Glenrock is a town in Converse County,

Wyoming Wyoming ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States, Western United States. It borders Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho t ...

, United States. The population was 2,420 at the 2020 census.

History

Glenrock, known as Deer Creek Station, had its beginning as a mail and stage station along the

Oregon Trail The Oregon Trail was a east–west, large-wheeled wagon route and Westward Expansion Trails, emigrant trail in North America that connected the Missouri River to valleys in Oregon Territory. The eastern part of the Oregon Trail crossed what ...

. The station served as a stopping point along the trail and was a vital supply point for thousands of emigrants as they traveled westward. A significant number of industries were established after 1889 and expanded the growth and economy of many communities like Glenrock in central Wyoming.

Historical Sites

Rock in the Glen * This landmark has been viewed by an estimated 350,000 immigrants that have migrated westward since the mid-1800s. In 1812, it was first discovered by American fur trappers during a creation of a fur trapping route. This trappers trail has known many names depending upon the group traveling upon it. These names include the Oregon, California, and Mormon trails. Mormon Mines * On June 10, 1847, the first group of Mormons reached Deer Creek in the Glenrock region. A mere ten days later, a coal mine produced the first recorded coal mined in the Wyoming territory. Deer Creek Station * Originally, Deer Creek Station stood as a pioneer and Indian trading post in the 1850s and as a relay terminal for the overland stage line. Ten years later in 1860, it would become a "home station for the

pony express The Pony Express was an American express mail service that used relays of horse-mounted riders between Missouri and California. It was operated by the Central Overland California and Pikes Peak Express Company. During its 18 months of opera ...

." In 1861, the station became incorporated into the telegraph system. On October 18, 1861, the telegrapher at Deer Creek Station helped to send along the first relayed message to Cleveland, Ohio from the West. As the telegraphy began to replace the pony express, the relationship between Indians and the U.S. Government worsened in the Glenrock region. Over the course of three years, from 1862–1866, Deer Creek Station stood as a military outpost. With few troops stationed in the fort, in 1866, Indians burned it down, this includes the telegraph station located in Deer Creek Station. It was never rebuilt as traffic on the old trails dwindled and it became part of the past.

Glenrock train wreck

September 27, 1923 – near Glenrock, Wyoming, soon after the washout of Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad's bridge over Cole Creek, a passenger train fell through the washout, killing 30 of the train's 66 passengers. This marked the worst railroad accident in Wyoming's history.

Geography

Glenrock is located at (42.858145, -105.866170). According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the town has a total area of , all land.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2010, there were 2,576 people, 1,102 households, and 713 families residing in the town. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

was . There were 1,201 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 96.0%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 0.5%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.9% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.9% from other races, and 1.3% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 4.9% of the population. There were 1,102 households, of which 29.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.5% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 35.3% were non-families. 29.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.85. The median age in the town was 41.3 years. 23.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.8% were from 25 to 44; 27.7% were from 45 to 64; and 17.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 51.7% male and 48.3% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 2,231 people, 925 households, and 641 families residing in the town. The

was 1,155.3 people per square mile (446.3/km²). There were 1,131 housing units at an average density of 585.7 per square mile (226.3/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 94.53%

, 0.31%

, 1.61% Native American, 0.40% Asian, 0.04%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 1.03% from other races, and 2.06% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 3.81% of the population. There were 925 households, out of which 33.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.1% were

living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.6% were non-families. 26.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.89. In the town, the population was spread out, with 28.8% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 25.6% from 25 to 44, 25.8% from 45 to 64, and 13.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.4 males. The median income for a household in the town was $32,300, and the median income for a family was $40,927. Males had a median income of $32,778 versus $18,795 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the town was $17,088. About 11.4% of families and 13.0% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 18.7% of those under age 18 and 6.4% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Public education in the town of Glenrock is provided by Converse County School District #2. The district has three campuses – Grant Elementary School (grades PreK-3), Glenrock Intermediate School(grades 4-6), and Glenrock Junior/Senior High School (grades 7-12). Glenrock has a

public library A public library is a library, most often a lending library, that is accessible by the general public and is usually funded from public sources, such as taxes. It is operated by librarians and library paraprofessionals, who are also Civil servic ...

, a branch of the Converse County Library

Attractions & tourism

Outdoor recreation opportunities are plentiful in the area surrounding Glenrock, as the Laramie Mountains, Medicine Bow National Forest, and the Platte River are nearby. The Deer Creek Days Festival, Jamborees, and outdoor activities attract visitors to the town. Other attractions include: * Deer Creek Museum * Glenrock Golf Course * Paleon Museum * The Glenrock Potato Man * Art in the Park

Major highways

* - north–south Interstate running from

New Mexico New Mexico is a state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States. It is one of the Mountain States of the southern Rocky Mountains, sharing the Four Corners region with Utah, Colorado, and Arizona. It also ...

; runs concurrent with US-87 through Glenrock. * - Alternate I-25 Business Route running through the business district of town. * (Old Glenrock Hwy) - runs east–west through center of Glenrock. * - runs east–west through area, concurrent with

I-25 Interstate 25 (I-25), also known as the Pan-American Freeway, is a major Interstate Highway in the western United States. It is primarily a north–south highway, serving as the main route through New Mexico, Colorado, and Wyoming. I-25 st ...

. * - runs north out of Glenrock to Rolling Hills.

Notable people

* Jim Anderson (born 1943), former member of the

Wyoming Senate The Wyoming Senate is the upper house of the Wyoming Legislature, Wyoming State Legislature. There are 31 Senators in the Senate, representing an equal number of constituencies across Wyoming, each with a population of at least 17,000. The Senat ...

(2001–2015); former member of the

Wyoming House of Representatives The Wyoming House of Representatives is the lower house of the Wyoming Legislature, Wyoming State Legislature. There are 62 Representatives in the House, representing an equal number of single-member constituent districts across the Wyoming, st ...

(1997–2000), lives in GlenrockSenate biography
/ref> * Neva Egan (1914–2011), the first First Lady of Alaska; taught public school music in Glenrock * John J. McIntyre (1904–1974), United States Representative from Wyoming; practiced law in Glenrock

References

External links

Glenrock Chamber of Commerce

Converse County School District #2

Glenrock Independent newspaper
{{Authority control Towns in Converse County, Wyoming Towns in Wyoming Coal towns in Wyoming