Over time the fort in Casper, WY, has had three different variations of its name, as written about by WyoHistory.org. Originally it was Platte Bridge Station. It was a river crossing for several major trails like the Oregon and Mormon trail. The Platte River Bridge was an important crossing for settlers and military. That is why it had to be guarded. One of the men in charge was Lt. Caspar Collins.

In retaliation of the Sand Creek Massacre, Cheyenne and Lakota attacked the station. Lt Caspar Collins was in charge of that troop. They lost 26 including the lieutenant. The military renamed the station to Fort Casper in his honor, but they misspelled his first name.

After the railroad came it made the fort obsolete, but it made the town grow, and it adopted the name Casper. The original fort was disassembled. Later the fort was rebuilt, but this time the historians spelled his name correctly. That is why it is Ft. Caspar in Casper, Wyoming.

More From My Country 95.5