CONTROL OF THE BRIDGES
Park Service at Fort Laramie National Historic Site where it will be preserved and protected for the benefit of the American people.
(This paper originally appeared in Annals of Wyoming, Volume 34, Number 2, October, 1962.)
42.Secretary Proctor to Quartermaster Gillis, Department of the Platte, April 15,
43.Quartermaster Gillis to Secretary Proctor, April 16, 1890,.
44.Secretary Proctor to Secretary Noble, May 3, 1890,.
45.Secretary Noble to Secretary Proctor, May 15, 1890,
46.Secretary Proctor to Representative Carey, June 6, 1890, .
47.General Orders No. 60, Headquarters of the Army, June 10, 1890, .
48.28 Stat., 91 of June 4, 1894.
49.Original at Fort Laramie National Historic Site.
, informing him. that he planned to issue a irrevocable license and wished to know if there were any objections. Secretary Noble replied on May 15 supporting the move. Proctor sent the necessary papers to Carey on May 20, and after the signatures of county authorities had been obtained, the license was granted on June 5.46 The President of the United States transferred the Fort Laramie military reservation to the Department of the Interior on June 10.47
The citizens of Laramie County wished to obtain more formal control of the bridges and managed to get a bill introduced in Congress for the purpose. On June 4, 1894, Congress passed the bill which donated the bridges to Laramie County on the condition that the county keep them "in repair and open, free of charge, for the use of the traveling public and the military authorities of the United States." If the county failed to conform to the provisions of the law, the bridges automatically reverted to the United States.48 In 1911, when Goshen County was formed out of Laramie County, the bridge came under its jurisdiction.
The bridge over the Platte functioned perfectly for many years; in fact, automobiles and heavy trucks crossed the structure until 1958 when Goshen County constructed a new concrete bridge a few yards north. On September 6, 1961, the Goshen County commissioners, in a public spirited move, waived all rights to the bridge so it would revert to the United States.49 The bridge is now under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service at Fort Laramie National Historic Site where it will be preserved and protected for the benefit of the American people.
(This paper originally appeared in Annals of Wyoming, Volume 34, Number 2, October, 1962.)
42.Secretary Proctor to Quartermaster Gillis, Department of the Platte, April 15
43.Quartermaster Gillis to Secretary Proctor, April 16, 1890, .
44.Secretary Proctor to Secretary Noble, May 3, 1890, .
45.Secretary Noble to Secretary Proctor, May 15, 1890, .
46.Secretary Proctor to Representative Carey, June 6, 1890, .
47.General Orders No. 60, Headquarters of the Army, June 10, 1890, .
48.28 Stat., 91 of June 4, 1894.
49.Original at Fort Laramie National Historic Site.
Proctor sent the necessary papers to Carey on May 20, and after the signatures of county authorities had been obtained, the license was granted on June 5.41 The President of the United States transferred the Fort Laramie military reservation to the Department of the Interior on June 10.4
The citizens of Laramie County wished to obtain more formal control of the bridges and managed to get a bill introduced Congress for the purpose. On June 4, 1894, Congress passed the bill which donated the bridges to Laramie County on the conditions that the county keep them "in repair and open, free of charge, fo the use of the traveling public and the military authorities of the United States." If the county failed to conform to the provision of the law, the bridges automatically reverted to the United States.4 In 1911, when Goshen County was formed out of Laramie County the bridge came under its jurisdiction.
The bridge over the Platte functioned perfectly for many years in fact, automobiles and heavy trucks crossed the structure unti 1958 when Goshen County constructed a new concrete bridge ; few yards north
h. On September 6, 1961, the Goshen County commissioners, in a public spirited move, waived all rights to th bridge so it would revert to the United States.49 The bridge is now under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service at Fort Laramie National Historic Site where it will be preserved and protected fo the benefit of the American people.
(This paper originally appeared in Annals of Wyoming, Volume 3 Number 2, October, 1962
Fort Laramie County History brings sharply into focus a fact that has to be considered.
Laramie County history has been different from other areas of the United States where pioneers seemed to characterize the growth on other new frontiers. The people came, built homes, and shaped the land to their desire
covered with small farms and the open spaces were no more.
In Laramie County history repeated itself through the first cycle when the Indians were driven from the land, buffalo were killed, deer and antelope were drastically reduced in numbers and the remaining ones fled. People came and settled down on the land tearing up the native sod and planting crops to feed man and beast.
The elements here were not so easily tamed, however. The dry climate, the wind, the short growing season kept the little farms from being adequate to support a family. Gradually several parcels of land passed into the hands of one farmer and 3 or 4 families left. This process was repeated until the human population was sharply decreased.
The remaining settlers were gradually gaining a measure of success before the crash of 1929 and the following depression years of the 1930's.
For Laramie County these years also brought seven years of drought. The farmers did not raise enough grain to replace the seed they planted, grass did not grow so sheep and cattle had to be sold, prices were so low that many farmers did not get enough for the products they sent to market to cover the cost of shipping. The wind blew incessantly blowing the soil from the fields and exposing the grass roots so they burned in the sun and died.
More farmers left the county. Then came good years when the rains came, prices went up and it again appeared that the human population would claim the land and prosper thereon.
Gradually the general economy of the area has caused more people to leave in the last few years. The farm prices have gone down to rock bottom and prices for fuel, labor, shorter. Where there were at one time 41 homestead shacks, there are in 1986. nine dwellings and one of them is empty.
Conditions are not right to attract indusŽtries, the small villages that started with ><> much promise didn't grow to be cities and people have not covered the earth.
They haven't given the land back to the Indians as has been suggested, but mostly because the Indians don't want it. Large herds of antelope are to be found in every area, mule eared deer are a common sigh:, and the coyotes howl at the moon as they have done for centuries. And the sharp, clear air remains unpolluted.
by Jean Bastian
BACKGROUND HISTORY
Before the coming of the homesteaders and pioneers to Wyoming, the early history told of four great countries claiming parts of the land. The largest portion of Wyoming includŽing all of Laramie county became part of the United States in 1803 with the Louisiana Purchase from France. Small areas in the south and western parts of the state were acquired by treaty in 1819 from Spain and in 1846 from England and in 1848 from Mexico.
Wyoming is the second highest state in elevation. It is the ninth largest in area. 97,914 square miles.
The state was first peopled by Indians. The Shoshonies in the west, the Crows to the
north.
1
Few white men were in Laramie before the railroad surveys were done. The building of the Union Pacific Railroad brought an influx of workers, ranchers and homesteaders
.
A few pioneers to Laramie County came in covered wagons drawn by teams of oxen. However the more common way for the settlers to come here was by either the Union Pacific or the Burlington railroads.
Immigrant cars were provided at a nominal fee and brought whole families as well as their horses, a cow or two, chickens, farming equipment, and household furniture. They could all be loaded on these and then brought by the train into the county.
In 1868 when the Union Pacific built its magical rails through Laramie County, the area was attached to the Dakota territory.
.
The name Wyoming came from Pennsylvania and is attributed the Delaware Indians. It means great plain." Laramie County was named LaRamee, a French Canadian came into Wyoming in 1812, knowing about this early explorer in the county took their name descriptive areas, (for example Golden Prairie,) or they were n railroad executives as they named thed stations. Carpenter was name Carpenter of Des Moine. Lowa
Land Company agent who had sales in that area.
In 1868 when the territory of organized it had a total population,This area was divided into Laramie (2,665), Albany (2027. < and Carter (2,862).
In 1869 the territorial legislation that married women with equal rights pro Susan B. Anthony (a a champion of equal rights for women
.
The first public office held that of justice of the peace Morris was appointed to that served in that capacitv on July 10, 1890 the state signed by the President.
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