Gold on Centennial Ridge by Zina Abbott

 

Centennial is a small town in Centennial Valley located between Sheep Mountain and the Snowy Range, which is part of the Medicine Bow Range. 

Centennial abt 1903

The Little Laramie River flows through the valley, which provided water to the town and surrounding settlers and helped keep miles of open prairie green. Centennial is located about forty-five miles west of Laramie City, Wyoming.

Centennial about 1920

Before there was a Centennial, crews of men had gone into the Snowy Mountains in 1868 to cut railroad ties for the Union Pacific Railroad that was laying track in Wyoming Territory. Problems with the local Native Americans eventually drove the tie camps, as they were called, out.

Laramie Plains near Centennial

Not long after the passage of the Pacific Railways Act and the Homestead Act in 1862, and the coming of the railroad, the Centennial Valley began to experience an increase in settlement. The first homestead in the area was filed in 1869. The original settlers were mainly homesteaders and ranchers.

Snippet from 1883 G.L. Holt map

Gold on Centennial Ridge, which ran across the tops of the Snowy Mountains above Centennial, was discovered in 1874.

Mine Tailings, Cliff Mine

In 1875, men who worked for I.P. Lambing, a mine supervisor from Golden, Colorado, plus Stephen W. Downey, who was a Laramie City Lawyer, established the Centennial Mine. Mr. Downey became the president of the mine, which was named to honor the coming anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence of the United States. A post office was established. The Centennial Mining District was established, and still shows on a G.L. Holt map in 1883. 

Centennial received national attention with a gold nugget from the Centennial Mine was on exhibit at the 1776-1876 Philadelphia Exposition.

Queen Mine and tailings

In 1877, the vein of gold ended in a fault, but the continuation of that vein on the other side of the fault has never been found.  There were mining rushes in 1876, 1902, and 1923-1924. In spite of the excitement generated by each new find, none were long-lasting enough be considered noteworthy. However, Centennial had become an established town. The merchants who once served the miners continued to serve the nearby ranches.

After several efforts at finding additional gold failed, loggers returned to the area in 1905.

Also, the town of Centennial became known as an adventurous excursion destination. Hotels, restaurants, and a train line were built to transport the citizens of Laramie City and other nearby cities to visit and explore. Camping trips to the town and surrounding area became popular. 

Mountain View Hotel about 1914

Excursions were organized by Gustav Sundby of the Mountain View Hotel. Once automobiles came into wide use, car trips to Centennial and the Snowy Mountains became popular.

In the process of setting up a timeline for my recent release, The Bride Who Invades Saloons, I set my heroine’s home city as Chicago. She and her family lived in the section that was burned in the 1871 Great Chicago Fire. I wrote a post on a different blog about that fire, which you may find by clicking HERE.

Centennial Mining District-Centennial Ridge

However, when poverty and desperation sends her seeking a husband through the mail, my hero, a rancher in the Laramie Basin region, needed a compelling enough reason to explain why be became so distracted that he missed being at the Laramie City train depot on time to meet his future bride. It was learning of the discovery of gold on Centennial Ridge in 1874 that gave me the inspiration to set up those scenes.

 

 

My recent release, The Bride Who Invades Saloons, set in 1874 primarily in Laramie City, Wyoming Territory,  To find the book description and purchase options, please CLICK HERE

 

 

Sources:

https://www.visitlaramie.org/blog/post/the-fascinating-history-of-centennial-wyoming/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centennial,_Wyoming#Geography

https://www.wyoachs.com/places/2018/1/9/centennial-wyoming-its-still-an-adventure

http://www.wyomingtalesandtrails.com/ghost2.html

Laramie- One Name, Many Places by Zina Abbott

I never know if I should be elated or disgusted when I discover new details as part of my research and realize I got it wrong in a book I already published. Such was the name of Laramie City. Surprisingly, in my book, Ellie, part of the Runaway Brides series, I got the name of the city right. However, in a later book, Lauren, part of the Rescue Me-Mail-order Brides series, in the few scenes which referred to the city, I called it Laramie—the name by which the same municipality is known today—rather than Laramie City, which was the name the same city was known by for decades, including in the 1870s.

Where did the name Laramie come from? It is believed that in 1817, a French-Canadian trapper named Jacques La Ramee, sometimes spelled La Ramie, arrived in the area and explored around the Laramie River.

 

The next known Euro-American habitation of the area came when Ben Holladay established a station for his Overland Stage line in 1862. He named two of his stage stations Big Laramie and Little Laramie—both of which were along the Laramie River.

UPRR flatcars, machine shop, roundhouse, abt 1868

The location now known as Laramie City was chosen in 1868 by the Union Pacific Railroad when it built its track and this location as their western rail maintenance center as well as a station. 

Laramie 2nd Street, about 1913

 

Like most Union Pacific Railroad end-of-track tent cities, Laramie City had a rough start. It was said that in 1868, there were twenty-three saloons and no churches. The city was taken over by a corrupt city marshal and his two half-brothers, who reputedly killed thirteen men under suspicious circumstances. On October 28, 1868, the trio was hanged by a vigilante committee led by Albany County’s first sheriff, rancher, N. K. Boswell. Other outlaws were advised to leave town. As the "unruly element" left, a semblance of law and order was established.

The first church, established in 1869, was the Methodist Episcopal Church.

Snippet from 1872 Wyoming Territory map

Why call it Laramie City and not just plain Laramie, as it is called today? My guess? It is because there were so many other places in what became southeastern Wyoming Territory given the name Laramie. The snippet from the 1872 map of Wyoming Territory details many of these communities and land features that bear the name Laramie.

Laramie Mountains in distance

Although they are not shown on the above map, there is also the Laramie Mountains, which are just north of the range labeled as the Black Hills (Yes, there are Black Hills in Wyoming as well as in South Dakota. Most modern maps show them as the southern edge of the Laramie Mountains.)

1872 Wyoming Territory Map

Also, here is the full 1872 Wyoming Territory map. Notice that the county on the far east of the territory, which later became a state, is Laramie County. Some might wonder why Laramie City did not end up in Laramie County. That was just the way the territorial fathers drew the lines. Of course, today in Wyoming State, there are many more counties than these original five.

1854 Fort Laramie by Casper Collins

Another factor to keep in mind is, when Laramie City was formed by the Union Pacific Railroad, FORT Laramie was still an active and well-known military fort until it was abandoned in 1890.

1887 "Old Bedlam" at Fort Laramie

Although by 1869-1870, railroad travel replaced many of the wagon trains that used the Oregon-California-Mormon Trails that all passed through Fort Laramie, for years afterward, the fort still to provided protection from hostile Native American and outlaw attacks. It also operated as a resupply center and a way-station for freighters and stagecoaches. Back then it was probable that if someone said “Laramie,” the assumption was they were referring to the fort, not the city.

The following are some other land features that bear the name Laramie.

Laramie River near Fort Laramie

Laramie River, North Branch and Main Branch. Its headwaters are in the Medicine Bow Mountains. After the two branches join, it flows through a pass between the Laramie Mountains and what was then known as the Black Hills, and ends where it joins the North Platte River by Fort Laramie.

Laramie Peak, southern face

Laramie Peak. After leaving Fort Laramie, Laramie Peak was one of the landmarks along the Oregon-California-Mormon Trails.

Laramie Plains. A semi-arid area, it was used by cattle ranchers and sheep ranchers.

Laramie Mountains. Tree studded slopes like those where this ranch is located are green in the spring, but grow dry as the year progresses.

 

My recent release, which is set primarily in 1874 Laramie City, Wyoming Territory, is TheBride Who Invades Saloons. To find the book description an d purchase options, 

please CLICK HERE

 

 

 

Sources:

https://www.wyohistory.org/encyclopedia/brief-history-laramie-wyoming

https://www.visitlaramie.org/things-to-do/arts-and-culture/historic-downtown/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laramie,_Wyoming

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