Fremont County, Wyoming
| Fremont County, Wyoming | |
|---|---|
.JPG) Fremont County Courthouse in Lander, Wyoming | |
 Location in the state of Wyoming | |
 Wyoming's location in the U.S. | |
| Founded | 1884 |
| Named for | John C. Frémont |
| Seat | Lander |
| Largest city | Riverton |
| Area | |
| • Total | 9,266 sq mi (23,999 km2) |
| • Land | 9,184 sq mi (23,786 km2) |
| • Water | 82 sq mi (212 km2), 0.9% |
| Population | |
| • (2010) | 40,123 |
| • Density | 4.4/sq mi (2/km²) |
| Time zone | Mountain: UTC-7/-6 |
| Website | www.fremontcountywy.org |
Fremont County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wyoming. As of the 2010 census, the population was 40,123.[1] Its county seat is Lander.[2] The county was founded in 1884 and is named for John C. Frémont, a general, explorer, and politician. It is roughly the size of the state of Vermont.
History
Fremont County was created on March 5, 1884 by the legislature of the Wyoming Territory[3] The county was created with land ceded by Sweetwater County. In 1890, Big Horn County was carved out of Fremont, Johnson, and Sheridan Counties. Hot Springs County was created in 1911 from parts of Fremont County, along with a portion of Big Horn County and Park County. In 1921, Sublette County was created from part of Fremont County and Lincoln County. The boundaries of Fremont County have remained unchanged since 1921.
Fremont County was named for John Charles Frémont, an explorer of the American West, Senator from California, and 1856 Republican presidential candidate.[4][5] Fremont County is the historical home of the Wind River Indian Reservation, home of the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho tribes of Native Americans.
Since 1998, Fremont County has been represented in the Wyoming State Senate by the economist/businessman Cale Case, a Republican.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 9,266 square miles (24,000 km2), of which 9,184 square miles (23,790 km2) is land and 82 square miles (210 km2) (0.9%) is water.[6] It is the second-largest county by area in Wyoming, as well as the six Rocky Mountain States. Elevations and climate range from desert at Boysen State Park to glaciers at 13,804-foot (4,207 m) Gannett Peak, the highest point not only in Wyoming but in the three Central Rockies states of Wyoming, Idaho and Montana. The southern end of the county is traversed by the Oregon Trail and in the northwest corner lies Dubois, a gateway town for Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park. Although the county seat is Lander, the largest community is Riverton, home of Central Wyoming College and the economic hub of the region. A large portion of the western edge of the county follows the Continental Divide at the crest of the Wind River Range of the Rocky Mountains, known for its vast wilderness areas and home of the largest glaciers in the American Rocky Mountains.
Adjacent counties
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National protected areas
- Bridger National Forest (part)
- Shoshone National Forest (part)
- Teton National Forest (part)
Although the Bridger National Forest and the Teton National Forest have been administratively combined into the Bridger-Teton National Forest, it is important to note that the county contains portions of both original forests.
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1890 | 2,463 | ||
| 1900 | 5,357 | 117.5% | |
| 1910 | 11,822 | 120.7% | |
| 1920 | 11,820 | 0.0% | |
| 1930 | 10,490 | −11.3% | |
| 1940 | 16,095 | 53.4% | |
| 1950 | 19,580 | 21.7% | |
| 1960 | 26,168 | 33.6% | |
| 1970 | 28,352 | 8.3% | |
| 1980 | 38,992 | 37.5% | |
| 1990 | 33,662 | −13.7% | |
| 2000 | 35,804 | 6.4% | |
| 2010 | 40,123 | 12.1% | |
| Est. 2012 | 41,110 | 2.5% | |
1870-2000[8] 2010-2012[1] | |||
As of the census[9] of 2000, there were 35,804 people, 13,545 households, and 9,481 families residing in the county. The population density was 4 people per square mile (2/km²). There were 15,541 housing units at an average density of 2 per square mile (1/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 76.49% White, 0.12% Black or African American, 19.68% Native American, 0.30% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.16% from other races, and 2.21% from two or more races. 4.37% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 22.1% were of German, 9.9% English, 8.2% Irish and 6.3% American ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 13,545 households out of which 32.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.30% were married couples living together, 10.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.00% were non-families. 25.50% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.10.
In the county the population was spread out with 27.40% under the age of 18, 8.30% from 18 to 24, 25.90% from 25 to 44, 25.00% from 45 to 64, and 13.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 98.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.40 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $32,503, and the median income for a family was $37,983. Males had a median income of $30,620 versus $19,802 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,519. About 13.30% of families and 17.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.70% of those under age 18 and 12.50% of those age 65 or over.
Government and infrastructure
The Wyoming Department of Corrections Wyoming Honor Farm is located in Riverton.[10] The Wyoming Department of Health Wyoming Life Resource Center (WLRC), originally the Wyoming State Training School (WSTS), a residential facility for physically and mentally disabled people, is located in Lander.[11][12] Both facilities were operated by the Wyoming Board of Charities and Reform until that agency was dissolved as a result of a state constitutional amendment passed in November 1990.[13]
Communities
Cities
Towns
Census-designated places
Other places
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
- ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
- ↑ Long, John H. (2006). "Wyoming: Individual County Chronologies". Wyoming Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. Retrieved 2011-09-06.
- ↑ Urbanek, Mae (1988). Wyoming Place Names. Missoula, MT: Mountain Press Publishing Company. ISBN 0-87842-204-8.
- ↑ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. p. 132.
- ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
- ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
- ↑ "Historical Decennial Census Population for Wyoming Counties, Cities, and Towns". Wyoming Department of Administration & Information, Division of Economic Analysis. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
- ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2011-05-14.
- ↑ "Contact Institutions." Wyoming Department of Corrections. Retrieved on August 22, 2010.
- ↑ "WDH Who We Are - Wyoming Life Resource Center." Wyoming Department of Health. Retrieved on December 12, 2010.
- ↑ "Lander city, Wyoming." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on December 12, 2010.
- ↑ "About the Department of Corrections." Wyoming Department of Corrections. Retrieved on August 22, 2010.
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Natrona County | ||
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| Sweetwater County | Carbon County |
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Coordinates: 43°02′N 108°38′W / 43.03°N 108.63°W