Wyoming

Wyoming History Timeline

• (1742-1743) Francois Louis Verendyne entered Wyoming, discovered Big Horn Mountains
• (1803) Louisiana Purchase completed, included present day Wyoming
• (1806) American John Colter discovered Yellowstone, named area "Colter's Hell'; explored Teton Mountains
• (1812) Robert Stuart discovered South Pass through Rocky Mountains
• (1822) General William Ashley established trading post on Yellowstone River
• (1827) Ashley's group took first wheeled vehicle, a four-pounder cannon, across South Pass
• (1830) Kit Carson arrived in Wyoming
• (1832) Capt. B. L. E. Bonneville led first wagons through South Pass; established Fort Bonneville
• (1833) Bonneville discovered oil near Wind River Mountains
• (1834) First permanent trading post, Ft. Laramie, established
• (1842) Fort Bridger established; Capt. Fremont led expedition to Wyoming, discovered Fremont Peak; Gold discovered near South Pass
• (1849) U. S. purchased Fort Laramie
• (1854) Grattan Massacre occurred near Fort Laramie
• (1867) Cheyenne founded; Transcontinental Railroad entered Wyoming
• (1868) Wyoming Territory created
• (1869) Women received right to vote
• (1872) Yellowstone Park became first national park
• (1877) Arapahoe Indians moved to Wind River Reservation
• (1885) Chinese Massacre occurred at Rock Springs
• (1890) Wyoming admitted into Union as 44th state
• (1897) First Cheyenne Frontier Days celebrated

• (1906) Devils Tower established, first national monument in U. S.
• (1918) Prohibition passed; uranium discovered near Lusk
• (1923) Kemmerer mine explosion killed ninety-nine
• (1925) Nellie Tayloe Ross became first woman governor in U. S.; Teapot Dome Scandal occurred
• (1933) Nellie Tayloe Ross named first woman director of U. S. Mint
• (1949) Blizzard paralyzed entire state
• (1978) World's largest radio telescope built on Jelm Mountain
• (1979 - 1980) Cheyenne received 121 inches of snow
• (1988) Devastating fire in Yellowstone National Park burned more than one million acres

• (2000) Dick Cheney elected Vice President of U.S.
• (2002) More than 6 million people visited Wyoming's national parks, monuments
• (2004) Dick Cheney re-elected Vice President of U.S.
• (2008) Wyoming rated Best State nationally for statewide litter eradication from public properties by the American State Litter Scorecord; Wyoming ranked most "business friendly" tax climate of all 50 states by the Tax Foundation
• (2009) Wyoming ranked at top for fastest growing state
• (2010) "Cowboy Ethics" new official state code
• (2011) Environmental Protection Agency said chemicals from "fracking" had polluted groundwater near Pavillion
• (2012) Two backcountry skiers, resort employee killed in avalanche
• (2012) Bison meat prices reached all-time high
• (2012) Federal government granted permit to allow tribe to kill two bald eagles for a religious ceremony