The quaint little town of Centennial, on WYO 130, is the gateway to the beautiful Snowy Range Mountains. An area first visited by the nomadic Plains Indians (Shoshone, Arapaho, Sioux, Crow, and Cheyenne), Centennial was first lightly populated by settlers seeking timber on Centennial Mountain which rises above the town on the West. Ties were needed when the Transcontinental Railroad came through Laramie in 1868. The town's growth continued when the Homestead Act opened the lush Laramie River Valley to ranchers and got another boost with the discovery of gold on Centennial Mountain in 1875. In 1876 a post office was established and the town was named for the big event of the year, America's first centennial celebration. In 1877, the main gold vein ended at a fault line.
The other half of the vein has never been found, though the search goes on. In 2000, the Wyoming State Geological Survey announced a new gold sample had been found that gives new hope of the vein being found again. Remnants of the Utopia, the Queen Mine and several other mines still remain. By 1907, the town had established a bank (now a bed and breakfast), hotel (still in use), school and its own railroad spur. Today, Centennial is a popular visitor’s site having historic charm, fine dining, grand vistas and great recreation.
The first fort in Wyoming was started as a fur trade post in 1834, known as Fort John. Located near the Laramie River, it had become Fort Laramie by 1849 when the military took control. The fort's grounds just west of the town of Fort Laramie in southeast Wyoming have an open parade ground surrounded by military-era buildings. One structure, Old Bedlam, is the oldest standing building in the State of Wyoming. At or near Fort Laramie, fur traders, overland emigrants, the frontier army and Indians gathered as they came to trade, work and meet. read more
Being in the saddle is as about as American West as you can get. Whether it's a half-day trail ride or a overnight trek, riding in Wyoming is unforgettable - wide-open prairies, high country trails, meandering rivers. This is what horseback adventures are meant to be. read more
