Name: Opal

 

County: Lincoln

 

Authority Name: 

 

GNIS Entry

 

Longitude:  1101934W

Latitude: 414609N 

 

Legal Description:

 

Elevation: 6667/2032

(ft/m)

 

Feature Type: Populated Place 

 

Origin of Name:

Opal in the southern part of Lincoln County has a little story connected with its name. The first settler in the vicinity was Charles Robinson who located on a ranch in 1877. In 1881 two visitors arrived at the Robinson Ranch. One was a promoter for the Oregon Short Line Railroad Company, the other an editor from Omaha. Mr. Robinson showed them over the ranch and the surrounding county. As they were going over the ranch, the promoter suddenly stopped, picked up a peculiar stone, and began to examine it. Mr. Robinson said, “It is an Opal”. Other specimens were found later and after that the locality was always called Opal. When a little settlement grew up there it was named Opal. 

Source: WPA

 

Other Names: Wright's Ranch

 

Alternative Spellings: 

 

History:

Opal Post Office was established as Wright's Ranch Post Office in October, 1884 and changed to Opal Post Office on August 24, 1886. Samuel H. Wright was the postmaster.

Source: Wyoming Post Offices

 

 

A growing town on the Oregon Short Line Railroad in Uinta County, 22 miles northwest from Granger. A shipping point for the large stock raising country lying north for 150 miles. Stages run from Opal to the various towns in the northern part of Uinta, and the western part of Fremont Counties, making Opal a large distributing point. Population, 200. Altitude, 6,600 feet.

Source: Wyoming State Business Directory, 1901-02

 

An important town on the Oregon Short Line Railroad in Uinta County, 22 miles northwest from Granger. A shipping point for the large stockraising country lying north for 150 miles making Opal a large distributing point.

Source: Wyoming State Business Directory, 1910-11 

 

An important incorporated town on the Oregon Short Line Railroad in Lincoln County, 22 miles northwest from Granger. A shipping point for the large stockraising country lying north for 150 miles making Opal a large distributing point. Population 200. Altitude 6,600 feet.

Source: Wyoming State Business Directory, 1922 

 

Stories: 

 

Maps:

1:24000 Quadrangle: Opal 

 

Newspapers:

 

More Information: 

 

Pictures: