This Is Why Some Important Places Around Wyoming Are Closed

It's the third Monday in January, that means there are places you aren't going to be able to go today.

You may be thinking that it's because the cold weather and slick roads, that are keeping the kids in bed and the post office and back closed, but that's not the case, for many.

Since 1986, the third Monday in January is reserved to observe Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. President Ronald Reagan was in office and signed the law into effect in 1983, but the holiday didn't go in effect and be observed as a national holiday until 1986.

In Wyoming the day is also known as Wyoming Equality Day, which is the name that was settled on when the bill was passed in the 1990's.

The sponsor of the legislation to honor Dr. King in Wyoming was Cheyenne lawmaker Elizabeth “Liz” Byrd, who introduced the bill in the state legislature nine times before it became law. She was the first Black woman in Wyoming to be elected to the State House and later to the State Senate. She was a school teacher in Cheyenne.

Being that today is a Federal Holiday, your daily routines and plans may need to be altered a bit. Places like grocery stores, retailers, and restaurants are mostly open, but there are places that will be closed that could cause you an issue.

Here Are Places Closed On January 15, 2024

• Schools in Natrona County are closed
• Most nonessential government services like the DMV, libraries and city offices will be closed.
• The United States Postal Service won’t deliver mail
• Nasdaq and the New York Stock Exchange won’t be trading. Most banks will also be closed. However, online banking services and ATMs will be available.

One of the perks of today being a federal holiday, it's also one of the six days of the year where you can get into National Parks for free. That means you can head to Devils Tower, parts of Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, without paying an entry fee.