GRANGER

A short history of Granger

Although the population has always been small, the site is located at the intersection of the Oregon Trail and the Overland Stage Trail and it was chosen for a stage coach station. The station, which was built of stone and adobe in 1856, was in operation when Mark Twain passed through, and still stands today. The Pony Express used this station as a stopover in 1861-62. Later, in 1868, it became a stop on the Union Pacific Railroad first transcontinental railroad, which was when it started to be called Granger.

The area of what is present-day Granger had significance to the mountain men who trapped in the early years of the American West. It was chosen as the site of their annual rendezvous in 1834 (the rendezvous was still somewhat spread out, as each supplier set up camp at different location along the river). The American Fur Company, among other suppliers, were present, and American Indians and trappers traded furs for goods. Several weeks were spent recounting events from the previous year and reveling in assorted amusements, while lubricated with liquor. The records show that the event occurred at the junction of the Hams Fork and Blacks Fork rivers.

Adapted (trimmed) from the Wikipedia article Granger, Wyoming, revision 1373565177 by its contributors, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.