Laramie, Wyoming

Laramie, the "Gem City of the Plains," is home to the University of Wyoming. Wyoming legend has it, that in the distribution of state institutions, Cheyenne, Rawlins, Evanston and Laramie made selections in that order and chose the capitol, penitentiary, insane asylum and university. There is no truth to the legend, because Laramie had much more legislative power than Rawlins and Evanston.
Whatever the reason, Laramie is home to the state's only four-year institution of higher learning.

The town's first residents would be surprised that their town founded on the Union Pacific line is now the educational center for the entire state of Wyoming. When the first train came to town in May of 1868, gamblers, land sharks, harlots and outlaws were on board.

The 60-foot pyramid type Ames monument and informative sign on the windy summit of Interstate I-80 between Laramie and Cheyenne pay tribute to the promoters of the railroad.
In October of that same year, a vigilante committee was formed and in a Hollywood type shootout, five outlaws were killed, fifteen were wounded, and four others, including "Long" Steve Young, were hanged from some convenient locations, local telegraph poles! Laramie became such a savage and corrupt town that it lost its charter and had to be placed under federal court jurisdiction until 1874.
Another acknowledgment of the town's history is the partially restored Territorial Prison, located near I-80 and Wyoming Highway 230. The Laramie Plains Museum in the historic Edward Ivinson mansion depicts lifestyles of pioneer families.

Laramie made history for women's rights in those early years. In 1870, during a period of court rule, Laramie became the first town in the United States to empanel women to serve on a grand jury. A year later, Laramie citizen, Louisa Swain became the first woman in the country to vote in a general election.
Since those early rambunctious years, the town has settled down and prospered because of the railroad, agriculture and the economic boost of some 10,000 students enrolled every year at the university.
The historic Overland Trail passed through the Laramie area and the ruts can still be seen on the Snowy Range road, ten miles west of town. The scenic drive from Laramie to Saratoga over the Snowy Range is a major attraction. The road is open between Memorial Day and October or the first heavy snow.
For the younger set, the Wyoming Children's Museum and Nature Center has hands on learning exhibits in science, arts and humanities. Located at the Laramie Plains Civic Center, it is open only on Saturdays.