Wyoming History

December 25, 1866, soldiers at Fort Laramie gathered for the Christmas party. By night's end, it would be the saddest holiday celebration in Wyoming history.

December 5, 1944, a Japanese balloon bomb landed just outside of Thermopolis, Wyoming. Around 6:15 p.m., four coal miners heard a whistling noise overhead, followed by an explosion that sent flames parachuting across the night sky.

Here in Wyoming, Christmas has been officially observed since the territory was first granted statehood in 1890. But a lot has changed since then.

Due to repeated "violations of wartime rationing restrictions" in the area, the cities of Casper and Cheyenne temporarily outlawed the sale of coffee.

September 25, 1963, is a day that many people in Wyoming will never forget. President John F. Kennedy visited Cheyenne, Laramie, and Jackson.

August 1, 1985, a tragic flash flood in Cheyenne claimed 12 lives and caused over $60 million in property damage.

If you thought your co-workers were loud, here's a fun fact. Happy Jack Road was named for a guy who wouldn't stop singing at work.

In 1907 a landmark ruling by the United States Supreme Court kept the University of Wyoming in Laramie.