Name: Casper
County: Natrona
Authority Name: Casper (Wyo.)
GNIS Entry
Longitude: 1061847W
Latitude: 425200N
Legal Description:
Elevation: 5118/1560
(ft/m)
Feature Type: Populated Place
Origin of Name:
First building erected June, 1888, between First and A streets and between McKinley and Jefferson. Incorporated as a town July 2, 1889, named for the nearby old Fort Caspar site. Fort Caspar had been named for Lieutenant Caspar W. Collins, son of Col. Williams O. Collins for whom Fort Collins, Colorado was named. In July 1865, Lt. Collins was in charge of the Sweetwater station at Independence Rock, from which station he had gone over the Oregon Trail to Fort Laramie. On his return to headquarters he stopped at the Platte Bridge Station (Casper). Soon after his arrival he engaged in a fight, July 26, with the Sioux Indians when he met his death. On November 21, 1866, by orders of Major General Pope the name of the military post was changed from Platte Bridge Station to Fort Casper.
Source: WPA
Named for the young lieutenant, Caspar Collins, who lost his life while gallantly attacking a superior force of Indians at a military post at Platte Bridge, later named Fort Casper. According to old timers the spelling became changed through a mistake in the post office department in Washington. Another theory, too, is that the people generally misspelled the name until the established spellling became "Casper" instead of "Caspar."
Source: Annals 14(2)
The town was established in the early summer of 1888, and was named after Fort Caspar, a military post first established in 1858. The site of Fort Caspar was called Camp Platte from 1840 to 1847. When the Mormons passed through here in June 1847, they built and operated a ferry across the river, and then the name was changed to Mormon Ferry or Mormon Crossing. Louis Guinard built a bridge across the river at this point in the winter of 1858-59, and the name was then changed to Platte Bridge Station. Lieutenant Caspar W. Collins was killed by Indians near the fort on July 26, 1865, and in October of that year Major General Pope ordered the name changed to Fort Caspar. When the town of Casper was platted by the land department of the Fremont, Elkhorn and Missouri Valley Railroad Company, the engineer, in the original plat, used an "e" in the last syllable instead of an "a." After many deeds for town lots and other important documents had been issued, all spelled with an "e," a request was made to have the spelling changed, but it was considered that the change would be too expensive.
Source: Annals 15 (1)
County seat, Casper; was named from the United States post Fort Casper, which is located on the Platte Eiver near this station. This post was named by the United States War Department for Capt. Casper W. Collins, who lost his life in a battle with Indians near this spot. Capt. Collins had but a handful of men while the attacking Indians numbered three thousand. Three only of the soldiers escaped, all the rest, with the captain, being killed.
Source: Stennett
Other Names: Fort Caspar, Platte Bridge Station, Mormon Ferry, Mormon Crossing, Camp Platte
Alternative Spellings:
History:
Caspar Post Office was established in August, 1879 and discontinued in July, 1882. Casper Post Office was established in October, 1888.
Source: Wyoming Post Offices
An incorporated town, the county seat of Natrona County. On the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad. Located on the North Platte River, near the Casper Mountain Range and surrounded by a prosperous stock growing country. Electric lights, water works, good churches and excellent schools. Coal, copper and silver ore are found in the mountains and oil has been discovered and a refinery located at Casper. Asbestos mines a few miles distant.
Source: Wyoming State Business Directory, 1910-11
Stories:
Casper, Natrona County, Wyoming, was platted by the Pioneer Town Site Company in 1889. This town and station takes its name from Fort Casper. The main overland trail going up the Platte Valley crossed to the north side of the river near this place. During the troubles with the Sioux Indians about 1864 a detachment of the Ohio volunteer infantry was stationed there to protect the bridge over the Platte and also to give protection to the overland travelers. These troops were commanded by a colonel who had a son, a young man eighteen or twenty years of age, whose first name was Casper. One day the Indians appeared a few miles away on the hills on the north side of the Platte and as the Indian force did not seem to be large, this boy asked permission of his father to go out with some of the soldiers and drive the Indians off. In the fight which resulted the boy was killed. Afterwards some "adobe" barracks were erected on the south side of the river at the end of the bridge and was kept for a time as a regular military post, and was given the name of Fort Casper in memory of this young man.
Source: Stennett
Maps:
1:24000 Quadrangle: Casper
Newspapers
More Information:
Casper College Western History Center
http://www.caspercollege.edu/whc/index.html
Pictures:
Source: Wyoming State Archives