Wamsutter, Wyoming
Encyclopedia
Wamsutter is a town in Sweetwater County, Wyoming
, United States
. The population was 261 at the 2000 census
.
The original inhabitants of the area were the Shoshone
and Ute
tribes. Westerners did not really settle in the county until the coming of the railroad
in the 1860s. Originally, the town was known as Washakie. Confusion with nearby Fort Washakie
prompted an 1884 name change to Wamsutter, after a Union Pacific
bridge engineer.
The town, which bills itself as "The Gateway to the Red Desert" is located along Interstate 80 between Rawlins
and Rock Springs
, on the easternmost border of Sweetwater County. The natural gas industry has had a lot of influence on Wamsutter in recent years. Both in employment opportunities in the area, and by contributing to the community directly.
Wamsutter is the largest settlement, and the only incorporated town in the Great Divide Basin
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 1.3 square miles (3.4 km²), all of it land.
of 2000, there were 261 people, 100 households, and 65 families residing in the town. The population density
was 198.7 people per square mile (76.9/km²). There were 148 housing units at an average density of 112.6 per square mile (43.6/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 93.87% White, 0.77% Native American, 3.07% from other races
, and 2.30% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 13.03% of the population.
There were 100 households out of which 38.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.0% were married couples
living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.0% were non-families. 29.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.25.
In the town the population was spread out with 31.4% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 34.9% from 25 to 44, 23.8% from 45 to 64, and 3.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 119.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 126.6 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $35,625, and the median income for a family was $46,250. Males had a median income of $34,643 versus $20,000 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $18,943. About 11.4% of families and 10.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.6% of those under the age of eighteen and none of those sixty five or over.
BP has an office in Wamsutter, and the small town's population reportedly has increased to over 1200 over the past several years. Some estimates place the town's population over 6000 within the next ten years, and the town is struggling with this rapid growth, particularly due to the lack of available housing.
. Students in grades K-8 attend Desert School in Wamsutter, which is divided into elementary (grades K-6) and middle school (grades 7-8) campuses. Upon the completion of 8th grade, students attend Rawlins High School
(grades 9-12; part of Carbon County School District #1
) by agreement of the respective boards of trustees
Today's Wamsutter is a quiet reflection of the town it once was during the early days of western expansion. During the mid-1800's, Wamsutter was a vibratant cattle town.
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...
. The population was 261 at the 2000 census
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
.
The original inhabitants of the area were the Shoshone
Shoshone
The Shoshone or Shoshoni are a Native American tribe in the United States with three large divisions: the Northern, the Western and the Eastern....
and Ute
Ute Tribe
The Ute are an American Indian people now living primarily in Utah and Colorado. There are three Ute tribal reservations: Uintah-Ouray in northeastern Utah ; Southern Ute in Colorado ; and Ute Mountain which primarily lies in Colorado, but extends to Utah and New Mexico . The name of the state of...
tribes. Westerners did not really settle in the county until the coming of the railroad
First Transcontinental Railroad
The First Transcontinental Railroad was a railroad line built in the United States of America between 1863 and 1869 by the Central Pacific Railroad of California and the Union Pacific Railroad that connected its statutory Eastern terminus at Council Bluffs, Iowa/Omaha, Nebraska The First...
in the 1860s. Originally, the town was known as Washakie. Confusion with nearby Fort Washakie
Fort Washakie, Wyoming
Fort Washakie is a census-designated place in Fremont County, Wyoming, United States, within the Wind River Indian Reservation and along U.S. Route 287...
prompted an 1884 name change to Wamsutter, after a Union Pacific
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
bridge engineer.
The town, which bills itself as "The Gateway to the Red Desert" is located along Interstate 80 between Rawlins
Rawlins, Wyoming
Rawlins is a city in Carbon County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 8,538 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Carbon County...
and Rock Springs
Rock Springs, Wyoming
Rock Springs is a city in Sweetwater County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 18,708 at the 2000 census. Rock Springs is the principal city of the Rock Springs micropolitan statistical area, which has a population of 37,975....
, on the easternmost border of Sweetwater County. The natural gas industry has had a lot of influence on Wamsutter in recent years. Both in employment opportunities in the area, and by contributing to the community directly.
Wamsutter is the largest settlement, and the only incorporated town in the Great Divide Basin
Great Divide Basin
The Great Divide Basin is a drainage basin of the Continental Divide of the Americas. The basin is between the Green River watershed on the west and the Medicine Bow River watershed on the east . From the northwest, the basin begins in the "Wind River Range .....
.
Geography
Wamsutter is located at 41°40′15"N 107°58′39"W (41.670839, -107.977457).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 town has a total area of 1.3 square miles (3.4 km²), all of it land.
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 261 people, 100 households, and 65 families residing in the town. 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 198.7 people per square mile (76.9/km²). There were 148 housing units at an average density of 112.6 per square mile (43.6/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 93.87% White, 0.77% Native American, 3.07% 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 2.30% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 13.03% of the population.
There were 100 households out of which 38.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.0% 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, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.0% were non-families. 29.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.25.
In the town the population was spread out with 31.4% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 34.9% from 25 to 44, 23.8% from 45 to 64, and 3.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 119.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 126.6 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $35,625, and the median income for a family was $46,250. Males had a median income of $34,643 versus $20,000 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 town was $18,943. About 11.4% of families and 10.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.6% of those under the age of eighteen and none of those sixty five or over.
BP has an office in Wamsutter, and the small town's population reportedly has increased to over 1200 over the past several years. Some estimates place the town's population over 6000 within the next ten years, and the town is struggling with this rapid growth, particularly due to the lack of available housing.
Education
Public education in the town of Wamsutter is provided by Sweetwater County School District #1Sweetwater County School District Number 1
Sweetwater County School District #1 is a public school district based in Rock Springs, Wyoming, United States.-Geography:Sweetwater County School District #1 serves the northeastern portion of Sweetwater County, including the following communities:...
. Students in grades K-8 attend Desert School in Wamsutter, which is divided into elementary (grades K-6) and middle school (grades 7-8) campuses. Upon the completion of 8th grade, students attend Rawlins High School
Rawlins High School
Rawlins High School is a public high school located in Rawlins, Wyoming, United States. Rawlins High School is part of Carbon County School District #1.-Notable alumni:*Lillian Heath , the first female doctor in Wyoming....
(grades 9-12; part of Carbon County School District #1
Carbon County School District Number 1
Carbon County School District #1 is a public school district based in Rawlins, Wyoming, United States.-Geography:Carbon County School District #1 serves the western portion of Carbon County and a small portion of northeastern Sweetwater County, including the following communities:*Incorporated...
) by agreement of the respective boards of trustees
Today's Wamsutter is a quiet reflection of the town it once was during the early days of western expansion. During the mid-1800's, Wamsutter was a vibratant cattle town.