Question for any old time Casper residents from the 1940s or 50s.

[Cloudy Dayz]

Originally Posted by Wyoprairie

There is a little pocket park right at the intersection on the south corner opposite Albertson's/gas station. If I remember to, I might stop and see if they have a plaque or something like that to commemorate the earlier neighborhood.

Thanks, that would be awesome.

I found a little clue that I think backs up your theory that it was a company town for an oil company. The building with the horseshoe driveway in the historical aerial photo still exists today. Maybe the only building in that complex that still exists. It's 1738 S Poplar St. It's a four story building built in 1937 and it's the headquarters for Hurley Oil Properties. So it looks like there is still some oil business going on there. That company only dates to 1968 but it could be a successor company to what was there before.

I'll have to do some more research on that.

[nm9stheham]

There's always interesting history in questions like this. FWIW, I ran across an article in the Oil City News, from Aug 2, 2019 about 'USO Show', that mentions that temporary apartments were built Casper for spouses of the air base trainees.

Those long buildings in the lower part of your enclosed area in the pix sure look like the old type barracks.

[Cloudy Dayz]

Originally Posted by Cloudy Dayz

Thanks, that would be awesome.

I found a little clue that I think backs up your theory that it was a company town for an oil company. The building with the horseshoe driveway in the historical aerial photo still exists today. Maybe the only building in that complex that still exists. It's 1738 S Poplar St. It's a four story building built in 1937 and it's the headquarters for Hurley Oil Properties. So it looks like there is still some oil business going on there. That company only dates to 1968 but it could be a successor company to what was there before.

I'll have to do some more research on that.

I finished that research. It doesn't look like 1738 S Poplar was related to any oil company. It was actually built in 1937 as the Casper Brewing Company. It was a brewery from the late 1930s until the late 1940s when it was liquidated. After that the building was sold and used for other uses. A spring water company also operated in that area. They provided water to the brewery. Maybe that was the development to the south end of the area.

[Cloudy Dayz]

Originally Posted by nm9stheham

There's always interesting history in questions like this. FWIW, I ran across an article in the Oil City News, from Aug 2, 2019 about 'USO Show', that mentions that temporary apartments were built Casper for spouses of the air base trainees.

Those long buildings in the lower part of your enclosed area in the pix sure look like the old type barracks.

Feel free to use this thread to discuss any Casper history. I have always found Casper's history to be interesting. I have a bunch of old historical news articles and a couple of books on Casper history.

[RosieSD]

I have a question, although I'm not sure it fits in the category of "Casper history."

I've been trying to find information about an explosion that occurred at the Sussex Oil Fields in 1950 or 1951. Apparently, a number of workers were killed (At least five of men who died the are buried in Kaycee Cemetery, so it must have been quite the news at the time).

I can't find any references in old newspapers or online to this event. Does anyone have any info on this explosion? Is the "Sussex Oil Field" still in operation?

I'm just curious. I love local history.

[Wyoprairie]

FWIW there is a little museum in Kaycee called Hoofprints of the Past. Imagine they are on the internet. May have some info.

[RosieSD]

Originally Posted by Wyoprairie

FWIW there is a little museum in Kaycee called Hoofprints of the Past. Imagine they are on the internet. May have some info.

Thanks. We may be going through Kaycee next Fall and I'll stop in then.