Meeteetse is a town in Park County,

Wyoming Wyoming () is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho to the west, Utah to the southwest, and Colorado to t ...

, United States. The population was 327 at the 2010 census.

History

The town's name is derived from a Shoshone term for "nearby".

Geography

Meeteetse is located at (44.155954, -108.869022). According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of th ...

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

Demographics

2010 census

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...

of 2010, there were 327 people, 153 households, and 94 families residing in the town. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: 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 geographical term.Matt RosenberPopu ...

was . There were 177 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 97.6%

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

, 0.6%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.6% Native American, 0.6% from other races, and 0.6% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...

or Latino of any race were 1.8% of the population. There were 153 households, of which 20.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.3% were

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

living together, 5.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 38.6% were non-families. 33.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.14 and the average family size was 2.74. The median age in the town was 51.3 years. 20.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 4.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 16% were from 25 to 44; 35.1% were from 45 to 64; and 23.5% 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 351 people, 151 households, and 94 families residing in the town. The

was 428.7 people per square mile (165.3/km²). There were 188 housing units at an average density of 229.6 per square mile (88.5/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.15%

, 0.28% Native American, 0.28%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, 0.85% from other races, and 1.42% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 2.56% of the population. There were 151 households, out of which 27.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.3% were

living together, 4.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.1% were non-families. 32.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.9% 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 3.00. In the town, the population was spread out, with 24.8% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 24.8% from 25 to 44, 28.5% from 45 to 64, and 16.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 106.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.6 males. The median income for a household in the town was $29,167, and the median income for a family was $31,953. Males had a median income of $21,250 versus $18,125 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the town was $12,030. About 5.8% of families and 10.9% 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 11.6% of those under age 18 and 14.9% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Public education in the town of Meeteetse is provided by Park County School District #16. Meeteetse School, a K–12 campus, serves the town. Meeteetse has a

public library A public library is a 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 servants. There are five fundamen ...

, a branch of the Park County Library System.

Arts and culture

On State Street, the main road in town, is retail shop of the Meeteetse Chocolatier, which sells gourmet chocolate to fans around the world. The business was created by saddle bronc rider Tim Kellogg as a way to make money when he needed to buy a new saddle. Kellogg continues to make every single item in his store, resulting in small batches with unusual flavors like Coor's or mesquite truffles. There are a number of museums in Meeteetse, including the Charles Belden Museum of Western Photography, the Meeteetse Museum, and the

First National Bank Museum First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1). First or 1st may also refer to: *World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement Arts and media Music * 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and reco ...

. The Belden Museum features the photographs of

Charles Belden Charles Josiah Belden (November 16, 1887, San Francisco, California – February 1, 1966, St. Petersburg, Florida) was a photographer and rancher who was famous for his visceral photographs of the area around Meetseetse, Wyoming. Belden was ...

, mostly taken in the 1920s and 1930s. The Meeteetse Museum showcases the history of Meeteetse and the surrounding area and includes exhibits on the endangered

black-footed ferret The black-footed ferret (''Mustela nigripes''), also known as the American polecatHeptner, V. G. (Vladimir Georgievich); Nasimovich, A. A; Bannikov, Andrei Grigorovich; Hoffmann, Robert S. (2001)''Mammals of the Soviet Union''Volume: v. 2, pt. 1 ...

, the Meeteetse Mercantile, the Forest Service Cabin, and local ranch families and cowboys. The Bank Museum is located in the old First National Bank Building, this building is on the National Register of Historic Places and has recently undergone restoration. The Bank Museum features photography and other art exhibits throughout the year, in addition to artifacts from the bank's past.

Religion

Monks of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel The Carmelite Monks or Monks of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel are a public association within the Diocese of Cheyenne, dedicated to a humble life of prayer. The Wyoming Carmelites claim loyalty to the Magisterium of the Catholic Ch ...

have the monastery in Meeteetse.

Nature

Meeteetse was where the last known wild population of black-footed ferrets was discovered in 1981. All

s today are descended from these animals.Saving a Species
Black-Footed Ferret Recovery Program, 2005-01-20. Accessed 2008-08-23.

References

External links

*
Meeteetse Branch Library

Meeteetse Visitors Center

Park County School District 16, Meeteetse, WY
{{Authority control Towns in Park County, Wyoming Towns in Wyoming