Wyoming
Wyoming names 2 different subjects across the 6 encyclopedias on this shelf. Each is set out below. 1 of them is described by more than one encyclopedia.
Wyoming a State in the western divisions of the North American Union
Described by 2 of the 6 encyclopedias.
Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)
a State in the western divisions of the North American Union; bounded by Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, and Idaho; admitted July 10, 1890; capital Cheyenne; counties 14; area, 97,914 square miles; pop. (1890) 60,705; (1900) 92,- 531; (1910) 145,965; (1920) 194,402. Topography. The surface of the State is very rugged, being diversified by mountains, valleys, plains, and plateaus, the latter covered with grasses of great nutrition and furnishing admirable pasture for live stock. The main range of the Rocky Mountains enters the State from the S. terminating in the Wind River Mountains, with an altitude of from 10,000 to 14,000 feet, and snowcapped the entire year. The Shoshone Mountains extend N. of the Wind River range. Running S. from the N. boundary to the center of the State are the Big Horn Mountains. Other notable ranges are the Sweetwater, Rattlesnake, Medicine Bow, and Sierra Madre. The highest peak is Fremont's Peak, in the Wind River range, 13,790 feet. Other high points are Grand Teton Peak, 13,690 feet; Mount Sheridan, 13,691 feet, and Atlantic Peak, 12,700 feet. The principal rivers, are the North Platte, entering the State from Colorado; Green river flowing S. E. into Utah; Snake or Shoshone river, rising in Yellowstone Park, flows into Idaho; the Yellowstone; Big Horn; Cheyenne; Belle Fourche; and Powder. None of these streams are navigable in a commercial sense, but they furnish water for the irrigation and development of the surrounding country, and in some instances are used for the transportation of timber. There are several important lakes, including Yellowstone Lake in Yellowstone Park, the N. W. corner of the State; Jackson's; Shoshone; Lewis; Madison; Fremont); Boulder, and Uradisa. Geology and Mineralogy. - The geological formations of Wyoming cover nearly every age, and though not thoroughly explored are known to contain at least the Tertiary, Carboniferous, Cretaceous, Eozoic, Silurian, Triassic, Jurassic, Devonian, and Volcanic. The mineral productions are quite e extensive, including copper, gold and silver, coal, iron, oil, soda, and building stones. The oil belt extends entirely across the State from S. W. to N. E. Mineral Production. - The coal production in 1919 was 7,100,000 tons, a decrease over the production of 1917 of over 2,000,000 tons. The production of petroleum in 1918 was 12,596,287 barrels, valued at $18,159,778. Iron ore is produced in considerable quantities. The production of natural gas in 1918 was 4,338,840 thousand cubic feet, valued at $156,171. A small amount of gold is produced, as well as stone and phosphate rock. Agriculture. The soil of the mountains and high plateaus is a light sandy loam; darker and richer in the valleys, slightly alkaline, but, under irrigation producing large crops. It is estimated that 10,000,000 acres of the State are suitable for agricultural purposes by irrigation. The acreage, production and value of the principal crops in 1919 was as follows: corn, 48,000 acres, production 768,000 bushels, value $1,267,000; oats, 315,000 acres, production 5,670,000 bushels, value $6,350,000; barley, 35,000 acres, production 525,000 bushel tion 525,000 bushels, value $919,000; wheat, 284,000 acres, produc- pro tion 4,008,000 bushels, value $8,497,000; 97.000. hay, 605,000 acres, production 853,000 tons, value $19,619,000; potatoes, 33,000 acres, production 2,640,000 bushels, value $5,016,000. Manufactures. - There were in 1914 337 manufacturing establishments, employing 2,989 wage earners. The capital invested was $29,270,000; the amount paid in wages $2,312,000; the value of materials used $5,560,000; and the value of the finished product $11,224,000. The chief manufactures included railroad cars and railroad supplies, lumber and timber products, saddlery and harness, tobacco, boots and shoes, millinery, brooms, flour and grist, lime and cement, and malt. Banking. On Oct. 31, 1919, there were reported 43 National banks in operation, having $2,350,000 in capital, $1,855,000 in outstanding circulation; and $6,827,000 in United States bonds. There were also 101 State banks, having $2,390,000 capital, and $868,000 surplus. Education. There were in 1918 48,429 children of school age in the State. The enrollment in the public schools was 38,271, with an average daily attendance of 27,960. The teachers numbered 1,965. There is a normal school, which is connected with the University of Wyoming, at Laramie. The University also includes an Agricultural College, School of Mines, College of Mechanical Engineering, School of Music, and a Department of Home Economics. Churches. The strongest denominations in the State are the Roman Catholic; Methodist Episcopal; Lutheran, General Council; Protestant Episcopal; Presbyterian; Congregational; Regular Baptist; and Mormon. Finances. The receipts for the fiscal year 1917-1918 were $3,041,549, and the disbursements $2,404,903. There was a balance on hand of $2,058,894 at the end of the year. The bonded debt amounts to about $100,000. and the assessed valuation of real estate is about $300,- 000,000. Charities and Corrections. - The in- WYOMING UNIVERSITY 461 stitutions under State control include hospitals at Evanston, Rock Springs, and Sheridan; the penitentiary at Rawlins; Soldiers' and Sailors' Home at Buffalo: School for Defectives at Lander; Big Horn Hot Springs Reserve at Thermopolis, and an industrial institute at Worland . Railroads. The railway The Union Pacific, the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy, and the Chicago and Northwestern railroads have the longest mileage. State Government. - The State officers are elected for a term of four years. The legislative sessions are held biennially in odd years, beginning on the second Tuesday in January, and are limited in length to 40 days each. The Legislature has 27 members in the Senate and 57 in the House, each of whom receives $5 per day and mileage. There is one Representative in Congress. History. The greater part of the area of Wyoming was included in that of the Louisiana Purchase of 1803, though the W. section formed part of the Oregon settlement. It was organized as a Territory July 25, 1868, from what was then the S. W. portion of Dakota, the N. E. part of Utah, and from the E. part of Idaho, to which the name of Wyoming was given. This territory was admitted to the Union as a State July 10, 1890. The oldest white settlement within its confines was Fort Laramie, on Platte river, which was made a fur trading post in 1834, rebuilt by the American Fur Company in 1836, sold by them to the United States and garrisoned as a fort in 1849. It was long an important base of operations against the Indians, though it is now abandoned. Settlement took place very slowly till recently, the Indians occupying the more fertile districts . As the latter were removed, settlement became more rapid. The N. W. corner of the State, remarkable for its natural beauties and wonders, has been set aside as the Yellowstone National Park.
Aiton's Encyclopedia (1910)
wi-o'ming, a state of the American Union. It lies in the Rocky Mountain region between the 41st and 45th parallels and between the lines of 104 deg. 3' and 111 deg.3' west longitude. Wyoming and Colorado are the only states thus bounded in the Union. Area, 97,800 square miles. The Laramie plains in the southeast, the Platte and Cheyenne in the east, and the Red Desert in the southwest occupy perhaps a third of the state; otherwise Wyoming is mountainous. The general elevation exceeds 5,000 feet. Extensive regions lie above 7,000 feet. The snow-covered summits of the higher peaks are from 12,000 to 14,000 feet above sea level. There are glaciers in the Wind River Mountains. The scenic portion of the state is included in Yellowstone Park. The streams of Wyoming find their way into three great river systems,--eastward, through the Big Horn and the Yellowstone to the Missouri, southward through the Green into the Colorado, and westward through the Snake into the Colorado. MINERALS. As is to be expected in a Rocky Mountain State, there is mineral wealth. There are profitable mines of gold and silver. Building stone is abundant. Petroleum wells have been located. The greatest source of mineral wealth is coal. The output is valued at $7,000,000 a year. FORESTS, ETC. About one-eighth of the state is wooded. Yellow pine is the most valuable for lumber. The black bear, the grizzly, the wolf, fox, coyote, prairie dog , porcupine, antelope, big horn, elk, sagegrouse, eagle, and ousel are among the characteristic wild animals. CLIMATE, ETC. The climate is rather extreme. The air is dry and healthful, but subject to a change of from a hundred to one hundred fifty degrees between summer and winter. The rate of annual rainfall is light and rain fails usually after the first of June. Wild grass, that cures on the stalk, affords abundant pasturage the year around. Northern Wyoming is noted for cattle and sheep. The state ranks close to Montana in the size of the wool clip. In 1907 the total output was 33,637,000 pounds. There were nearly 5,000,000 sheep. Settlements in Wyoming are confined chiefly to the valleys and plains. AGRICULTURE. A considerable area of land along the streams is fit for farming. Enormous tracts are naturally fertile, save that they lack water. About 3,000,000 acres have been irrigated by canals and ditches leading from the mountain streams. The United States geological survey estimates that there is water enough to reach 15,000,000 acres. The irrigated acreage is increasing rapidly. Timothy, alfalfa, grain, and potatoes are the chief crops. The altitude is so great that the summer is too short and the nights are too cool for corn. TRANSPORTATION. The Union Pacific runs through the southern tier of counties; the North-Western and the Burlington systems enter from the east, and the Northern Pacific sends down a spur to Cinnabar at the entrance to the National Park, but there are sections in the interior without railways. The stage coach with its treasure box, its leaders, and picturesque driver holds its own in Wyoming as in no other state. HISTORICAL. The first white people to take any interest in the Yellowstone region were white trappers in search of fur. The first permanent settlement was made at Fort Laramie in 1834. This became an important trading post under the management of the American Fur Company. Fremont passed through in 1842. The territory of Wyoming was carved out of Utah, Idaho, and Dakota by act of Congress, July 25, 1868. The name was borrowed from the Valley of Wyoming in Pennsylvania. Wyoming was admitted to the Union July 10, 1890. There are thirteen counties. State officers are elected for a term of four years. The treasurer is not eligible for reelection. Women have enjoyed equal rights from the first. Though the population is sparse, every effort is made to provide schools and teachers. Wages are high and schools are established even for a single family of children. The State University is located at Laramie. The population in 1900 was 92,531. In 1908 it had increased to 125,000. Cheyenne, the capital, with a population of about 14,000, and Laramie, with a population of about 7,500, are the larger cities. STATISTICS. The following statistics are the latest to be had from trustworthy sources: Land area, square miles 97,575 Water area 315 Population (1908) 125,000 Cheyenne 13,570 Laramie 7,480 Members of state senate 27 Representatives 56 Salary of governor $2,500 Assessed valuation of property $64,000,000 Bonded indebtedness $180,000 Agricultural Productions-- Corn, bushels 84,000 Wheat, bushels 1,775,000 Oats, bushels 2,839,000 Barley, bushels 140,000 Rye, bushels 22,000 Potatoes, bushels 1,000,000 Wool, pounds 36,000,000 Domestic Animals-- Horses 117,000 Milk cows 23,000 Other cattle 838,000 Sheep 5,000,000 Swine 18,000 Manufactures-- Capital invested $2,695,000 Operatives 1,834 Raw material $1,300,000 Output of manufactures $3,523,000 Flour and grist $426,000 Timber area, acres 10,000,000 Lumber products $426,000 Tons of coal mined 6,250,000 Gold output $9,400 Silver output $1,100 Copper output, pounds 3,026,000 Miles of navigable rivers None Miles of railway 1,456 Teachers in public schools 787 Pupils enrolled 19,795 Average monthly salary of teachers $52.91 Average annual expenditure per pupil $31.05 Percentage of male teachers 13.9
Wyoming UNIVERSITY OF, a coeducational
Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)
UNIVERSITY OF, a coeducational, non-sectarian institution in Laramie, Wyo., founded in 1886; reported at the close of 1919: Professors and instructors, 56; students, 913; president, A. Nelson, Ph. D.
What Has Changed in the Last Century
When Collier's compiled this in 1921 Wyoming had 14 counties and 194,402 people; it now has 23 counties and about 577,000 residents (2020 census), still the least populous state in the Union. The mineral picture the entry sketches has been transformed in scale: coal output of 7,100,000 tons in 1919 has grown to well over 200 million tons a year from the Powder River Basin strip mines, making Wyoming by far the largest coal producer in the United States, while Yellowstone's neighbourhood gained Grand Teton National Park in 1929. Surveyors have also corrected the summit list — the state's highest point is Gannett Peak in the Wind River range at 13,804 feet, not Fremont Peak, and Mount Sheridan is a little over 10,000 feet rather than the 13,691 given here. Cheyenne remains the capital and the University of Wyoming at Laramie is still the state's only four-year public university.
Written for this edition, 2026.