Evanston is a railroad town that was founded in November of 1868 when Union Pacific crews were laying track through this part of the county. It has the only remaining complete roundhouse on the old Union Pacific line between Omaha and Sacramento. Life was rough in the small towns that sprung up along the rail route. A riot broke out in the nearby community of Old Bear Town on Nov. 20, 1868, between what at the time was called a "seedy" bunch of robbers and thieves and a vigilante group of the town's upstanding
citizens.
Some historians estimate that 30 people died. Old Bear Town eventually disappeared but Evanston thrived and has become the commercial and shipping center of the area. Many of the original settlers picked a rather nice place to put their roots down. Surrounded by mountains on all sides, Evanston is a recreational mecca for fishing, hunting, hiking, mountain biking, wildlife viewing, camping and many other outdoor recreational opportunities.
The largest active dune field in North America (yup, right here in Wyoming), the Killpecker Dunes total nearly 109,000 acres (three times the size of our nation's capital) in the Red Desert and stretch 150 miles each from the Green River Basin across the Continental Divide and into the Great Divide Basin. For those unfamiliar with the intricacies of Wyoming geography, they're generally in the southwestern part of the state. read more
Bear River State Park and Visitor Center, along I-80 on the east end of Evanston, is a day-use only park that features bicycle and foot paths as well as several picnic shelters. In the winter, the nearly three miles of foot trails double as cross-country ski trails. A footbridge crosses the river and brings visitors to a natural area. read more
