What are Wyoming's towns "Nicknames?" (Casper, Laramie: best town, lease)

[Poletop]

During my travels through Wyoming, I've noticed quite a few towns with their own "claim to fame", or nicknames. Here are a few that I noticed. How many more can you come up with?

Rock Springs - Home to 56 nationalities

Kemmerer - Home of the J.C. Penny Mother store and museum, and Fish Fossil capital of the world

Big Piney - Icebox of the nation

Mountain View - Gateway to the high Uintas

Pinedale - Home of the Mountain Man Museum

Laramie - Gem city if the plains

Lovell - The rose city of Wyoming

Cody - The Rodeo capital of the world

Casper - The Oil city

[WyoNewk]

Gillette: Energy Capital of the Nation

But its true nick names are "Razor City", I believe after Gillette razor blades, and "Donkey Town", which is what it was originally called before the railroad changed the name to honor Edward Gillette, an engineer for the railroad who recommended the eventual route of the rail line in 1891.

[WyoNewk]

Oh, another one that I get a kick out of:

Upton: The best town on Earth

If you've been to Upton, you might question that, but hey....

[NDak15]

Rock Springs is also called the Rocket City. At one time Meeteetse said Home of the Black-footed Ferret on their town web site but now it's Where Chiefs Meet.

[Brian_M]

Lander was "Apple Valley" thanks to an original resident who had a love of growing (and cross-breeding) apple trees. Was later taken over by UW (if I'm remembering correctly) and then given to CWC.

[Poletop]

Apple Valley, I had never heard of that one!

[shadowwalker]

In the mid to late 1970's Rocksprings was called Sin City.

[Brian_M]

Opps, I should have said that the apple orchard was what was taken over. It's about 5 miles out of town, up towards Sinks Canyon, on the left hand side.

[Poletop]

Interesting... I found this

Homesteaded in 1873 by William Nichols, the 127-acre facility soon gained attention as one of Wyoming's first commercial orchards. In 1892, the Nichols family and numerous Lander citizens donated the land to the University of Wyoming (UW). From 1892 to 1943, UW devoted the site to agricultural experiments.

At this time the facility was referred to as the Field Station. At the Field Station testing was performed on varieties of livestock, grains, fruits and vegetables that would grow well in the area. At one point, there were nearly 2,500 fruit trees at the Field Station, producing locally successful varieties of apples, crabapples, plums, cherries, prunes, apricots, quinces, and peaches. After 1917, the experiments also included grain and grass tests.


The photo was taken of George and Joe Steinbrech who lived at the field station and were instrumental in the planting and care of the experimental orchard.


When UW discontinued its work at the Center in 1942, they leased it to the John Groves family, who managed it as a hay, fruit, and summer pasture operation. After the senior Groves' death, the university rented the site to Central Wyoming College, which arranged to purchase the property in the early 1970s.


Today, the Center hosts credit and non-credit classes. It is also available to the public for educational, cultural, and social events. The Middle Fork of the Popo Agie River (pronounced "Poposia") runs through the Center year-round, providing great trout fishing. The remains of the historic orchards occupy about 15 acres of land, while most of the remainder of the Center is in pasture. A barn and chicken coop built before 1900 remain unchanged and in their original locations. Classes, dining and cooking occur in the facility's modern, two-story Fremont Hall, named for one of the successful apple varieties once found at the Center.[/LEFT]

[Poletop]

I forgot Thermopolis - Home to the Worlds Largest Mineral Hotspring