Lander, Wyoming facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lander
City
Downtown Lander, 2008
Seal
Motto(s):  "Real. Western. Spirit."
Location of Lander in Fremont County, Wyoming.
Lander, Wyoming Location in the United States
Country	United States
State	Wyoming
County	Fremont
Area
• Total	9.38 sq mi (24.30 km2)
• Land	9.38 sq mi (24.30 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	5,358 ft (1,633 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	7,546
• Estimate  (2020)	7,546
• Density	794.93/sq mi (306.92/km2)
Time zone	UTC−7 (Mountain (MST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−6 (MDT)
ZIP code	82520
Area code(s)	307
FIPS code	56-44760
GNIS feature ID	1609112

Lander is a city in Wyoming, United States, and the county seat of Fremont County. It is in central Wyoming, along the Middle Fork of the Popo Agie River, just south of the Wind River Indian Reservation. It is a tourism center with several nearby guest ranches. Its population was 7,487 at the 2010 census.

History

Lander was known as Pushroot, Fort Brown, and Fort Auger prior to its current name. The town was named Lander in honor of General Frederick W. Lander, a famous transcontinental explorer who surveyed the Oregon Trail's Lander Cutoff. Several miles southeast of town near present-day U.S. Route 287 is the site of Wyoming's first oil well, circa 1884. The town was incorporated in 1890.

On October 1, 1906, Lander became the westward terminus of the "Cowboy Line" of the Chicago and North Western Railway, thus originating the slogan "where rails end and trails begin." Originally intended to be a transcontinental mainline to Coos Bay, Oregon, or Eureka, California, the line never went further west, and service to Lander was abandoned in 1972.

Lander is where the first paid rodeo took place, which continues to this day in coordination with the town's raucous Fourth of July festivities.

Geography

Lander is located at 42°49′59″N 108°43′57″W / 42.83306°N 108.73250°W / 42.83306; -108.73250 (42.833035, −108.732633).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.67 square miles (12.10 km²), all of it land.

Climate

As with much of the state, Lander experiences a semi-arid climate (Köppen BSk) with cold, dry winters and hot, wetter summers.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 7,487 people, 3,161 households, and 1,932 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,603.2 inhabitants per square mile (619.0/km²). There were 3,385 housing units at an average density of 724.8 per square mile (279.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 88.0% White, 0.2% African American, 7.3% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 1.0% from other races, and 2.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.8% of the population.

There were 3,161 households, of which 28.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.2% were married couples living together, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 38.9% were non-families. 32.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.85.

The median age in the city was 40.3 years. 22.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.3% were from 25 to 44; 27.3% were from 45 to 64; and 17% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.0% male and 51.0% female.

Arts and culture

The Lander Art Center downtown displays rotating art exhibits, holds biannual art fairs, and hosts varying art classes. The work of William Shakespeare is performed by the touring Wyoming Shakespeare Festival Company, a non-profit organization based out of Lander. The Lander Community Concerts Association has brought in various performing artists since 1947. Lander's local library is the main branch of the Fremont County Library System, the original local Carnegie library still stands as part of the current building.

Annual cultural events

The Pioneer Days Parade and Rodeo takes place on July 3rd and 4th every year. The Lander Brew Festival features samples from Rocky Mountain-area breweries and has been held since 2002. Other annual events include the Wyoming State Winter Fair, the International Climbers Festival, and the Annual One Shot Antelope Hunt.

Attractions

Sinks Canyon State Park, near Lander

Outdoor attractions near Lander include Sinks Canyon State Park, Shoshone National Forest, the Wind River Mountains, and the Red Desert. Additionally, Lander is home to a number of museums, including the Fremont County Pioneer Museum, which focuses on the history of the Lander area; the Museum of the American West, which maintains a complex of historic structures; the Lander Children’s Museum, with hands-on exhibits; and the Evans Dahl Memorial Museum, dedicated to the Annual One Shot Antelope Hunt.

Economy

Suburban Lander

Lander's economy is based on an array of industries and like Wyoming as a whole is supported by substantial tourism. Outdoor recreation along with healthcare, education, construction and retail sales make up much of the economy. The tourism season is primarily during summer months and though Lander and Fremont County are not near any major Interstate highway, the county generates significant income from travel related taxes.

Present day Lander is home to numerous state and federal government offices, including the U.S. Forest Service (Washakie Ranger District, Shoshone National Forest), the Bureau of Land Management (Lander Field Office), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and a Resident Agency of the Denver Field Office of the FBI, as well as the Wyoming Life Resource Center and the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality. A major bronze foundry, Eagle Bronze, is located in Lander, as is the headquarters of the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) and other environment and land-related non profit organizations including offices of the Wyoming Outdoor Council, the Wyoming office of The Nature Conservancy, the Wyoming Wildlife Federation, and Wyoming Catholic College.

2017 Economic sector statistics

Sectors of the Lander Economy in 2017

Education

Public education

Public education in the city of Lander is provided by Fremont County School District #1. Lander Valley High School is the main high school. It is located just west of Main Street after the demolition of the historic high school. Despite attempts to preserve the school the land was sold and is now a business complex. Pathfinder is the alternative high school.

National Outdoor Leadership School

The National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) was founded in Lander and is headquartered in the city. Its Rocky Mountain branch operates out of Lander. NOLS operates the Noble Hotel on Main Street for its instructors, students and alumni.

Wyoming Catholic College

In 2007, Wyoming Catholic College, a four-year, coeducational, private college was founded in Lander. The college was only the second four-year brick and mortar institution of higher education ever in Wyoming. It was designed to give students a general liberal arts education via a Great Books curriculum, while allowing them to develop morally and spiritually in a small Catholic community. It uses an Outdoor Adventure Program to take students into the nearby Wind River Mountains to teach leadership, decision-making skills, and to ignite their imaginations. The college received its Apostolic Blessing in 2005 from Most Reverend David L. Ricken, DD, JCL, the Bishop of Cheyenne. As of 2019, Wyoming Catholic College received full accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission.

Infrastructure

Postal service

The United States Postal Service operates the Lander Post Office.

Airports

There is a small general aviation airport in Lander, called Hunt Field. Scheduled passenger airline service is available via the nearby Central Wyoming Regional Airport located near Riverton, Wyoming.

Law Enforcement

The law enforcement within Lander consists of the Lander Police Department.

Notable people

• Jim Allen (born 1952), a former member of the Wyoming House of Representatives, who was born in Lander
• Keri Ataumbi (born 1971), Kiowa artist, who was born on the Wind River Indian Reservation near Lander
• Steve Bechtel (born 1970), a rock climber with a number of first ascents in his record; Born in Casper, as an adult he lives and works in Lander
• Cale Case (born 1958), economist, businessman, politician; born in Lander
• Mike Dabich (born 1942), professional basketball center who played one season in the American Basketball Association
• Clayton Danks (1879–1970), the model of the cowboy on the Wyoming state trademark, the Bucking Horse and Rider, is interred at Mount Hope Cemetery in Lander.
• Ed Drew (1865–1911), born in Lander, was an Arizona rancher, miner, and lawman in the final years of the Old West
• Teri Greeves (born 1970), Native American beadwork artist, was born on the Wind River Indian Reservation near Lander
• Lester C. Hunt (1892–1954), 19th governor of Wyoming, U.S. Senator known as an outspoken opponent of Senator Joseph McCarthy
• Ralph Kimball (1878–1959), former Justice of the Wyoming Supreme Court, who lived as an adult in Lander
• Larry LaRose (born 1953), NASA flight engineer, shuttle training aircraft, shuttle carrier associate, is a native of Lander.
• Nate Marquardt (born 1979), mixed martial artist and current welterweight in the UFC, was born in Lander
• Barney McLean (1917–2005), alpine skier, competed in three events at the 1948 Winter Olympics, born in Lander
• Joseph B. Meyer (1941–2012), Wyoming attorney general and state treasurer was an assistant county attorney in Lander early in his political career
• Bob Nicholas (born 1957), Wyoming State representative from District 8 in Cheyenne, is a native of Lander
• Phil Nicholas (born 1955), Republican member of the Wyoming Senate, born in Lander
• Sacagawea (c. 1788–c. 1884), from the Lemhi Shoshone tribe; assisted Lewis and Clark on their trek of discovery across the northwest
• Todd Skinner (1958–2006), free climber, who lived in Lander as an adult to be near its dolomite cliffs
• Guy Trosper (1911–1963), screenwriter who was born in Lander and is buried there
• Seth Brady Tucker (born 1969), poet, who was born in Lander

Images for kids

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  Lander's Fourth of July Parade in 1962.

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  July 4th parade on Main St in 1984.

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  Lander City Park located on the south end of town provides camping space and hosts a number of events in summer.

See also

In Spanish: Lander (Wyoming) para niños