Casper, Wyoming
Encyclopedia
Casper is the county seat
of Natrona County, Wyoming
, United States
.. Casper is the second-largest city in Wyoming (only Cheyenne
, the state capital, is larger), according to the 2010 census
, with a population of 55,316. Casper is nicknamed "The Oil City" and has a long history of oil boomtown and cowboy culture, dating back to development of the nearby Salt Creek Oil Field
.
Casper is located in east-central Wyoming at the foot of Casper Mountain
, the north end of the Laramie Mountain Range, along the North Platte River
. Interstate 25
approaches Casper from the North and East and is the main avenue of transportation to and from the city. The towns immediately adjacent to Casper are Mills
, Evansville
, Bar Nunn
, and Mountain View. Unincorporated areas include Allendale, Dempsey Acres, Red Buttes, Indian Springs, and several others.
, which was built during the mid-19th century mass migration of land seekers along the Oregon
, California
and Mormon
trails.
. The area was the location of several ferries that offered passage across the North Platte River in the early 1840s. In 1859, Louis Guinard built a bridge and trading post near the original ferry locations.
The government soon posted a military garrison nearby to protect telegraph and mail service. It was under the command of Lieutenant Colonel William O. Collins. American Indian
attacks increased after the Sand Creek Massacre
in Colorado in 1864, bringing more troops to the post, which was by now called Platte Bridge Station. In July 1865, Lieutenant Caspar Collins (the son of Colonel Collins) was killed near the post by a group of Indian warriors. Three months later the garrison was renamed Fort Caspar after Lieutenant Collins. In 1867, the troops were ordered to abandon Fort Caspar in favor of Fort Fetterman
downstream on the North Platte along the Bozeman Trail
.
The town of Casper itself was founded well after the fort had been closed. The city was founded by developers as an anticipated stopping point during the expansion of the Wyoming Central Railway
; it was an early commercial rival to Bessemer and Douglas, Wyoming
. The lack of a railhead doomed Bessemer in favor of Casper. Douglas, also a railhead, survives to the present day. The presence of a railhead made Casper the starting off point for the "invaders" in the Johnson County War
. The special chartered train carrying the men up from Texas stopped at Casper. The reason why the town is named Casper, instead of Caspar honoring the memory of Fort Caspar and Lt. Caspar Collins, is due to a typo that occurred when the town's name was officially registered.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 24.3 square miles (62.9 km²), of which, 24 square miles (62.2 km²) of it is land and 0.3 square mile (0.776996433 km²) of it (1.32%) is water.
Casper, as with most of the rest of Wyoming, has a semi-arid climate (Koppen climate classification
BSk), with long, cold, but dry winters, hot but generally dry summers, mild springs, and short and crisp autumns. Highs range from 32 °F (0 °C) in January to 88 °F (31.1 °C) in July and August. Temperatures typically plummet during summer nights, with an average diurnal temperature range approaching 35 F-change. Snow can fall heavily during the winter months, being the greatest in April, and usually falls in May and October, but rarely September. Precipitation is greatest in spring and early summer, but even then it is not high. Highs reach 90 °F (32.2 °C) on 31 days per year and fail to surpass freezing on 46. Lows drop to 0 °F (-17.8 °C) on 18 nights per winter.
of 2000, there were 49,644 people, 20,343 households, and 13,141 families residing in the city. The population density
was 2,073.2 people per square mile (800.3/km²). There were 21,872 housing units at an average density of 913.4 per square mile (352.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.03% White, 0.86% Black, 1.00% Native American, 0.49% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 2.04% from other races
, and 1.56% from two or more races. 5.35% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 20,343 households out of which 31.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.6% were married couples
living together, 11.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.4% were non-families. 29.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.9% under the age of 18, 10.5% from 18 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 13.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 95.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $36,567, and the median income for a family was $46,267. Males had a median income of $34,905 versus $21,810 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $19,409. About 8.5% of families and 11.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.4% of those under age 18 and 7.3% of those age 65 or over.
Since the discovery of crude oil in the region during the 1890s, Casper became the regional petroleum industry center. Oil has figured prominently in its history from nearly the onset. Oil was first discovered in the famous Salt Creek Oil Field
in 1889, approximately 40 miles (64 km) north of Casper; the first refinery in Casper was built in 1895. The city has featured a refinery ever since, although various refineries have been built and closed over the years. As recently as the early 1980s, the city was near or home to three refineries. The surviving one, operated by Sinclair Oil Corporation, is located nearby in Evansville, Wyoming. Development of Wyoming coal
and uranium
fields in recent decades has helped Casper continue its role as a center in the energy industry.
, a community college that offers bachelors degrees in sixteen areas of study from the University of Wyoming
through their UW/CC Center.
Public education in the city of Casper is provided by Natrona County School District #1. The district operates sixteen elementary schools, five middle schools, and three high schools in Casper. The high schools include Kelly Walsh
, Natrona
, and Roosevelt High Schools, There is also a program being added to Natrona County School District called CAPS, it will serve as more space and classrooms for juniors and seniors at any of the 3 Highschools.
, a newspaper
with statewide circulation; the Casper Journal is a community newspaper published weekly.
took place at the Casper Events Center
in 1995.
Casper hosted the AIFA Championship Bowl III at the Casper Events Center on July 26, 2009.
Since 2001 Casper has been host the College National Finals Rodeo
.
Casper has three locations offering theatre
: The Gertrude Krampert Theatre at Casper College, Stage III Community Theatre, and the Casper Events Center where an annual series of touring Broadway shows, Broadway in Casper, can be seen.
Casper is home to the Troopers, a drum and bugle corps in Drum Corps International
, and the Wyoming Symphony Orchestra. During the summer months, Casper's City Band performs free concerts Thursday evenings at Washington Park, weather permitting.
I-25
US Routes:
US 20
US 26
US 87
Wyoming State Highways
:
WYO 220
(N. Poplar St., CY Avenue)
WYO 251
(Wolcott St., Casper Mountain Rd.)
WYO 252
(S. Poplar St.)
WYO 254
(Salt Creek Hwy.)
WYO 255
(Center St., 9th St., CY Avenue)
WYO 258
(Wyoming Blvd.)
(SkyWest Airlines
), Delta Connection
(SkyWest Airlines), and Allegiant Airlines.
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Natrona County, Wyoming
Wyoming
Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.. Casper is the second-largest city in Wyoming (only Cheyenne
Cheyenne, Wyoming
Cheyenne is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Wyoming and the county seat of Laramie County. It is the principal city of the Cheyenne, Wyoming, Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Laramie County. The population is 59,466 at the 2010 census. Cheyenne is the...
, the state capital, is larger), according to the 2010 census
United States Census, 2010
The Twenty-third United States Census, known as Census 2010 or the 2010 Census, is the current national census of the United States. National Census Day was April 1, 2010 and is the reference date used in enumerating individuals...
, with a population of 55,316. Casper is nicknamed "The Oil City" and has a long history of oil boomtown and cowboy culture, dating back to development of the nearby Salt Creek Oil Field
Salt Creek Oil Field
The Salt Creek Oil Field, located in the town of Midwest in Natrona County, Wyoming, approximately 40 mi north of Casper, was at one time in the early 20th century the largest light crude oil field in the world. It was historically one of the most important petroleum deposits in Wyoming.The...
.
Casper is located in east-central Wyoming at the foot of Casper Mountain
Casper Mountain
Casper Mountain is a long mountain at the north end of the Laramie Mountains overlooking Casper, Wyoming along the North Platte River. Casper Mountain is such in length that it's visible from Space, at the altitude that the ISS and Space Shuttle fly...
, the north end of the Laramie Mountain Range, along the North Platte River
North Platte River
The North Platte River is a major tributary of the Platte River and is approximately long counting its many curves, It travels about distance. Its course lies in the U.S...
. Interstate 25
Interstate 25
Interstate 25 is an Interstate Highway in the western United States. It is primarily a north–south highway. I-25 stretches from Interstate 10 at Las Cruces, New Mexico, , to Interstate 90 in Buffalo, Wyoming, .Interstate 25 is the main north–south expressway through...
approaches Casper from the North and East and is the main avenue of transportation to and from the city. The towns immediately adjacent to Casper are Mills
Mills, Wyoming
Mills is a town in Natrona County, Wyoming, United States. It is part of the Casper, Wyoming Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 2,591 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Mills is located at ....
, Evansville
Evansville, Wyoming
Evansville is a town in Natrona County, Wyoming, United States. It is part of the Casper, Wyoming Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 2,255 at the 2000 census.Evansville is the location of the Oregon Trail State Veterans Cemetery....
, Bar Nunn
Bar Nunn, Wyoming
Bar Nunn is a town in Natrona County, Wyoming, United States. It is a part of the Casper, Wyoming Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 936 at the 2000 census...
, and Mountain View. Unincorporated areas include Allendale, Dempsey Acres, Red Buttes, Indian Springs, and several others.
History
The city was established east of the former site of Fort CasparFort Caspar
Fort Caspar was a military post of the United States Army in present-day Wyoming, named after 2nd Lieutenant Caspar Collins, a U.S. Army officer who was killed in the 1865 Battle of the Platte Bridge Station against the Lakota and Cheyenne...
, which was built during the mid-19th century mass migration of land seekers along the Oregon
Oregon Trail
The Oregon Trail is a historic east-west wagon route that connected the Missouri River to valleys in Oregon and locations in between.After 1840 steam-powered riverboats and steamboats traversing up and down the Ohio, Mississippi and Missouri rivers sped settlement and development in the flat...
, California
California Trail
The California Trail was an emigrant trail of about across the western half of the North American continent from Missouri River towns to what is now the state of California...
and Mormon
Mormon Trail
The Mormon Trail or Mormon Pioneer Trail is the 1,300 mile route that members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints traveled from 1846 to 1868...
trails.
. The area was the location of several ferries that offered passage across the North Platte River in the early 1840s. In 1859, Louis Guinard built a bridge and trading post near the original ferry locations.
The government soon posted a military garrison nearby to protect telegraph and mail service. It was under the command of Lieutenant Colonel William O. Collins. American Indian
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
attacks increased after the Sand Creek Massacre
Sand Creek Massacre
As conflict between Indians and white settlers and soldiers in Colorado continued, many of the Cheyenne and Arapaho, including bands under Cheyenne chiefs Black Kettle and White Antelope, were resigned to negotiate peace. The chiefs had sought to maintain peace in spite of pressures from whites...
in Colorado in 1864, bringing more troops to the post, which was by now called Platte Bridge Station. In July 1865, Lieutenant Caspar Collins (the son of Colonel Collins) was killed near the post by a group of Indian warriors. Three months later the garrison was renamed Fort Caspar after Lieutenant Collins. In 1867, the troops were ordered to abandon Fort Caspar in favor of Fort Fetterman
Fort Fetterman
Fort Fetterman was a wooden fort constructed in 1867 by the United States Army on the Great Plains frontier in the Dakota Territory approximately 11 miles northwest of present-day Douglas, Wyoming. It was located high on the bluffs on the south side of the North Platte River...
downstream on the North Platte along the Bozeman Trail
Bozeman Trail
The Bozeman Trail was an overland route connecting the gold rush territory of Montana to the Oregon Trail. Its most important period was from 1863-1868. The flow of pioneers and settlers through territory of American Indians provoked their resentment and caused attacks. The U.S. Army undertook...
.
The town of Casper itself was founded well after the fort had been closed. The city was founded by developers as an anticipated stopping point during the expansion of the Wyoming Central Railway
Wyoming Central Railway
Wyoming Central Railway was a railroad in the U.S. state of Wyoming. The railroad was incorporated in October 1885 and built a line from Chadron, Nebraska through Douglas to Casper. The line was initially leased to the Fremont, Elkhorn and Missouri Valley Railroad and the two railroads...
; it was an early commercial rival to Bessemer and Douglas, Wyoming
Douglas, Wyoming
Douglas is a city in Converse County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 5,288 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Converse County...
. The lack of a railhead doomed Bessemer in favor of Casper. Douglas, also a railhead, survives to the present day. The presence of a railhead made Casper the starting off point for the "invaders" in the Johnson County War
Johnson County War
The Johnson County War, also known as the War on Powder River, was a range war which took place in April 1892 in Johnson County, Natrona County and Converse County in the U.S. state of Wyoming...
. The special chartered train carrying the men up from Texas stopped at Casper. The reason why the town is named Casper, instead of Caspar honoring the memory of Fort Caspar and Lt. Caspar Collins, is due to a typo that occurred when the town's name was officially registered.
Geography and climate
Casper is located at 42°50′5"N 106°19′30"W (42.834665, -106.325062). It sits at an average elevation of about 5200 feet (1,585 m) (just slightly lower than Denver).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 24.3 square miles (62.9 km²), of which, 24 square miles (62.2 km²) of it is land and 0.3 square mile (0.776996433 km²) of it (1.32%) is water.
Casper, as with most of the rest of Wyoming, has a semi-arid climate (Koppen climate classification
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
BSk), with long, cold, but dry winters, hot but generally dry summers, mild springs, and short and crisp autumns. Highs range from 32 °F (0 °C) in January to 88 °F (31.1 °C) in July and August. Temperatures typically plummet during summer nights, with an average diurnal temperature range approaching 35 F-change. Snow can fall heavily during the winter months, being the greatest in April, and usually falls in May and October, but rarely September. Precipitation is greatest in spring and early summer, but even then it is not high. Highs reach 90 °F (32.2 °C) on 31 days per year and fail to surpass freezing on 46. Lows drop to 0 °F (-17.8 °C) on 18 nights per winter.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 49,644 people, 20,343 households, and 13,141 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 2,073.2 people per square mile (800.3/km²). There were 21,872 housing units at an average density of 913.4 per square mile (352.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.03% White, 0.86% Black, 1.00% Native American, 0.49% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 2.04% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.56% from two or more races. 5.35% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 20,343 households out of which 31.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.6% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 11.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.4% were non-families. 29.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.9% under the age of 18, 10.5% from 18 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 13.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 95.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $36,567, and the median income for a family was $46,267. Males had a median income of $34,905 versus $21,810 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $19,409. About 8.5% of families and 11.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.4% of those under age 18 and 7.3% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
Although relatively small by national standards, Casper is a regional center of banking and commerce.Since the discovery of crude oil in the region during the 1890s, Casper became the regional petroleum industry center. Oil has figured prominently in its history from nearly the onset. Oil was first discovered in the famous Salt Creek Oil Field
Salt Creek Oil Field
The Salt Creek Oil Field, located in the town of Midwest in Natrona County, Wyoming, approximately 40 mi north of Casper, was at one time in the early 20th century the largest light crude oil field in the world. It was historically one of the most important petroleum deposits in Wyoming.The...
in 1889, approximately 40 miles (64 km) north of Casper; the first refinery in Casper was built in 1895. The city has featured a refinery ever since, although various refineries have been built and closed over the years. As recently as the early 1980s, the city was near or home to three refineries. The surviving one, operated by Sinclair Oil Corporation, is located nearby in Evansville, Wyoming. Development of Wyoming coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
and uranium
Uranium
Uranium is a silvery-white metallic chemical element in the actinide series of the periodic table, with atomic number 92. It is assigned the chemical symbol U. A uranium atom has 92 protons and 92 electrons, of which 6 are valence electrons...
fields in recent decades has helped Casper continue its role as a center in the energy industry.
Education
Casper is home to Casper CollegeCasper College
Casper College is a public community college in Casper, Wyoming, U.S. The school was founded in 1945. It currently enrolls 4,023 students. There are approximately 250 faculty. The Tate Geological Museum is located on the south end of the campus.Warren A...
, a community college that offers bachelors degrees in sixteen areas of study from the University of Wyoming
University of Wyoming
The University of Wyoming is a land-grant university located in Laramie, Wyoming, situated on Wyoming's high Laramie Plains, at an elevation of 7,200 feet , between the Laramie and Snowy Range mountains. It is known as UW to people close to the university...
through their UW/CC Center.
Public education in the city of Casper is provided by Natrona County School District #1. The district operates sixteen elementary schools, five middle schools, and three high schools in Casper. The high schools include Kelly Walsh
Kelly Walsh High School
Kelly Walsh High School is a public secondary institution located in Casper, Wyoming and serves Natrona County School District #1. The school mascot is the Trojan. The current principal is Brad Diller.-History:...
, Natrona
Natrona County High School
Natrona County High School is a public secondary school located in Casper, Wyoming, and serves Natrona County School District #1, which encompasses all of Natrona County, Wyoming. The school remains a rival of Kelly Walsh High School, one of Casper's other two high schools along with Roosevelt...
, and Roosevelt High Schools, There is also a program being added to Natrona County School District called CAPS, it will serve as more space and classrooms for juniors and seniors at any of the 3 Highschools.
Media
Casper and the rest of Wyoming are served by the Casper Star-TribuneCasper Star-Tribune
The Casper Star-Tribune is a newspaper published in Casper, Wyoming.It is Wyoming's largest newspaper with a daily circulation of 30,745 and a Sunday circulation of 33,264 . The Star-Tribune is the only Wyoming newspaper to be distributed statewide, with delivery available even in some of the most...
, a newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
with statewide circulation; the Casper Journal is a community newspaper published weekly.
Sports
UFC 6UFC 6
UFC 6: Clash of the Titans was the sixth mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on July 14, 1995, at the Casper Events Center in Casper, Wyoming. The event was seen live on pay per view in the United States, and later released on home video.-History:UFC 6 featured the...
took place at the Casper Events Center
Casper Events Center
The Casper Events Center is a 8,395-seat multi-purpose arena in Casper, Wyoming in the United States. The arena was built in April 1982, and also seats up to 9,700 for concerts and meetings. It is home to the Wyoming Cavalry arena football team and the Broadway in Casper theatre series. In addition...
in 1995.
Casper hosted the AIFA Championship Bowl III at the Casper Events Center on July 26, 2009.
Since 2001 Casper has been host the College National Finals Rodeo
College National Finals Rodeo
The College National Finals Rodeo is held every June. Since 2001 the CNFR has been hosted in Casper, WY at the Casper Events Center.. The CNFR is an event where men and women involved in Rodeo come to compete in order to obtain the honor of national champion in their event...
.
- Wyoming CavalryWyoming CavalryThe Wyoming Cavalry are a professional indoor football team of the Indoor Football League. They play their home games in Casper, Wyoming at Casper Events Center....
a minor league indoor football team in the Indoor Football LeagueIndoor Football LeagueThe Indoor Football League began in 1999 as an offshoot of the troubled Professional Indoor Football League. Keary Ecklund, the owner of the Green Bay Bombers and Madison Mad Dogs, left the PIFL after its first, financially-troubled, season to start his own league. Unlike the PIFL, the IFL was an...
. - Casper Ghosts a minor league baseball team affiliated with the Colorado RockiesColorado RockiesThe Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1991, they started play in 1993 and are in the West Division of the National League. The team is named after the Rocky Mountains...
. - Casper Storm a semi pro football team in the North American Football League.
- Casper Cannibal RFC an amateur rugby football team in the Eastern Rockies Rugby Football Union.
- asper has a college football team which are called "Wyoming Cowboys".
Museums and historical sites
Casper is home to a number of museums and historical sites:- Fort Caspar Museum and Historic SiteFort CasparFort Caspar was a military post of the United States Army in present-day Wyoming, named after 2nd Lieutenant Caspar Collins, a U.S. Army officer who was killed in the 1865 Battle of the Platte Bridge Station against the Lakota and Cheyenne...
. - National Historic Trails Interpretive CenterNational Historic Trails Interpretive CenterThe National Historic Trails Interpretive Center is a interpretive center about several of the National Historic Trails, and is located northwest of Casper, Wyoming on Interstate 25. It is operated through a partnership between the Bureau of Land Management, the City of Casper, and the National...
, a federally funded and operated museum - Nicolaysen Art Museum
- Tate Geological Museum at Casper College
- Werner Wildlife Museum
Performing arts and music
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
: The Gertrude Krampert Theatre at Casper College, Stage III Community Theatre, and the Casper Events Center where an annual series of touring Broadway shows, Broadway in Casper, can be seen.
Casper is home to the Troopers, a drum and bugle corps in Drum Corps International
Drum Corps International
Drum Corps International , formed in 1972, is the non-profit governing body operating the North American drum and bugle corps circuit for junior corps, whose members are between the ages of 14 and 21. It is the counterpart of Drum Corps Associates which governs senior or all-age drum corps...
, and the Wyoming Symphony Orchestra. During the summer months, Casper's City Band performs free concerts Thursday evenings at Washington Park, weather permitting.
Highways
Interstate Highways: I-25
- North-South Interstate running from New MexicoNew MexicoNew Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
to WyomingWyomingWyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
.
US Routes:
US 20
- East-West route through Casper that runs concurrent with I-25 through Casper. At exit 189 the highway continues west out of Casper, and no longer runs concurrent with the interstate.
- The Business RouteBusiness routeA business route in the United States and Canada is a short special route connected to a parent numbered highway at its beginning, then routed through the central business district of a nearby city or town, and finally reconnecting with the same parent numbered highway again at its...
of US 20 follows N. Beverly St. and Yellowstone Hwy. going East-West from I-25/US 87 (Exit 186) to U.S. 20-26 west of Casper in Mills.
US 26
- East-West route through Casper that runs concurrent with I-25 through Casper. At exit 189 the highway continues west out of Casper, and no longer runs concurrent with the interstate.
- The Business RouteBusiness routeA business route in the United States and Canada is a short special route connected to a parent numbered highway at its beginning, then routed through the central business district of a nearby city or town, and finally reconnecting with the same parent numbered highway again at its...
of US 26 follows N. McKinley St. and Yellowstone Hwy. going East-West from I-25/US 87 (Exit 187) to U.S. 20-26 west of Casper in Mills.
US 87
- North-South through Casper that runs concurrent with I-25 through Casper.
Wyoming State Highways
State highways in Wyoming
-External links:**...
:
WYO 220Wyoming Highway 220
Wyoming Highway 220 is the principal highway connecting the city of Casper to US 287/WYO 789. WYO 220 lies in northwestern Carbon and southern Natrona counties and along the famous Oregon Trail.- Route description :...
(N. Poplar St., CY Avenue)
- East-West route from I-25/US 87 (Exit 188B) west out of Casper towards Alcova.
WYO 251Wyoming Highway 251
Wyoming Highway 252 is a north-south Wyoming state road located in Natrona County.-Route description:Wyoming Highway 252 begins its southern end at Natrona CR 505 in the census-designated place of Casper Mountain, south of the City of Casper....
(Wolcott St., Casper Mountain Rd.)
- North-South route that continues south out of Casper and up Casper Mountain, eventually ending at WYO 487Wyoming Highway 487Wyoming Highway 487 is a state highway in northeastern Carbon County, Wyoming and southeastern Natrona County, Wyoming that runs from its south end at US 30/US 287 to a north end at WYO 220.-Route description:...
.
WYO 252Wyoming Highway 252
Wyoming Highway 252 is a Wyoming state road in Natrona County, serving the areas just south of the City of Casper. It is locally known as Garden Creek Road from Wyoming Highway 251 to the Casper city line where it becomes South Poplar Street.-Route description:...
(S. Poplar St.)
- North-South route from the intersection of Poplar Street and CY avenue to Casper Mountain Road.
WYO 254Wyoming Highway 254
Wyoming Highway 254 is a state road northwest of Casper, Wyoming known as Salt Creek Highway.-Route description:Wyoming Highway 254 begins its south end the Town of Mills, just outside Casper at US 20 Business/US 26 Business . The Highway continues north into the Town of Bar Nunn at 0.79 miles...
(Salt Creek Hwy.)
- North-South route from I-25/US 87 south to US 20-26 (Yellowstone Hwy.) in Mills.
WYO 255Wyoming Highway 255
Wyoming Highway 255 is a short unsigned Wyoming state road in the City of Casper known as N. Center Street. This route provides a connection between US 20 Business/US 26 Business and I-25/US 20/US 26/US 87 and runs concurrent with the I-25/US 87 Business route.-Route description:Wyoming Highway 255...
(Center St., 9th St., CY Avenue)
- North-South route from I-25 exit 188A to the intersection of S. Poplar and CY Avenue, where CY Avenue continues as WY 220.
WYO 258Wyoming Highway 258
Wyoming Highway 258 is a state highway in Wyoming, known as Wyoming Boulevard or as the Casper Beltline, and acts as a two-lane beltway around the western, southern, and eastern sides of the City of Casper...
(Wyoming Blvd.)
- East-West loop route from I-25/US 87 to US 20-26 west of Casper in Mills; the majority of the highway runs along the southern borders of Casper.
Airports
The city has scheduled air service at Casper/Natrona County International Airport, a former army air base built during World War II. The current airport, having been built for bombers, has large runways and replaced a prior regional airport north of Casper which later became Bar Nunn. The airport is located west of the city just off of US highway 20/26. In July 2004, the airport facilities were renovated. Passenger service at the airport is offered by United ExpressUnited Express
United Express is a brand name under which eight regional airlines operate feeder flights for United Airlines. They primarily connect smaller cities with United's domestic hub airports and “focus cities,” although they offer some point-to-point service such as Sacramento to Eureka.As of Sept...
(SkyWest Airlines
Skywest Airlines
Skywest Airlines Pty Ltd is a regional airline company based in Perth, Western Australia, Australia; servicing key towns in the state of Western Australia, Darwin, Northern Territory and Melbourne, Victoria; as well as charter flights to Bali, Indonesia....
), Delta Connection
Delta Connection
Delta Connection is the name under which a number of individually owned regional airlines and one wholly owned regional carrier operate short and medium haul routes in association with Delta Air Lines Inc...
(SkyWest Airlines), and Allegiant Airlines.
Public transit
Public transit in the Casper area is provided by the Casper Area Transportation Coalition. They offer fixed route service called The Bus and an on request service called CATC.Scheduled bus service
Scheduled bus service once offered by Power River Bus Lines is now offered by Black Hills Stage Lines.Notable natives and residents
- John BarrassoJohn BarrassoJohn Anthony Barrasso is the junior U.S. Senator from Wyoming and a member of the Republican Party. He was appointed to the Senate following Craig L. Thomas's death and won a special election in 2008 to fill the remaining four years of Thomas's term....
, RepublicanRepublican Party (United States)The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
U.S. Senator from Wyoming - Zane BeadlesZane Beadles-External links:**...
, former Utah UteUtah Utes footballThe Utah Utes football program is a college football team that currently competes in the Pacific-12 Conference of the Football Bowl Subdivision of NCAA Division I and represents the University of Utah. The Utah college football program began in 1892 and has played home games at Rice–Eccles...
offensive lineman and current member of the Denver BroncosDenver BroncosThe Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... - Tom BrowningTom BrowningThomas Leo Browning is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. During a 12-year baseball career, he pitched for the Cincinnati Reds and the Kansas City Royals...
, former major league pitcher, threw perfect game and while with the Cincinnati RedsCincinnati RedsThe Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
, won a World SeriesWorld SeriesThe World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
. - Dick CheneyDick CheneyRichard Bruce "Dick" Cheney served as the 46th Vice President of the United States , under George W. Bush....
, Vice President of United States under George W. BushGeorge W. BushGeorge Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
, Secretary of Defense under George H.W. Bush, former CEO of Haliburton CompanyHalliburtonHalliburton is the world's second largest oilfield services corporation with operations in more than 70 countries. It has hundreds of subsidiaries, affiliates, branches, brands and divisions worldwide and employs over 50,000 people....
. Cheney grew up in Casper, having moved there from his birthplace in NebraskaNebraskaNebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
. - Lynne CheneyLynne CheneyLynne Ann Cheney is the wife of former United States Vice President Dick Cheney and served as the Second Lady of the United States from 2001 to 2009...
, wife of former Vice President Dick CheneyDick CheneyRichard Bruce "Dick" Cheney served as the 46th Vice President of the United States , under George W. Bush....
under President George W. BushGeorge W. BushGeorge Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000.... - Tom CoburnTom CoburnThomas Allen "Tom" Coburn, M.D. , is an American politician, medical doctor, and Southern Baptist deacon. A member of the Republican Party, he currently serves as the junior U.S. Senator from Oklahoma. In the Senate, he is known as "Dr. No" for his tendency to place holds on and vote against bills...
, U.S. senator from OklahomaOklahomaOklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state... - Mike DevereauxMike DevereauxMichael Devereaux is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the fifth round of the amateur draft and made his debut on September 2, 1987...
, professional baseball player with World SeriesWorld SeriesThe World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
rings with Los Angeles DodgersLos Angeles DodgersThe Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
and Atlanta BravesAtlanta BravesThe Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997.... - Jean Henry-MeadJean Henry-MeadJean Henry Mead is an American novelist, award-winning photojournalist, historian and editor/publisher. She has also written under the names: Jean Henry, Jean Mead, and S...
, photojournalist, author of books about Wyoming, including the centennial history of Casper (Casper Country: Wyoming's Heartland) - Mike LansingMike LansingMichael Thomas Lansing is a former Major League Baseball infielder who played for the Montreal Expos, Colorado Rockies, and the Boston Red Sox between 1993 and 2001...
, former major league second baseman - Chris LeDouxChris LeDouxChris Ledoux was an American country music singer-songwriter, bronze sculptor and rodeo champion.During his career LeDoux recorded 36 albums which have sold more than six million units in the United States as of January 2007...
, country music artist, died in Casper in 2005 - Vic MarkerVic MarkerVictor Marker was a boxer who was born and raised in Scottsbluff, Nebraska then moved to Casper, Wyoming later in life. Marker was a three time Midwest Golden Gloves Champion from 1937-39 at 147 lbs. Vic, according to those who knew him, was a softhearted, generous man...
, Midwest Golden Gloves Champion from 1937-39. - Warren A. MortonWarren A. MortonWarren Allen Morton was a Casper oilman and engineer who served as Speaker of the Wyoming House of Representatives from 1979 to 1980, prior to mounting a Republican gubernatorial campaign in 1982. He served in the Wyoming House from Natrona County from January 1, 1967, to December 31, 1980...
(1924–2002), former SpeakerSpeaker (politics)The term speaker is a title often given to the presiding officer of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body. The speaker's official role is to moderate debate, make rulings on procedure, announce the results of votes, and the like. The speaker decides who may speak and has the...
of the Wyoming House of RepresentativesWyoming House of RepresentativesThe Wyoming House of Representatives is the lower house of the Wyoming State Legislature. There are 60 Representatives in the House, representing an equal amount of single-member constituent districts across the state, each with a population of at least 9,000. The House convenes at the Wyoming...
; Casper oilOilAn oil is any substance that is liquid at ambient temperatures and does not mix with water but may mix with other oils and organic solvents. This general definition includes vegetable oils, volatile essential oils, petrochemical oils, and synthetic oils....
man and engineerEngineerAn engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,... - Guy PadgettGuy PadgettGuy V. Padgett III is a former American municipal politician from Wyoming. A member of the Casper, Wyoming City Council from 2003 to 2009, he was mayor of Casper from 2005 to 2006. He is a Democrat....
, politician, first openly gayGayGay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
elected official in WyomingWyomingWyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High... - James ReebJames ReebJames Reeb was a white American Unitarian Universalist minister from Boston, Massachusetts and pastor and civil rights activist in Washington, DC. While marching for civil rights in Selma, Alabama in 1965, he was beaten severely by segregationists and died of head injuries two days later in the...
, civil rights activist, murdered in Selma, AlabamaSelma, AlabamaSelma is a city in and the county seat of Dallas County, Alabama, United States, located on the banks of the Alabama River. The population was 20,512 at the 2000 census....
, 1965. - Mike Sullivan, Governor of Wyoming from 1987–1995; former U.S. Ambassador to IrelandUnited States Ambassador to IrelandThere have been a total of 30 Ambassadors of the United States to Ireland meaning the Republic of Ireland. All except one, Frederick A. Sterling, have been non-career appointees, while there were three under President George W. Bush.-List of Ambassadors:...
during the ClintonBill ClintonWilliam Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
administration. - Pete Williams, NBC News correspondent, former Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs
- Matthew ShepardMatthew ShepardMatthew Wayne Shepard was a student at the University of Wyoming who was tortured and murdered near Laramie, Wyoming, in October 1998...
, gay male murder victim for whom the Matthew Shepard Hate Crime Act is named - Thomas E. TrowbridgeThomas E. TrowbridgeThomas E. Trowbridge, known as Tom Trowbridge , originally a dairy farmer from Carbon County, Wyoming, served as a Democrat in both houses of the Wyoming State Legislature from 1979 to 1986. He was a member of the Wyoming House of Representatives for two two-year terms, and he served a single...
, former member of both houses of the Wyoming State Legislature - Tom Walsh, former mayor of Casper and three-term member of the Wyoming House of RepresentativesWyoming House of RepresentativesThe Wyoming House of Representatives is the lower house of the Wyoming State Legislature. There are 60 Representatives in the House, representing an equal amount of single-member constituent districts across the state, each with a population of at least 9,000. The House convenes at the Wyoming...