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Cokeville, Wyoming
Motto(s): 
"Welcome to the Open Range!"
Location of Cokeville in Lincoln County, Wyoming.
Location of Cokeville in Lincoln County, Wyoming.
Cokeville, Wyoming is located in the United States
Cokeville, Wyoming
Cokeville, Wyoming
Location in the United States
Country United States
State Wyoming
County Lincoln
Government
 • Type Council–Manager
Area
 • Total 1.30 sq mi (3.38 km2)
 • Land 1.30 sq mi (3.38 km2)
 • Water 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation
6,194 ft (1,888 m)
Population
 (2010)
 • Total 535
 • Estimate 
(2019)
554
 • Density 424.52/sq mi (163.95/km2)
Time zone UTC-7 (Mountain (MST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-6 (MDT)
ZIP code
83114
Area code(s) 307
FIPS code 56-15905
GNIS feature ID 1609079

Cokeville is a town in Lincoln County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 535 at the 2010 census. The town is best known for the Cokeville Elementary School hostage crisis, which led to a movie.

History

The Shoshone Indians were the first inhabitants of the area. The first Euro-American settler, Tilford Kutch, arrived in 1869. In 1873, he opened a trading post and ran a ferry across Smiths Fork. After the arrival of the railroad in 1882, the town grew, and was incorporated in 1910.

The town was named for the coal found in the area. Following the railroad, sheep ranching became more popular, reaching its peak in 1918, when Cokeville was informally called the "Sheep Capital of the World".

Geography

Cokeville is located at 42°5′6″N 110°57′20″W / 42.08500°N 110.95556°W / 42.08500; -110.95556 (42.084940, −110.955684).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.18 square miles (3.06 km2), all of it land.

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1880 62
1920 430
1930 431 0.2%
1940 452 4.9%
1950 440 −2.7%
1960 545 23.9%
1970 440 −19.3%
1980 515 17.0%
1990 493 −4.3%
2000 506 2.6%
2010 535 5.7%
2019 (est.) 554 3.6%
U.S. Decennial Census

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 535 people, 166 households, and 127 families residing in the town. The population density was 453.4 inhabitants per square mile (175.1/km2). There were 200 housing units at an average density of 169.5 per square mile (65.4/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 98.7% White, 0.4% Native American, 0.6% from other races, and 0.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.5% of the population.

There were 166 households, of which 45.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.3% were married couples living together, 6.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 1.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 23.5% were non-families. 21.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.22 and the average family size was 3.87.

The median age in the town was 29.6 years. 41.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 4.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 21.1% were from 25 to 44; 21.7% were from 45 to 64; and 11% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 51.4% male and 48.6% female.

Cokeville Elementary School hostage crisis

On May 16, 1986, former town marshal David Young and his wife Doris Young took 167 children and adults hostage at Cokeville Elementary School. during the Cokeville Elementary School hostage crisis. The children and adults escaped after the bomb exploded. Both hostage takers died, while 79 hostages were wounded.

Education

Public education in the town of Cokeville is provided by Lincoln County School District #2. Zoned campuses include Cokeville Elementary School (grades K-6) and Cokeville High School (grades 7–12).

Cokeville has a public library, a branch of the Lincoln County Library System.

Infrastructure

Transportation by air

Cokeville Municipal Airport (U06) is an operational municipal airport serving the Town of Cokeville and surrounding areas. It is 3 nautical miles (6 km) south of Cokeville. The airport is located on CR 207, and can be accessible by WYO 231, and from east of Laketown, Utah, by Manhead Road. The airport is 6,270 feet (1,911 m) above sea level, and 320 acres (1.3 km2) big. It is owned by the town hall of Cokeville.

Transportation by road

  • WY-231.svgWYO 231 is a spur of US 30, and is the "main street" of Cokeville.
  • US 30.svgUS 30 is the only thoroughfare of the town, and provides access to Interstate 80 and nearby Idaho.
  • WY-232.svgWYO 232 branches off US 30 that serves a rural area northeast of Cokeville. If you went straight after US 30, you'll be on WYO 231.

Notable people

  • Minerva Teichert (1888–1976), Western and LDS artist

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Cokeville (Wyoming) para niños

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