My backyard and "The Gem City of the Plains"

Laramie, "The Gem City of the Plains," is nestled in the valley between the Snowy Range Mountains and the Laramie Range. With its colorful Western heritage, cosmopolitan atmosphere, and outstanding outdoor recreation, the Laramie area offers a unique flavor that delights visitors from all over the world.

Laramie was named after an early trapper, Jacques LaRamee who built a cabin at the junction of the Laramie and Platte Rivers. After he was killed in the area his name was given to Fort Laramie, Laramie Mountain Range, Laramie County, Laramie Peak, Laramie River, and the town of Laramie.

The first permanent settlement in the area was Fort Sanders built in 1866. This fort was constructed two miles south of the present day town of Laramie. In 1868, Red Cloud and his Sioux Nation agreed to a peace treaty with the settlers. That same year the Union Pacific Railroad began to travel across Southern Wyoming. The railroad's chief surveyor, General Grenville Dodge, chose the site and name of Laramie.

The railroad attracted lawless ruffians and scoundrels of all sorts. This was typical of the "end of the tracks" communities along the railroad. By 1868, when the first passenger train came to Laramie, the town already boasted 23 saloons and one hotel, but no churches.

The community began to change with the opening of the Wyoming Territorial Prison in 1873. Then came the establishment of the University of Wyoming in 1886. At this time the town's main economy was the railroad, ranching, and the lumber industry. In the years that followed, however, the university became its major employer. Today Laramie is the state's third largest town and is also the county seat of Albany County.