The History of Hanna, Wyoming

Hanna, Wyoming has a rich history as a coal mining town and transportation hub. Founded by the Union Pacific Coal Company, Hanna was established for the benefit of its workers and their families. Coal mining was the main industry in the town, but the town's residents always had time for leisure activities like baseball. The remnants of the ghost town of Old Carbon, the first coal camp on the Union Pacific Railroad line, can still be seen south of Hanna. The Carbon Cemetery, located in the ghost town, has been recently funded for restoration and preservation, providing a glimpse into the lives of Carbon and Hanna's earliest residents.

• History
• Museum
• Ghost Town
• Hanna

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Nestled in the shadow of its namesake peak, Elk Mountain is a charming town with a rich history and stunning natural beauty.

The town boasts picturesque buildings, cottonwood-lined streets, and world-class trout fishing right downtown. From its early days as a transportation hub to its status today as a destination for outdoor enthusiasts, Elk Mountain has something for everyone.

• Hiking
• History
• Elk Mountain
• Wildlife
• Wyoming
• Itinerary

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History of Riverside

Once known as Dogget, Riverside, Wyoming was originally a shipping center for the copper mines located in the Sierra Madre Mountain Range. Its location along the banks of the Encampment River made it an ideal spot for fishing, rafting, and kayaking. Due to the town's reputation, the citizens changed the name to Riverside, which better represented the town's beauty and location.

• Hiking
• Medicine Bow
• Fly Fishing
• Wyoming
• Itinerary

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Rawlins, like much of Carbon County owes a substantial part of its early history to the Union Pacific Railroad.

The railroad gave names to unnamed places as it laid tracks westward over the Rocky Mountains that would eventually become the Trans-Continental Railroad.

Well ahead of those tracks were Army surveyors laying out the route and marking the waterholes the great steam-locomotives would need to fill their empty tanks.

• Rawlins
• History

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Encampment, Wyoming, a small town with a population of approximately 500 year-round residents, has a rich history that dates back to the late 1800s. Once called Grand Encampment by French-Canadian trappers who rendezvoused along the Encampment River, this town played a significant role in the mining industry. In 1897, copper was discovered in the Sierra Madre Mountains just above the settlement, attracting hundreds of people to the area to try their luck in the mines.

• Encampment
• Medicine Bow
• Museum
• Wyoming
• Itinerary

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Nestled in the scenic valley of Wyoming, Saratoga offers a unique blend of natural beauty and rich history.

From its Native American roots to its early settlement by European pioneers, Saratoga has a captivating story to tell. But what truly sets this charming town apart is its natural mineral hot springs, which have been attracting visitors for centuries. In this blog, we'll take a closer look at the history, attractions, and experiences that make Saratoga a must-visit destination.

• Saratoga
• Hiking
• Snowy Range
• Itinerary

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Learn the Best Places in Carbon County by Season with Local Birder Palma Jack.

The best thing about birding is you can do it anywhere you travel. It is nice however, to know where some of the local hot spots are when traveling. Hopefully this article will help with that for Carbon County, Wyoming.

• Baggs
• Encampment
• Rawlins
• RIverside
• Saratoga
• Bird Watching
• Wildlife

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Old Pen Tours are a popular Rawlins activity.

During its more than 80-year history as a corrections facility, approximately 13,500 inmates called the Wyoming State Penitentiary in Rawlins “home.”

Wyoming’s Frontier Prison, often referred to as the “Old Pen,” housed 11 women from when it opened in 1901 until 1909, at which point it became a facility primarily for men.

• Rawlins
• History
• Museum

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