevation. Maps can also highlight patterns or trends in an area,
or between different areas.
Map elements include a title,
legend (also called a map key),
labels, symbols, and a scale
bar or other description of
scale. Unless a map is part of
a larger publication, it should
include an author and date.
Devils Tower National Monument
Maps can also include other
elements to aid in understanding
and interpreting the features
or theme of the map. These
can include directional arrows,
descriptive text, inset maps,
location maps, images, graphs,
and lines of latitude and
longitude or other coordinates.
Joyner Ridge Trail
Legend
Aerial photo of
Devils Tower
5,112 ft.
Entrance
Station
Visitor
Center
Tower T
rail
Building
Paved Road
Unpaved Road
Hiking Trail
River
l
To
wn
rai
ds T
Park Boundary
Do
g
Be
il
Vi
ew
Pr
air
ie
Red
Location map
a
Tr
Valley
rch
e
Ri
ve
r
Location of Devils
Tower in Wyoming
Belle Fourche
Campground
Belle
Fo
u
An aerial photograph is a “bird’s eye
view” that shows the location of a
feature in relation to the surrounding
area, but it can be difficult to
interpret.
DEVILS
TOWER
0
0.2
0.4
0.6 Miles
0
0.32
0.64
0.96 Kilometers
4
Types of maps
Four types of thematic maps
Reference maps
Choropleth
A reference map shows the location of specific features such as
roads, cities, and streams. Types of reference maps include political
maps (locations of countries, states, cities), physical maps (locations of
streams, lakes, mountains), topographic maps (natural and human-made
features), and road maps.
Graduated symbol
Wyoming reference map
Sheridan
Cody
CROOK
SHERIDAN
Gillette
BIG HORN
PARK
TETON
WASHAKIE
JOHNSON
CAMPBELL
WESTON
HOT SPRINGS
Jackson
Cellular towers
per 500 square miles
Fewer than 1
1.0 –1.5
FREMONT
Lander
CONVERSE
NATRONA
NIOBRARA
Casper
1.6–2.0
2.1–2.5
More than 2.5
SUBLETTE
SWEETWATER
Rock Springs
UINTA
Rawlins
CARBON
ALBANY
Symbols change in size
according to a numeric
value. In this case, larger
circles represent taller
cellular towers.
Cellular tower
height (feet)
Under 10
10 –30
31–50
51– 80
Above 80
Contour (Isoline)
PLATTE
LINCOLN
Different shades of
color represent ranges
or classifications of
numeric values applied
to predefined areas,
such as counties.
See data classification
entry in glossary.
Categorical
GOSHEN
Laramie LARAMIE
Cheyenne
Capital
Major roads
Major cities and towns
Counties
Thematic maps
A thematic map focuses on one specific topic or theme. Thematic
maps are either qualitative or quantitative. Cellular towers per square
mile, height of cellular towers, and elevation contours are examples of
quantitative maps with numeric values. The categorical map of cellular
phone service is an example of a qualitative map where values are nonnumeric. See the glossary for more types of thematic maps.
Elevation (meters)
4000
3500
3000
2500
2000
1500
Isolines joining points of
equal elevation are called
contours. The interval for
this elevation map is 500
meters. Isolines can also
be used to map many other
continuous types of data.
Cellular service
Available
Unavailable
By combining cellular
tower heights with
ground elevation, we can
derive categories where
cellular service may be
available and areas that
are “out of range.”
5
From globe to map
A globe is the
most common 3D
representation of the
Earth. Any place on the
Earth’s surface can be
accurately located using
the intersection of latitude
(north and south of the
equator) and longitude
(east and west of the
prime meridian).
Cylindrical projection
A globe can be
projected in three
different ways: onto a
cylinder, a cone, or a
plane (not shown).
A flat map is usually easier
to work with than a globe.
Features on a globe are
transformed to a 2D
surface mathematically,
but we can think of this
process as similar to
shining a light source
through a transparent
globe to a surface.
Conic projection
The Mercator projection is a cylindrical
projection used for navigation, as it
provides accurate angular measurement
and direction. The size of land masses is
accurate at the equator, but distorted in
the northern and southern latitudes.
When using a Mercator projection, lines
of latitude and longitude intersect at
90-degree angles to accurately portray
direction. Unfortunately, this also distorts
the spherical properties of the Earth,
giving Wyoming the inaccurate appearance
of a rectangle with squared-off corners.
The Lambert Conformal Conic projection
can be adjusted to project the United
States of America with an accurate shape
and minimally distorted area. However, it
has increasing distortion to the north and
south of the U.S.
The Lambert Conformal Conic
projection provides an accurate shape
and reasonable area for Wyoming. All
the maps in this Atlas use the Lambert
Conformal Conic projection adjusted for
Wyoming.
6
Map scale
Historic landmarks along the Emigrant Trail in Wyoming
Map scale describes how large an area of the Earth a map displays and helps you to
determine the actual size of features on the map and the distances between them.
Three different ways to represent map scale:
Graphic scale:
Small scale map
1:4,000,000
Small map scale
Independence Rock is a famous historical landmark used
by pioneers to guide them on the California/Oregon/
Mormon Trail. On a map of Wyoming, the half-mile long
rock is best represented as a small point.
Medium scale map
On a more detailed medium scale map, the size of the
rock becomes more apparent.
Large scale map
On a large scale map the precise shape of the rock is
easy to see.
The maps of Wyoming in this Atlas are all in the small
scale range, from 1:3,200,000 to 1:15,000,000 scale.
0
1
2
Miles
3
Verbal
scale:
Representative
fraction:
1 inch = 2 miles
1:125,000
Medium
scale map
1:130,000
Large
scale map
1: 24,000
7
Wyoming and the world
90°N
30°N
30°S
60°S
45°N
150°E
180°W 150°W 120°W 90°W
30°W
0°
30°E
90°N
Equator
0°
30°S
60°S
90°S
90°S
The state of Wyoming is located in the
central part of the North American
continent, bounded between 104 and 111
degrees west longitude and 41 and 45
degrees north latitude.
Wyoming straddles the Continental Divide
and the Rocky Mountains, with the Great
Plains to the east and the Intermountain
Basin region to the west. Wyoming shares a
border with six surrounding states.
104°W
90°E
30°N
41°N
111°W
60°E
60°N
45°N
41°N
60°W
Prime Me
r
i
di
an
0°
111°W 104°W
120°E
Date Line (appro
nal
xim
o
i
at
at
n
e)
r
e
t
In
60°N
90°E
MONTANA
SOUTH DAKOTA
IDAHO
WYOMING
NEBRASKA
UTAH
COLORADO
8
Wyoming geo-facts
The name “Wyoming” may be derived from the Delaware Indian
word “Maughwauwama” which means “large plains.” The name
first appeared on a map for the proposed Wyoming Territory in
1865.
 Nicknames: Equality State, Big Wyoming, Cowboy State
 Motto: Equal Rights
 The Wyoming Territory was organized in 1868
 The Wyoming Territory was carved out from the Dakota,
Utah, and Idaho Territories
 Date admitted to the Union: July 10, 1890 as the 44th state
 Population: 563,626, the smallest total population among the
states (2010)
 Population density: 5.9 people per square mile, second least
dense state after Alaska
 Size: 97,814 square miles (253,348 km2), 10th largest state
 Highest point: Gannett Peak, 13,809 feet (4,209 meters)
 Lowest point: Belle Fourche River, 3,100 feet (945 meters)
 Average annual temperature: 44.8°F (7.1°C)
 Percent of days that are sunny: 66%
 Average annual rainfall (Cheyenne): 15.45 inches (39.24 cm)
Detail of Johnson’s 1865 map of the Nebraska, Dakota, Idaho and Montana territories was the first map to
use the name Wyoming.
 Average wind speed: 10.1 miles/hour (16.25 km/hour)
 The Wyoming Territory’s Constitution was the first to give
women the right to vote in 1869
 Wyoming was the first state to elect a woman governor,
Nellie Tayloe Ross, in 1924
 Yellowstone National Park was the first U.S. national park (1872)
 Shoshone National Forest was the first U.S. national forest (1891)
 Devils Tower was the first U.S. national monument (1906)
11
Physiographic features
Feet
3,100
4.820
5,900
6,850
7,650
9,660
10,920
13,810
973
1,470
1,798
2,090
2,331
2,945
3,330
4,066
Elevation
s
tn
M
Bi
.
Ow
l Cr
eek
W
W
Snake
ind
i
River
Ri v
er
Doubletop Peak
11,719 ft
Gannett Peak
Salt
13,809 ft
Range
Mtn s .
Bear Lodge
Mountains
ive
r
POWDER
RIVER
BASIN
Black
Hills
rch
eR
rn R i v e r
Cloud Peak
13,167 ft
g ho
ka
Francs Peak
13,153 ft
Devils Tower
untains
a
bs t
M
G
Ve r
Ra n
n
h
Mo
A
Wa
sha
kie
Grand Teton
13,776 ft
s
os re
t e
g
Te t o n M t n s
n
BIGHORN
BASIN
Blackwater
Natural Bridge
ro
ig
rn
os
Sh
e
h on
o
Yellowstone
Plateau
B
r
ve
Ri
ou
Beartooth
Mtns
Yellowstone
River
P o w der River
Meters
ll
Be
e
F
Highest peak in each mountain range
Other natural landmarks
The highest point in Wyoming is Gannett
Peak at 13,809 feet (4,209 meters), in the
Wind River Range. There are more than 40
other named peaks taller than 13,000 feet in
the Wind River Range, including many near
Titcomb Basin, pictured below.
Bridger
Mtns.
n
d
R
WIND
RIVER
BASIN
iv
Ra
ng
e
Killpecker Sand Dunes
G
BoarsTusk
Ferris
Mtns
r
G R E AT D I V I D E
BASIN
M
ed
Bridger
Bow
ine tns
M
ar River
ic
Rock Springs
Uplift
Laramie
Peak
10,276 ft
Sierra Peak
11,009 ft Medicine
Madre
Bow Peak
12,013 ft
Mountains
L
Hartville
Uplift
Riv e
mie
ar a
r
Range
e
Riv
Be
Granite Mountains
Devil's Gate
Church Buttes
Uinta
Mountains
Ayers Natural Bridge
mie
re
en
iver
North Platte River
ra
GREEN
RIVER
BASIN
Swe
R
ter
e tw a
Rattlesnake
Hills
La
ming Range
Wyoming
Peak
11,378 ft
er
Wyo
Periodic
Spring
Sinks Canyon
Hell's Half Acre
Vedauwoo Rocks
The eastern part of Wyoming is dominated by high plains. The middle and western parts of the state have several
distinct ranges of the Rocky Mountains, divided by large basins. Even the basins have relatively high elevations,
averaging 6,200 feet (1,890 meters). Wyoming’s basins include many remarkable natural features such as the
Killpecker Sand Dunes, one of the largest active dune systems in North America.
The lowest point in the state is where the
Belle Fourche River flows out of Wyoming
into South Dakota, at 3,099 feet (945 meters).
24
Native American tribes
Approximate territories of
Native American tribes in 1850
Present day native lands
Crow
MONTANA
MONT
NT
TAN
NA
Bannock
SOUTH
DAKOTA
By the mid-1800s, established emigration routes like the Oregon and
Bozeman trails brought increasing numbers of European Americans to
settle in Wyoming. As a result, hostilities between the local tribes and
settlers often escalated into open disputes where the Sioux, Cheyenne,
and Arapaho defended their territories. These disputes led to a number
of treaties between the Native Americans and the U.S. government to
protect European settlers on what had been tribal lands.
Sioux
Wind River
Reservation
Shoshone
Arapaho
Cheyenne
NEBR
NE
EB ASKA
A
NEBRASKA
UTAH
UT
TAH
AH
Ute
Shoshone
The arrival of the Spanish in the 1500s brought the domesticated horse
into North America. By the 1700s, the horse became an integral part of
some Native American cultures and allowed them to migrate deeper into
the Great Plains, expand their hunting ranges, and to focus their hunting
on bison. Before the arrival of Europeans the dominant Native American
groups inhabiting Wyoming were the Shoshone, Crow, Cheyenne, and
Arapaho. The Sioux Nation joined this list in the 1830s when they were
invited to trade at Fort William (later Fort Laramie).
COLORADO
Crow
Initially the Fort Laramie Treaty (1868) promised the Cheyenne, Crow,
Arapaho, and Sioux all lands of the Powder River area and the Black Hills.
The Shoshone were allotted the lands in the Wind River Valley by the Fort
Bridger Treaty of 1868. By 1877, the U.S. government had seized the lands
of northeastern Wyoming from the Sioux and the Crow, and relocated the
Arapaho to the Wind River Reservation (1878) to live with the Shoshone,
their traditional enemy.
Today, many Shoshone and Arapaho live on the Wind River Reservation in
central Wyoming; the Crow and Northern Cheyenne are on reservations
in southeastern Montana; and the Sioux Nation is split between
reservations in South Dakota, North Dakota, and Nebraska.
Sioux
Arapahoe
Cheyenne
29
Population change
Population density (2010)
Numbers correspond to thousands of people
1930
1910
16.9
5.1
3.1
4.9
4.3
11.2
8.2
2
2.4
3.2
5.4
1.8
People per square mile
4.1
5.5
3.3
2
12.2
4.8
24.3
10.5
13.1
18.2
11.4
6.6
12
26.8
225,565 total population
1950
1970
20.2
13.2
4.8
6.7
7.3
5.3
19.6
31.4
2.5
22
5.6
5.6
5
28.3
51.3
4.5
12.9
6.3
6.5
8.6
47.7
13.3
18.4
1990
2010
23.6
10.5
6.1
4.8
11.2
33.7
4.8
6.5
8.4
61.2
8.1
12.6
38.8
16.7
21.3
12.4
40.1
18.1
453,588 total population
Population change (2000–2010)
Percentage change
2000–2010
0% –7%
7.1
46.1
8.5
8.6
75.4
17.1% – 40%
40.1% –73%
7.2
2.5
13.8
10.2
43.8
73.1
Wyoming has a population density of fewer than six people per square mile.
Conversely, New Jersey, the U.S.’s most densely populated state, has 1,205 people
per square mile. At that density, the entire country’s population could be packed
into an area equaling the combined size of Wyoming and Montana.
-2– 0%
8.7
30.8
18.7
11.7
4.8
2.5
11.1
More than 50
7.1% –17%
29.1
28.2
29.4
10.1–50
56.4
332,416 total population
5.3
10.9
26.4
4.1
290,529 total population
23.2
5.1–10
2.9
5.9
12.6
19.1
7.3
10.2
4.8
3.8
7.9
15.7
17.8
4.7
5.9
9
17.9
4.7
4.7
2.6
1–5
4.7
145,965 total population
15.2
4.7
9.7 11.8
20.2
9.6
Fewer than 1
7.1
10.9
8.5
5.3
6.7
15.9
13.2
36.3
81.7
21.1
563,626 total population
Sublette and Campbell counties have both experienced rapid growth in recent
years due to the presence of oil, gas and coal extraction. From 2000 to 2010,
Sublette saw a 73 percent increase, while Campbell grew by 37 percent.
39
Oil and gas resources
Natural gas production
Oil production
Salt
Creek
Pinedale Anticline
Dallas
Dome
Total production in millions of barrels 1978 –2013. Production
is mapped by “fields,” areas which have a high density of wells.
Oil refinery
0 –12.6
12.7–56.0
56.1–206.9
The first oil well drilled in Wyoming was at Dallas Dome
in 1883, followed by Salt Creek. Salt Creek is the most
productive field in Wyoming’s history, producing over 696
million barrels since 1889. Wyoming’s oil boom peaked in
1970, but production has been increasing again since 2009,
in part due to enhanced oil recovery. Wyoming ranks ninth
in production of crude oil in the nation.
Jonah
Total production in millions of cubic feet 1978–2013. Natural
gas is mapped by field, coalbed natural gas is mapped by section.
Gas plant
Natural gas
Coalbed natural gas
0 –266
0 –1.4
267–2,256
1.5–5.3
2,257– 4,231
5.4–14.5
Wyoming ranks fifth in the nation in the production of
natural gas. Recent advancement in drilling technology
may mean significant numbers of new wells in Wyoming’s
Green River and Wind River basins, in addition to the large
Pinedale Anticline (pictured) and Jonah fields. Coalbed
natural gas production in the Powder River Basin has
declined since 2009 after a decade-long boom.
45
Wyoming’s Western heritage
Museum of the
National Park Ranger
Cody
Night
Rodeo
Cody
Stampede
Rodeo
Fishing
Bridge
Museum
Museum of Flight
and Aerial
Firefighting
King’s Saddlery
and Museum
Colter Bay
Indian Arts
Museum
Fremont
County
Fair Rodeo
Lincoln
County
Fair Rodeo
Daughters of
the Utah Pioneers
Museum
Museum of the
Mountain Man
Crook
County
Fair Rodeo
Anna
Miller
Museum
Weston
County Fair
Ranch Rodeo
Deke Latham
Memorial
Rodeo
Wyoming
Dinosaur
Center
Jackson Hole
Rodeo
Energy
Town Rodeo
Wright
Centennial
Mansion
Thermopolis
Cowboy
Rendezvous
Teton County
Fair Rodeo
Rockpile
Museum
Johnson
County
Fair Rodeo
Ten Sleep
Fourth of
July Rodeo
National Museum of Wildlife Art
Hulett
Rodeo
Johnson County/
Jim Gatchell
Memorial Museum
Big Horn
County
Fair Rodeo
Buffalo Bill
Historical
Center
Sheridan
Wyo Rodeo
Guest ranches (2014)
Shoshoni
Labor Day
Rodeo
National Historic Trails
Interpretitive Center
College
National
Finals Rodeo
St. Stephen Indian
Heritage Center
Green River
Rendezvous
Days Rodeo
Chuckwagon
Days Rodeo
Wyoming Pioneer
Memorial Museum
State Fair
Rodeo
Green River
Valley Museum
Niobrara
County Fair
Ranch Rodeo
Stagecoach
Museum
Civilian
Conservation
Corps Museum
Frontier Prison
Museum
Carbon County
Fair Rodeo
Platte
County
Fair Rodeo
Red Desert
Roundup
Rodeo
Evanston
Rodeo
Series
Chinese
Joss House
Museum
This complex of five museums
is named after Buffalo Bill Cody
(1846–1917), who gained fame
with his “Wild West Show,” a
theatrical embellishment of the
mythic Wild West.
Wyoming
Laramie
State
Jubilee Days
Woodchoppers
Museum
Rodeo
Cheyenne
Jamboree
American Heritage Center
Frontier
and Rodeo
and UW Art Museum
Days
Guest ranches allow tourists to experience
the bygone days of the “Old West” and rural
lifestyle aspects of Wyoming. Guest ranches
vary in accommodations and to whom they
Major recurring rodeos
cater, ranging from working cattle ranches to
upscale resorts or spas.
Western-themed museums
0
Percentage of
total guest ranches
in state (88 total)
Texas
Trail
Museum
Snake River
Lions Club
Rodeo
Buffalo Bill
Historical Center
Rodeos across the state are a lasting legacy of
Wyoming’s ranching roots. Wyoming’s many
museums—a selection of which are mapped
on this page—further illustrate the diverse
nature of its Western cultural landscape.
Double
Bar G Rodeo
Series
Cheyenne Frontier Days
Nicknamed the “Daddy of ‘em All,”
Cheyenne Frontier Days has been a
staple of Wyoming rodeo culture since
its inception in 1897. The Frontier Days
Rodeo is one of the biggest events on
the professional rodeo circuit, attracting
some of the world’s best competitors.
1–5%
6– 8%
9–15%
47
County population
County
Population 2000
Population 2010
Absolute Change
Percent Change (%)
Area (square miles)
License Plate Number*
Albany
32,014
36,299
4,285
13.4
4,309
5
Big Horn
11,461
11,668
207
1.8
3,159
9
Campbell
33,698
46,133
12,435
36.9
4,807
17
Carbon
15,639
15,885
246
1.6
7,964
6
Converse
12,052
13,833
1,781
14.8
4,265
13
Crook
5,887
7,083
1,196
20.3
2,865
18
Fremont
35,804
40,123
4,319
12.1
9,266
10
Goshen
12,538
13,249
711
2.9
2,232
7
Hot Springs
4,882
4,812
-70
-1.4
2,006
15
Johnson
7,075
8,569
1,494
21.1
4,175
16
Laramie
81,607
91,738
10,131
12.4
2,668
2
Lincoln
14,573
18,106
3,533
24.2
4,095
12
Natrona
66,533
75,450
8,917
13.4
5,376
1
Niobrara
2,407
2,484
77
3.2
2,628
14
Park
25,786
28,205
2,419
9.4
6,967
11
Platte
8,807
8,667
-140
-1.6
2,111
8
Sheridan
26,560
29,116
2,556
9.6
2,527
3
Sublette
5,920
10,247
4,327
73.1
4,936
23
Sweetwater
37,613
43,806
6,193
16.5
10,491
4
Teton
18,251
21,294
3,043
16.7
4,216
22
Uinta
19,742
21,118
1,376
7
2,088
19
Washakie
8,289
8,533
244
2.9
2,243
20
Weston
6,644
7,208
564
8.5
2,400
21
Comparison between selected Wyoming counties and similarly sized countries
Sweetwater County
Size: 10,491 sq mi
Population: 37,631 (2010)
Burundi,
Region: Central Africa
Size: 10,747 sq mi
Population: 10,163,000 (2013 )
Carbon County
Size: 7.946 sq mi
Population: 15,693 (2010)
*the first digit(s) on Wyoming license plates denote the county where the car is registered.
These numbers were the ranking of each county’s assessed land value during the 1920s.
Slovenia
Region: Europe
Size: 7,827 sq mi
Population: 2,061,919 (2013)
Lincoln County
Size: 4,095 sq mi
Population: 14,573 (2010)
Lebanon
Region: Middle East
Size: 4,036 sq mi
Population: 4,822,000 (2013)
Wyoming state symbols
State symbol
State flag
State mammal
State gemstone
State coin
State sport
American bison
Sacajawea dollar
State fish
Cutthroat trout
Jade
State seal
State bird
Western meadowlark
State tree
Rodeo
Plains cottonwood
State reptile
State dinosaur
Short horned lizard
Triceratops
State flower
Indian paintbrush
State fossil
Knightia
State insect
Sheridan’s green hairstreak
State grass
Western wheatgrass
Wyoming Student Atlas