Name: Bessemer
County: Natrona
Authority Name:
GNIS Entry
Longitude: 1063153W
Latitude: 424631N
Legal Description:
Elevation: 5203/1586
(ft/m)
Feature Type: Locale
Origin of Name:
Established in 1888, on a plateau north of Bessemer Bend, a scenic section of ranch country for which the town was named.
Source: WPA
Several places ... named for Sir Henry Bessemer, who invented the process of reducing iron ore.
Source: Gannett
Other Names:
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History:
Bessemer Post Office was established as Searight Post Office in January, 1888 in Carbon County prior to the formation of Natrona County. Its name was changed to Bessemer in June, 1888. It was discontinued in March, 1898 and its mail then handled by Casper Post Office.
Source: Wyoming Post Offices
Established in 1888. At the first election in Natrona County in 1889, Bessemer was a candidate for the county seat. Six hundred sixty-seven votes were cast, but the county commissioners declared that more than three hundred of them were illegal and the vote of the entire precinct was thrown out. It is now one of Natrona County's "ghost towns."
Source: Annals 14(3)
Near Bessemer Bend is the site of Bessemer, a town established in the summer of 1888; optimistic citizens called it the 'Queen City of the West.' The Wyoming Improvement Company surveyed the site, platted 49 blocks of town lots, and reserved grounds 'upon which to erect the future capitol building of Wyoming.' For a time, the Casper-Bessemer stage made two trips daily. In 1889, when Natrona County was separated from Carbon County, Bessemer was a rival of Casper for county seat status. Two years later, the county took over the bridge across the North Platte River, because of unpaid taxes. Bessemer was soon abandoned.
Source: Wyoming Guide
Stories:
Maps:
1:24000 Quadrangle: Emigrant Gap
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