MOVING TO Wyoming
Capital: Cheyenne
State abbreviation/Postal code: Wyo./WY
Governor: Dave Freudenthal, D (to Jan. 2011)
Senators: Michael B. Enzi, R (to Jan. 2009); Craig Thomas, R (to Jan. 2013)
U.S. Representatives: 1
Historical biographies of Congressional members
Secy. of State: Max Maxfield, R (to Jan. 2011)
Treasurer: Joe Meyer, R (to Jan. 2011)
Atty. General: Patrick Crank, D (appt'd. by gov.)
Organized as territory: May 19, 1869
Entered Union (rank): July 10, 1890 (44)
Present constitution adopted: 1890
Motto: Equal rights (1955)
State symbols:
flower Indian paintbrush (1917)
tree cottonwood (1947)
bird western meadowlark (1927)
dinosaur Triceratops (1994)
fish cutthroat trout (1987)
fossil Knightia (1987)
gemstone jade (1967)
insignia bucking horse (unofficial)
mammal bison (1985)
reptile horned toad (1993)
soil Forkwood series (unofficial)
song “Wyoming” (1955)
Nickname: Equality State
Origin of name: From the Delaware Indian word, meaning “mountains and valleys alternating”; the same as the Wyoming Valley in Pennsylvania
10 largest cities (2005): Cheyenne, 55,731; Casper, 51,738; Laramie, 26,050; Gillette, 22,685; Rock Springs, 18,772; Sheridan, 16,333; Green River, 11,787; Evanston, 11,459; Riverton, 9,430; Cody, 9,100
Land area: 97,100 sq mi. (251,501 sq km)
Geographic center: In Fremont Co., 58 mi. ENE of Lander
Number of counties: 23, plus Yellowstone National Park
Largest county by population and area: Laramie, 85,163 (2005); Sweetwater, 10,426 sq mi.
State parks and historic sites: 24
Residents: Wyomingite
2005 resident population est.: 509,294
2000 resident census population (rank): 493,782 (50). Male: 248,374 (50.3%); Female: 245,408 (49.7%). White: 454,670 (92.1%); Black: 3,722 (0.8%); American Indian: 11,133 (2.3%); Asian: 2,771 (0.6%); Other race: 12,301 (2.5%); Two or more races: 8,883 (1.8%); Hispanic/Latino: 31,669 (6.4%). 2000 percent population 18 and over: 73.9; 65 and over: 11.7; median age: 36.2.
Wyoming Facts
- Wyoming's license plates feature a man on a bucking bronco.
- Wyoming was the first state to give women the right to vote.
- Yellowstone is the first official National Park (1872)
- Devils Tower was designated as the first National Monument (1906)
- The city of Gillette has the largest High School in the state (Campbell County High School)
- The first coal mine in Wyoming was in Carbon in 1867
- The largest coal mine in the USA is Black Thunder located near Wright.
- Wyoming leads the country in coal production in 1994 with 3 million tons per week
- The JCPenney stores were started in Kemmerer.
- The first Dude Ranch in Wyoming was the Eaton Ranch, near Wolf. The Eaton's also came up with the term "dude"
- The Horse on the Wyoming license plate has a name, "Old Steamboat". It is named after a bronc that could not be ridden back in the oughts or the teens.
- Wyoming has the lowest population of all 50 United States.
- Cody Wyoming is named after William "Buffalo Bill" Cody.
- The majority of Yellowstone Park lies within the boundaries of Wyoming.
- The Red Desert in south central Wyoming drains neither to the east nor to the west. The continental divide splits and goes around the desert on all sides leaving the basin without normal drainage.
- The Wind River actually changes its name in the middle of the stream becoming the Big Horn River at a site at the north end of the Wind River Canyon, where each year the Native Americans hold a ceremony depicting the "Wedding of the Waters."
* data from http://www.infoplease.com and http://www.50states.com
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