Bucknum, Wyoming
Unincorporated/former community in Wyoming, United States
43°01′15″N 106°37′34″W / 43.02083°N 106.62611°W / 43.02083; -106.6261182604 (Casper, WY)
Bucknum is a place and former community in Natrona County, in the U.S. state of Wyoming.[2] It is located about 24 miles west by road from Casper.
History
As the Chicago and North Western built a rail line through the area west from Casper to Lander, it opened a station called Seminole by late December 1905, about 22.4 miles west of Casper by rail.[3][4] The "Seminole" name, however, started causing confusion with another Seminole located on the Union Pacific rail line in Wyoming.[5][6] Therefore, the station was renamed Bucknum in December 1907 by the railroad for Charles K. Bucknum, a Wyoming legislator and former mayor of Capser who owned land near the site.[7][8][9][10]
A post office was established in Bucknum in 1908, and remained in operation until it was discontinued in 1924.[11][12]
Bucknum's reported population was 18 in 1917 and 25 in 1924. A school was reportedly established there by 1922.[13]
As the Chicago and North Western abandoned its line, the communities in this area including Bucknum declined.[14] Rail continues to serve the area, however. A Spanish company bought the bentonite mine in the area formerly owned by U.S. Bentonite (off Bucknum Road) in 2015.[15][16][17] The Bucknum area now falls under the Casper zip code 82604.
References
- ^ "Bucknum, Wyoming". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Bucknum, Wyoming
- ^ (28 December 1905) Rail Road News Notes, Natrona County Tribune
- ^ (6 January 1906). Northwest Notes, The Wyoming Press
- ^ (28 December 1907). Change Seminole to Bucknum, Riverton Republican
- ^ (8 January 1908). It is Bucknum Now, Natrona County Tribune
- ^ Chicago and North Western Railway Company (1908). A History of the Origin of the Place Names Connected with the Chicago & North Western and Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railways. p. 49.
- ^ Chas. K. Bucknum, Casper Press (October 9, 1908)
- ^ (10 January 1908). Other Counties Heard From, Wyoming State Journal and Lander Clipper
- ^ (27 April 1924). Place Names of Natrona County and Their Derivation As Told By Historian, Casper Daily Tribune
- ^ "Natrona County". Jim Forte Postal History. Archived from the original on February 27, 2015. Retrieved February 27, 2015.
- ^ Wyoming Place Names, Annals of Wyoming, Vol. 15, No. 1, p. 86 (January 1943)
- ^ National Register of Historic Places; Chicago and Northwestern Raiload Depot, Powder Mill. (1987)
- ^ Old Wyoming Postoffices, Annals of Wyoming, p. 158 (October 1957)
- ^ (30 September 2015). Spanish company restarts Natrona County bentonite operations, Casper Star-Tribune
- ^ (30 September 2015). Spanish company restarts Wyoming county bentonite operations, Billings Gazette
- ^ Dixon, Tom (21 December 2013). Casper bentonite company tries to rebound from bankruptcy, layoffs, Casper Star Tribune
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Municipalities and communities of Natrona County, Wyoming, United States
County seat: Casper
communities
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