In
May 1868, Laramie was a tent city awaiting the tracks
which were to bind the nation together. The tracks were
laid through town that month and the dusty encampment
quickly became a permanent community of 3,000
people.
Like
other western railway towns, Laramie had a few upstanding
citizens, a few stockmen who came to town every so often,
and a whole lot of rowdies, rustlers, gamblers, thieves
and transient riffraff. However, before the year was out,
a group of town leaders organized a vigilante posse and
chased most of the badmen out of the city. Then most of
the rest of the population departed for newer railway
towns and Laramie was left with 1,500 residents.
What
to See & Do
Today,
Laramie is Wyoming's third-largest city, and a university
town, with the University of Wyoming being the state's
only four-year college. The number of students today
(10,000) far surpasses the original population of the
early railway town. Most of the university buildings are
constructed of Wyoming sandstone. Amateur and
professional geologists should visit the university's
Geological Museum. Located in the east wing of the
Geology Building, the museum shows the geological history
of what is now Wyoming over the past two billion years.
The museum contains a skeleton of a giant
Brontosaurus.
Another
historical highlight of the city is Wyoming
Territorial Park, at the Snowy Lake exit of
Interstate 80. The park includes a museum inside the
former Wyoming Territorial Prison (built in 1872).
The displays commemorate the fur trading and mountain man
era, Laramie's railroad days and the period since
statehood. During the summer months, the park stages
entertainment and arts and crafts shows.
Day
Trips from Laramie
A
particularly fine scenic drive leads through the
Medicine Bow Range (also called the Snowy Range)
southwest of Laramie via Highway 130, with the road
re-joining Interstate 80 at Walcott, west of Rawlins. The
route first passes Centennial, climbing to Snowy Range
Pass, at 10,800 feet. Recreation areas throughout the
mountain drive include campgrounds, picnic areas and
fishing sites. The road passes several crystal lakes and
passes under several 12,000-foot peaks which give the
Medicine Bows their nickname, the Snowy Range. The
94-mile loop makes an extremely scenic alternate route if
you're westbound from Laramie, or a superb day drive --
returning to Laramie via Interstate 80.
Another
scenic route (Highway 210) leads through the Medicine
Bow National Forest, east of Laramie, to Curt
Gowdy State Park and Cheyenne. To get to Highway 210,
drive southeast from Laramie on Interstate 80.
There
is a private campground in Laramie, plus several public
campgrounds in the national forest to the east.
Where
to Eat
The
Cowboy Bar and Grill, at 309 South 3rd Street
offers family dining in a Western atmosphere, with a
dining room and cocktail lounge.
Another
western-style restaurant is the Cavalryman Supper
Club, located 1.75 miles south of I-80 on Highway
287. It features prime rib, seafood and steaks. The club
also has a cocktail lounge.
