History of Laramie, Wyoming, USA

In 1866, planners of the transcontinental railroad chose a route through southern Wyoming. For a while, the route closely followed the Overland Trail, south of present-day Laramie. Congress chose the site of an Overland stage station to place a fort to protect the railroad workers; it was named Fort Buford, but the name was changed to Fort Sanders in 1866. Laramie City was sited a few miles north of the fort.

Like most towns in southern Wyoming, Laramie began as an "end of the tracks" town. As the tracks approached, numerous tent houses and cabins were built so that a fair-sized population was in place when the first train came in.

Laramie, the capital of Albany co., Wyoming, is situated near the W. base of the Laramie Range of mountains, on the Great Laramie Plain, and on the Union Pacific Railroad, 57 miles W.N.W. of Cheyenne, and 573 miles from Omaha. It is 7123 feet above the level of the sea, and is surrounded by mountains and beautiful scenery. It contains a court-house, a penitentiary, a Catholic hospital, 5 churches, 3 national banks, a public library, several hotels, 2 high schools, a rolling-mill, a round-house, and machine shops of the railroad company. Two daily newspapers are published here. Pop, in 1890, 6388.

Laramie, a city, the capital of Albany co., Wyo., is situated near the W. base of the Laramie Range of mountains, on the Great Laramie Plain and on the Union Pacific R., 57 miles NW. of Cheyenne. It is 7153 feet above the level of the sea and is surrounded by mountains and beautiful scenery. It contains a court-house, penitentiary, hospitals, public library, the Wyoming University, state agricultural college, etc., and has large railway- and ma chine-shops, rolling-mills, and manufactures of glass, leather, flour, etc. Near by is a fish-hatchery. It is an important supply point. Pop. in 1890, 6388 ; in 1900, 8207.

Cheyenne, Wyo., Nov. 8. - The body of JOHN P. WOODWARD, an air mail pilot was found in the wreckage of his plane at the siding 40 miles west of Cheyenne and fifteen miles southeast of Laramie, Wyo., late this afternoon, according to word brought here Sunday night by railroad men.

WOODWARD was last reported over Laramie at 2:40 o'clock Saturday afternoon.

STRUCK MOUNTAIN IN FOG.

Washington, D.C., Nov. 8 - JOHN P. WOODWARD, air mail pilot, whose body was found yesterday in the wreckage of his plane over Laramie, Wyo., met his death through flying into a mountainside in a dense fog, said a report received today by the post office department. The Lake City landing field reported that a weather bureau warning of fog was received a few minutes after WOODWARD left the field en route to Cheyenne. WOODWARD'S home was in Mitchell, Iowa.

Laramie, Wyo., April 14. (AP) - A fast spreading fire crackled through an entire business block early today in the downtown section of Laramie, site of the University of Wyoming.

Fifteen of 30 structures were unofficially reported destroyed by flames.

Discovered about 2 o'clock (MST) this morning, the flames were reported under control but not out three hours after they were discovered in the four-story brick W. H. HOLLIDAY Building.
Fire departments sped to Laramie from Cheyenne, Rawlins and Fort Francis E. Warren, in Wyoming, and Fort Collins, Colo., to help overwhelmed Laramie firemen and volunteers battle the blaze.
Troops from Fort Warren, 50 miles east of here at Cheyenne, National Guard members and Wyoming University ROTC students were pressed into service to prevent looting.

There were no early reports of casualties. Fifteen or 20 families lived in hotels in the flaming area. The Red Cross arranged to house them in a university dormitory.

Cause of the fire was...