1742-43-Francois
Louis Verendrye entered area of Wyoming.
1807-John
Colter first White American known to enter present Wyoming.
1811 -Wilson Price
Hunt party, the first organized expedition through Wyoming, crossed
the state on the way to Astoria, in present day Oregon.
1812-
Robert Stuart and returning Astorians crossed the Continental Divide in the
vicinity of South Pass and built the first known cabin in Wyoming, on
North Platte River near Bessemer Bend.
1824-William
H. Ashley's men rediscovered South Pass.
1825-Beginning
of fur trade rendezvous period.
1827-Ashley's
party took first wheeled vehicle, a four-pounder cannon, through South Pass.
1832-Capt.
B. L. E. Bonneville took first wagons through South Pass, built Ft.
Bonneville near present Daniel.
1834-
Ft. Laramie, first permanent trading post in Wyoming, established by
William Sublette and Robert Campbell. Military post 1849-1890.
1835-
Rev. Samuel Parker held first Protestant service in Wyoming near
present Bondurant.
1836-
Narcissa Whitmarr and Eliza Spalding, brides of missionaries, first White
women to pass over the Oregon Trail to the Far West.
1840-First
Catholic Mass celebrated in Wyoming, Father Pierre DeSmet officiating,
near present Daniel.
1842-
Capt. John C. Fremont's first expedition to Wyoming; named Fremont Peak.
1843-
Ft. Bridger, second permanent settlement, established by Jim Bridger
and Louis Vasquez. Military post 1858-1890.
1847-Mormon
migration to Utah. Mormon ferry established on North Platte River.
1849-U.S.
Government purchased Ft. Laramie.
1852-William
Vaux, post chaplain, opened first school in Wyoming at Ft. Laramie,
assisted by his daughter, Victoria. Peak year for emigration on Oregon
Trail.
1853-Ft.
Supply, first agricultural settlement, established by Mormons near
Ft. Bridger. Deserted and burned in 1857.
1854-Grattan
Fight near Ft. Laramie.
1857-Col.
Albert S. Johnston Army reached site of Ft. Bridger and established
temporary Camp Scott.
1860-Pony
Express started. Second school in Wyoming established at Ft.
Bridger by Judge William A. Carter, with Miss Fannie Foot as teacher.
1861 -Transcontinental
telegraph completed and Pony Express discontinued.
1862-Ft.
Halleck (1862-1866) established on Overland Trail.
Overland stage line changed route from Oregon Trail to Overland (Cherokee)
Trail.
1863-Bozeman
Trail established. First newspaper in Wyoming, The Daily Telegraph,
established at Ft. Bridger.
1865-Ft.
Reno (1865-1868) established. Battle of Platte Bridge, Lt. Caspar Collins
killed. Platte Bridge station renamed Ft. Caspar. Powder River Indian
Expedition under Gen. Patrick E. Connor. The "Bloody Year on the Plains."
1866-Ft.
Phil Kearny (1866-1868) established on Bozeman Trail. Fetterman Fight and
John "Portugee" Phillips' ride to carry news to Ft. Laramie. Nelson Story
drove first herd of cattle through Wyoming, going north to Montana.
Ft. Sanders (1 866-1882) established on Overland Trail.
1867-Ft.
D. A. Russell and Camp Carlin established. Cheyenne founded. Union
Pacific Railroad entered Wyoming. Laramie County created by Dakota
Legislature. Wagon Box Fight. Ft. Fetterman (1867-1882) established.
1868-Wyoming
Territory created July 25. Wind River Reservation for Shoshone
Indians created by treaty. Ft. Fred Steele (1868-1886)
established.
1869-Wyoming
Territory organized. John A. Campbell, first territorial governor, on
December 10, signed the "Female Suffrage" bill giving Wyoming women the
right to vote. Camp Augur (later Camp Brown and then Ft. Washakie)
established.
1870-Esther
Hobart Morris of South Pass City first woman ever to be appointed Justice of
the Peace (Feb. 17). Women first empanelled for jury service (March),
Laramie. First equal suffrage vote cast by Mrs. Louisa Swain of
Laramie (Sept. 6). F t. Stambaugh founded (1870-1878).
1872-Yellowstone
Park, first national park, created.
1876-Cheyenne-Black
Hills stage line launched. Ft. McKinney (1877-1894) established. Second
Powder River Expedition. Battle of Little Big Horn in Montana.
1877-Agreement
made with Shoshone Indians to allow Arapahoes to move onto Wind River
Reservation.
1880-Cheyenne
Club built by wealthy cattlemen.
1881-Jim
Bridger, famous scout and guide, died in Missouri, July 17. Buried at
Westport, Missouri.
1883-Electric
lights introduced in Cheyenne.
1885-Chinese
Massacre at Rock Springs.
1886-Northwestern
Railroad reached eastern boundary of Wyoming. Cheyenne and Northern Railroad
reached Douglas. First county library law in U.S. enacted by Wyoming
Territorial Legislative Assembly. First county library established in
Cheyenne . First county fair in state, Johnson County.
1887-University
of Wyoming opened.
1888-Capitol
building completed.
1889-Wyoming
Constitutional Convention.
1890-Wyoming
Territory admitted into Union as 44th state, July 10.
1892-Johnson
County Invasion.
1894-Mrs.
Cort F. Meyer (Estelle Reel) elected State Superintendent of Public
Instruction, one of the first women in the U.S. elected to a state
office.
1898-Jim
Baker, scout and mountain man, died May 15.
1900-Chief
Washakie buried with full military honors in post cemetery at Ft. Washakie.
1903-Tom
Horn hanged in Cheyenne, November 20; buried in Boulder, Colorado.
1906-Devils
Tower National Monument, first in U.S., created September 24.
1910-Willis
Van Devanter, Wyoming lawyer, named to U.S. Supreme Court. Mrs. Mary G.
Bellamy of Laramie first woman elected to Wyoming legislature. First
amendment to Wyoming Constitution ratified.
1918-Uranium
discovered in Wyoming, near Lusk.
1920-Transcontinental
air mail planes crossed Wyoming.
1922-Salt
Creek Oil Field opened.
1925-Mrs.
Nellie Tayloe Ross (1876-1977), first woman governor in U.S.; first woman
director of the U.S. Mint (1933-1954). Teapot Dome scandal.
1930-Ft.
D.A. Russell renamed Ft. Francis E. Warren in honor of Senator Warren of
Wyoming.
1935-State
sales tax adopted.
1939-Trona
discovered in Sweetwater County.
1942-Heart
Mountain Relocation Center established in Park County.
1945-Junior
College enabling legislation passed.
1947-Ft.
F.E. Warren became F.E. Warren Air Force Base.
1949-Severe
blizzard paralyzed entire state.
1950-First
woman jury since 1870.
1954-Wyoming's
first TV station opened, Cheyenne.
1958-Warren
A.F.B. transferred to Strategic Air Command; first Atlas I.C.B.M. base in
the world (Feb. 1).
1965-75th
Anniversary of Statehood observed statewide.
1972-Yellowstone
National Park Centennial.
1974-Mineral
severance tax legislation approved.
1978-Largest
radio telescope in the world built on Jelm Mountain. Operated by
University of Wyoming.
1979-July
16, Cheyenne hit by tornado.
1979-1980-
Cheyenne received record snowfall amount 121 1/2".
1981-Johnson
County Centennial, organized 1881.
1982-University
of Wyoming Arena-Auditorium completed.
