Citation:©[vicnick08]/Adobe Stock
There is a lot to learn about Wyoming’s past. Discover the history of Wyoming and the events that led to it becoming the 44th state of the United States.
The Louisiana Purchase
The history of Wyoming as it relates to statehood began when the United States purchased the Louisiana Territory from France in 1803. Much of what is Wyoming land today was a part of the historic deal.
Discovery & Exploration
In 1807, the first white man entered what is today Wyoming—John Colter, a member of the Lewis and Clark expedition. Colter split off from the main expedition and explored land on his own. He would go on to discover waterfalls, steaming geysers, and what would later become known as the Yellowstone region, the nation’s first national park.
Settling the Land
Fort Laramie, the first permanent settlement in Wyoming, was established in 1834. This was due to people traveling through Wyoming along the Oregon Trail, which caused small towns to grow. Hundreds of people traveled through Wyoming between 1840 and 1870. Before being replaced by the telegraph, the Pony Express mailing system also went through Wyoming land in the 1860s.
The Wild West
The rise of railroads brought more people to the Wyoming area, but the state still had no government or law and remained underpopulated. Wyoming became a destination for major figures of the Wild West era, as outlaw legends like “Wild” Bill Hickok, “Buffalo Bill” Cody, and others were active in the land robbing trains.
Native American Backlash
Native Americans had occupied Wyoming long before the Louisiana Purchase and European settlement. In the late 1860s, the Oglala Lakota and Cheyenne tribes were led by Red Cloud and Crazy Horse to fight against the United States Army in Red Cloud’s War. After suffering defeat, the tribes were confined to reservations.
Becoming the 44th State
In the Oregon Treaty of 1869, the United States acquired the southwest area of Wyoming from Great Britain, land which would then become part of the Wyoming Territory. Years later, Wyoming would go on to become the 44th state of the United States in 1890.
