It may be to do with movies, television and books but mention the name "Laramie, Wyoming" and visions of the Wild West come straight to mind. In reality, Laramie still acknowledges its prairie past with cattle drives, wagon trains, mock random shootouts and rodeos and why not, this is precisely how the city came into being. Today you will find excellent guest ranches, loads of entertainment and excitement as visitors from all over the world are welcomed by the really friendly townsfolk that populate Laramie. For sure you will want to come again, and you may even decide to move to this quirky part of the U.S. once you have sampled what it has on offer. Those moving to Laramie will find exactly what they are looking for.
History:
A French-Canadian trapper by the name of Jacques La Ramie gave his name to the City of Laramie. His surname was also used to label a river, a mountain range and peak, a County and a U.S. Army Fort. The town of Laramie was founded as a tent town in the mid-1860s close to the Overland Stage Line route. Union Pacific also elected to run their transcontinental railroad through Laramie and the first train entered it on May 10th, 1868. Entrepreneurs and traders began arriving in numbers and soon schools and churches were constructed. Laramie had some lawlessness in its formative years but law and order was restored with the appointment of some tough sheriffs. It continued to expand with the arrival of livestock and timber trades. The railway networks also developed at a pace, and soon the City opened its first university. Moving to more recent developments, in 2004 Laramie became the first City to ban smoking in enclosed workplaces in Wyoming State. Naturally the tobacconists lobbied objections, but the new laws were upheld and implemented.
Economy:
Laramie continues to draw on its position as a transport hub to keep it economically sound. It is also a commercial, railroad and industrial center for an active surrounding livestock and timber producing community. The tourism sector has also developed into an important job provider and contributor to the local economy too.
Tourism:
We recommend that before you visit Laramie, you check with the Wyoming Tourism Body to find out what special events are upcoming and what you can look forward to seeing and experiencing. One place you should definitely plan to take the family is to the Wyoming Territorial Prison and Old West Park. It is a great eye opener if you want a glimpse into the old Wild West and how the "baddies" were treated. Staying with things historical, why not try to visit Laramie Plains Museum, housed in the Ivinson Mansion. The Victorian décor is so authentic and there are many artifacts associated with Laramie's colorful past. Plains Lakes is a series of lakes just outside Laramie and popular for boating and fishing (and windsurfing when the breeze is up).