Historical Details

Wyoming Counties and the Origins of their Names

Courtesy of Library Archives, 08/15/2007

ALBANY, named for Albany, New York, by a resident of that place, who served on the Dakota Legislature

BIG HORN, for the big horn mountain sheep which were once abundant in the mountains

CAMPBELL, for John A. Campbell, first governor of the Wyoming Territory

CARBON, for the coal found in this region

CONVERSE, for A.R. Converse, early stockman and Cheyenne banker

CROOK, for General George Crook, who conducted the campaign against the Indians in that vicinity

FREMONT, for Fremont, the explorer

GOSHEN, meaning, "a land of plenty," - a pastoral region

HOT SPRINGS, for the mineral hot springs near Thermopolis

JOHNSON, for E. P. Johnson, a Cheyenne lawyer

LARAMIE, for Jacques La Ramie, French-Canadian trapper

LINCOLN, for President Abraham Lincoln

NATRONA, for deposits of Natron, or soda, found in this region

NIOBRARA, for a tribe of Indians who used to roam here

PARK, because of its nearness to Yellowstone National Park

PLATTE, for the Platte River

SHERIDAN, for General Phil Sheridan

SUBLETTE, for Milton and William Sublette, famous fur traders

SWEETWATER, for Sweetwater River

TETON, for the Teton Mountains

UINTA, for the Uintah Indians

WESTON, for Dr. Weston, whose influence brought the railroad to that section

WASHAKIE, for the great Chief Washakie

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