Did you know that the first oil boom in Casper was brought about by the railroad?

After all, what good is it to have oil if you can ship it out to market? Before the railroad, oil was hauled in wagons  pulled by mules.

Casper’s close proximity to the Salt Creek fields, combined with the coming of the Chicago and Northwestern Train in the early 1900’s, set off the first boom. As the railroads expanded north and west, Casper became a central shipping point in Wyoming, not only for oil, but cattle and wool too.

Eventually, the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy, became Wyoming’s second transcontinental railroad, connecting Casper and many other Wyoming cities to Billings, Denver and all the way to Chicago. The railroad new it could profit from shipping Wyoming’s rich supply of oil, coal and iron.

The railroads also brought tourism to the state, by advertising guest ranches along the line.

To learn more about what the railroad did for Casper and many other cities in our state you can visit The Douglas Railroad Interpretive Center or visit  the Douglas Chamber of Commerce website, jackalope.org.

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