Carbon County, Wyoming
Carbon County | |
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At-large | |
Website | www |
Carbon County is a
History
Carbon County was organized in 1868, one of the five original counties in Dakota Territory.[3]
Originally about 3,400 square miles (8,800 km2) near the center of Wyoming, Carbon County was once part of the
Carbon County was organized December 16, 1868, from Laramie County in Dakota Territory, which at the time had jurisdiction over part of modern-day Wyoming.[4] It became a county in Wyoming Territory when that territory's government was formally organized on May 19, 1869.[5][6]
In 1868, the Union Pacific Railroad opened the first coal mine in Carbon County, and the county was named for its extensive coal deposits.[7] In 1875, Carbon County lost territory when Johnson County was created by the legislature of the Wyoming Territory. Natrona County was created with land ceded by Carbon County in 1888. The boundaries of the county were final at that time except for minor adjustments in 1911.
From 1978 to 1982, Carbon County was represented in the
George R. Salisbury Jr., a rancher from Savery, represented Carbon County in the Wyoming House from 1975 to 1986. He was succeeded in office by his son-in-law and fellow Democrat, Patrick F. O'Toole, also a Savery rancher.
Geography
According to the US Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 7,964 square miles (20,630 km2), of which 7,898 square miles (20,460 km2) is land and 66 square miles (170 km2) (2.0%) is water.[8] It is the third-largest county in Wyoming by area.
The Continental Divide runs through the county.
Major highways
- Interstate 80
- U.S. Highway 30
- U.S. Highway 287
Adjacent counties
- Sweetwater County - west
- Fremont County - northwest
- Natrona County - north
- Converse County - northeast
- Albany County - east
- Jackson County, Colorado - southeast
- Routt County, Colorado - south
- Moffat County, Colorado - southwest
National protected areas and State historical sites
- Fort Fred Steele State Historic Site[9]
- Medicine Bow National Forest(part)
- Pathfinder National Wildlife Refuge (part)
Demographics
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1870 | 1,368 | — | |
1880 | 3,438 | 151.3% | |
1890 | 6,857 | 99.4% | |
1900 | 9,589 | 39.8% | |
1910 | 11,282 | 17.7% | |
1920 | 9,525 | −15.6% | |
1930 | 11,391 | 19.6% | |
1940 | 12,644 | 11.0% | |
1950 | 15,742 | 24.5% | |
1960 | 14,937 | −5.1% | |
1970 | 13,354 | −10.6% | |
1980 | 21,896 | 64.0% | |
1990 | 16,659 | −23.9% | |
2000 | 15,639 | −6.1% | |
2010 | 15,885 | 1.6% | |
2020 | 14,537 | −8.5% | |
2023 (est.) | 14,334 | [10] | −1.4% |
US Decennial Census[11] 1870–2000[12] 2010–2016[1] |
Census-designated places
2000 census
As of the
ancestry.There were 6,129 households, out of which 31.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.10% were married couples living together, 8.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.60% were non-families. Of 6,129 households, 364 were unmarried partner households: 318 heterosexual, 41 same-sex male, and 5 same-sex female.
27.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.91.
The county population contained 24.10% under the age of 18, 8.60% from 18 to 24, 28.40% from 25 to 44, 26.70% from 45 to 64, and 12.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 115.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 118.10 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $36,060, and the median income for a family was $41,991. Males had a median income of $31,603 versus $21,451 for females. The
2010 census
As of the
Of the 6,388 households, 30.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.5% were married couples living together, 7.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 35.7% were non-families, and 29.6% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.91. The median age was 38.9 years.[14]
The median income for a household in the county was $56,565 and the median income for a family was $65,171. Males had a median income of $51,201 versus $32,603 for females. The per capita income for the county was $26,122. About 5.6% of families and 8.2% of the population were below the
Government and infrastructure
During the twentieth century, owing to its considerable unionized mining population, Carbon County tended to be much more Democratic than the rest of generally Republican Wyoming. It was one of three Wyoming counties to vote for John F. Kennedy in 1960 and one of two to vote for Hubert Humphrey in 1968, while Dwight D. Eisenhower only won the county narrowly in his two landslide Presidential wins. In recent years, the county has trended much more towards the Republican Party due to changing demographics in the area.
Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
2020 | 5,014 | 75.24% | 1,427 | 21.41% | 223 | 3.35% |
2016 | 4,409 | 69.17% | 1,279 | 20.07% | 686 | 10.76% |
2012 | 4,148 | 63.73% | 2,110 | 32.42% | 251 | 3.86% |
2008 | 4,331 | 63.19% | 2,336 | 34.08% | 187 | 2.73% |
2004 | 4,758 | 67.23% | 2,158 | 30.49% | 161 | 2.27% |
2000 | 4,498 | 64.55% | 2,206 | 31.66% | 264 | 3.79% |
1996 | 2,930 | 44.96% | 2,690 | 41.28% | 897 | 13.76% |
1992 | 2,320 | 34.74% | 2,737 | 40.99% | 1,621 | 24.27% |
1988 | 3,336 | 55.70% | 2,555 | 42.66% | 98 | 1.64% |
1984 | 4,557 | 65.55% | 2,295 | 33.01% | 100 | 1.44% |
1980 | 4,337 | 59.55% | 2,272 | 31.20% | 674 | 9.25% |
1976 | 3,556 | 54.01% | 3,010 | 45.72% | 18 | 0.27% |
1972 | 4,037 | 63.69% | 2,292 | 36.16% | 10 | 0.16% |
1968 | 2,532 | 44.77% | 2,725 | 48.18% | 399 | 7.05% |
1964 | 2,160 | 33.32% | 4,322 | 66.68% | 0 | 0.00% |
1960 | 3,147 | 45.12% | 3,828 | 54.88% | 0 | 0.00% |
1956 | 3,336 | 50.90% | 3,218 | 49.10% | 0 | 0.00% |
1952 | 3,403 | 51.09% | 3,242 | 48.67% | 16 | 0.24% |
1948 | 2,319 | 39.89% | 3,439 | 59.16% | 55 | 0.95% |
1944 | 2,698 | 47.49% | 2,983 | 52.51% | 0 | 0.00% |
1940 | 2,882 | 45.60% | 3,429 | 54.26% | 9 | 0.14% |
1936 | 2,041 | 37.99% | 3,257 | 60.62% | 75 | 1.40% |
1932 | 2,088 | 41.16% | 2,836 | 55.90% | 149 | 2.94% |
1928 | 3,019 | 64.85% | 1,609 | 34.56% | 27 | 0.58% |
1924 | 2,398 | 54.56% | 733 | 16.68% | 1,264 | 28.76% |
1920 | 1,871 | 60.65% | 1,039 | 33.68% | 175 | 5.67% |
1916 | 1,217 | 39.99% | 1,661 | 54.58% | 165 | 5.42% |
1912 | 1,106 | 39.15% | 957 | 33.88% | 762 | 26.97% |
1908 | 1,651 | 51.56% | 1,430 | 44.66% | 121 | 3.78% |
1904 | 2,234 | 68.34% | 956 | 29.24% | 79 | 2.42% |
1900 | 1,757 | 60.40% | 1,152 | 39.60% | 0 | 0.00% |
1896 | 1,229 | 53.02% | 1,080 | 46.59% | 9 | 0.39% |
1892 | 978 | 52.27% | 0 | 0.00% | 893 | 47.73% |
The Wyoming State Penitentiary, operated by the Wyoming Department of Corrections, is located in Rawlins.[19] The facility was operated by the Wyoming Board of Charities and Reform until that agency was dissolved as a result of a state constitutional amendment passed in November 1990.[20]
Communities
City
- Rawlins (county seat)
Towns
Unincorporated communities
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Carbon County, Wyoming
- Wyoming
- List of cities and towns in Wyoming
- List of counties in Wyoming
- Wyoming statistical areas
References
- ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on August 6, 2011. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- ^ The other four original counties: Albany; Laramie; Sweetwater; and Uinta.
- ^ General Laws and Memorials and Resolutions of the Territory of Dakota, 1869 at Google Books
- ^ Long, John H. (2006). "Wyoming: Individual County Chronologies". Wyoming Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. Archived from the original on July 18, 2011. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- ^ Long, John H. (2006). "Dakota Territory, South Dakota, and North Dakota: Individual County Chronologies". Dakota Territory Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. Archived from the original on November 12, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- ISBN 0-87842-204-8.
- ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". US Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved August 5, 2015.
- ^ Fort Steele WY Google Maps (accessed 9 January 2019)
- ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 24, 2024.
- ^ "US Decennial Census". US Census Bureau. Retrieved August 5, 2015.
- ^ "Historical Decennial Census Population for Wyoming Counties, Cities, and Towns". Wyoming Department of Administration & Information, Division of Economic Analysis. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
- ^ "U.S. Census website". US Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
- ^ a b c "Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved January 12, 2016.
- ^ "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved January 12, 2016.
- ^ "Selected Social Characteristics in the US – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved January 12, 2016.
- ^ "Selected Economic Characteristics – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved January 12, 2016.
- ^ Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 5, 2018.
- ^ Contact Institutions. Wyoming Department of Corrections. Retrieved on August 22, 2010.
- ^ About the Department of Corrections. Wyoming Department of Corrections. Retrieved on August 22, 2010.
- ^ Leo WY Google Maps (accessed 9 January 2019)
- ^ McFadden WY Google Maps (accessed 9 January 2019)
- ^ Muddy Gap WY Google Maps (accessed 9 January 2019)
- ^ Woodedge WY Google Maps (accessed 9 January 2019)
Further reading
- Bartos, T.T. et al. (2006). Water resources of Carbon County, Wyoming [Scientific Investigations Report 2006-5027]. Reston VA: US Department of the Interior, US Geological Survey.
- Hettinger, R.D. and J.G. Honey. (2006). Geologic map and coal stratigraphy of the Doty Mountain quadrangle, eastern Washakie Basin, Carbon County, Wyoming [Scientific Investigations Map 2925]. Reston VA: US Department of the Interior, US Geological Survey.
- Official seal