| Douglas, Wyoming |
|
Center St., looking east, Douglas, WY, 1920's |
|
Location of Douglas, Wyoming |
| Coordinates: 42°45′22″N 105°23′4″W / 42.75611, -105.38444 |
| Country |
United States |
| State |
Wyoming |
| County |
Converse |
| Government |
| - Mayor |
Jim Schneider |
| Area |
| - Total |
5.3 sq mi (13.6 km²) |
| - Land |
5.1 sq mi (13.2 km²) |
| - Water |
0.1 sq mi (0.4 km²) |
| Elevation |
4,836 ft (1,474 m) |
| Population (2000) |
| - Total |
5,288 |
| - Density |
1,035.0/sq mi (399.6/km²) |
| Time zone |
Mountain (MST) (UTC-7) |
| - Summer (DST) |
MDT (UTC-6) |
| ZIP code |
82633 |
| Area code(s) |
307 |
| FIPS code |
56-21125[1] |
| GNIS feature ID |
1587750[2] |
| Website: http://cityofdouglaswy.com |
Douglas is a city in Converse County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 5,288 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Converse County[3]. The former railroad passenger depot is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
History
Douglas was officially founded in 1886 when the Union Pacific Railroad established a station. However, the settlement had been in existence since 1867 when Fort Fetterman was built and was first known as “Tent City”[4] before it was officially named "Douglas". It served as a supply point, warehousing and retail, for the surrounding cattle ranches, as well as servicing railway crews, cowboys and the troops of the US Army stationed at Fort Fetterman.
Charles Starkweather, a serial killer who killed 11 people in Nebraska and Wyoming in 1957-1958, was captured in Douglas after an extensive manhunt on January 31, 1958.citation needed
Geography
Douglas is located at 42°45′22″N, 105°23′4″W (42.756008, -105.384555)[5].
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 5.2 square miles (13.6 km²), of which, 5.1 square miles (13.2 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.4 km²) of it (2.67%) is water.
Demographics
| Historical populations |
| Census |
Pop. |
|
%± |
| 1890 |
491 |
|
—
|
| 1900 |
734 |
|
49.5% |
| 1910 |
2,246 |
|
206% |
| 1920 |
2,294 |
|
2.1% |
| 1930 |
1,917 |
|
−16.4% |
| 1940 |
2,205 |
|
15% |
| 1950 |
2,544 |
|
15.4% |
| 1960 |
2,822 |
|
10.9% |
| 1970 |
2,677 |
|
−5.1% |
| 1980 |
6,030 |
|
125.3% |
| 1990 |
5,076 |
|
−15.8% |
| 2000 |
5,288 |
|
4.2% |
| [6] |
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 5,288 people, 2,118 households, and 1,423 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,035.0 people per square mile (399.6/km²). There were 2,385 housing units at an average density of 466.8/sq mi (180.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.12% White, 0.06% African American, 0.78% Native American, 0.13% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 3.63% from other races, and 1.27% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.64% of the population.
There were 2,118 households out of which 36.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.7% were married couples living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.8% were non-families. 28.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 3.04.
In the city the population was spread out with 28.5% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 29.8% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 11.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 94.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $36,944, and the median income for a family was $44,900. Males had a median income of $36,489 versus $18,662 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,634. About 11.9% of families and 14.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.6% of those under age 18 and 14.7% of those age 65 or over.
City Information
Douglas is located on the banks of the North Platte River, and is named for Stephen A. Douglas, U.S. Senator. Douglas' location affords excellent access to nearby sights. Medicine Bow National Forest is located nearby, as is Thunder Basin National Grassland and Ayres Natural Bridge. In addition, Douglas is the location of the Wyoming State Fair, held every summer and known for its rodeo and animal competitions. Also on the fairgrounds is the Wyoming Pioneer Memorial Museum, a collection of pioneer and Native American relics pertaining to the history of Converse County.
The town grew after it was designated a stop on the Fremont, Elkhorn and Missouri Valley Railroad. Railroads brought settlers and pioneers west; some stayed and others continued on.
The jackalope legend in the U.S. was attributed by the New York Times in 1932 to Douglas Herrick (1920–2003) of Douglas, and thus the town was named the "Home of the Jackalope" by the state of Wyoming in 1985. Douglas has issued Jackalope Hunting licenses to tourists. The tags are good for hunting during official Jackalope season, which occurs for only one day, June 31st.
According to the Douglas Chamber of Commerce, a 1930s hunting trip for jackrabbits led to the idea of a Jackalope. Herrick and his brother had studied taxidermy by mail order as teenagers. When the brothers returned from a hunting trip, Herrick tossed a jackrabbit carcass into the taxidermy shop, which rested beside a pair of deer antlers. The accidental combination of animal forms sparked Douglas Herrick's idea for a jackalope.[1]
In 1996 Douglas was listed by Norman Crampton as one of The 100 Best Small Towns in America.
The former Fremont, Elkhorn and Missouri Valley Railroad Passenger Depot in Douglas is included on the National Register of Historic Places.[7]
References
External links
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