Arvada, Wyoming
Encyclopedia
Arvada is a census-designated place
(CDP) in Sheridan County, Wyoming
, United States
. The population was 33 at the 2000 census.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the CDP has a total area of 2.1 square miles (5.5 km²), all of it land.
, about fifty miles northwest of
Gillette
. From 1888 to 1891, a stage line that ran from Sundance
to
Buffalo
crossed the Powder River on a ferry boat at the future site of Arvada. The town of Suggs, Wyoming was established on the east bank of the river in 1891, and a the post office opened September 14, 1891. Suggs was named for a local rancher.
During the summer of 1892, railroad crews working on the Burlington and Missouri River Railroad
, built a bridge across the Powder River at Suggs, although the railroad had only reached Gillette at that point in time. Suggs quickly became an "end of tracks town" with bars, brothels, and gambling establishments.
During the Johnson County War
of 1892, a group of Buffalo Soldier
s from Fort Robinson
, took the train to Gillette, and marched to Suggs. There the black soldiers built "Camp Bettens" in spite of a hostile and racist local population. One black soldier was killed and two wounded in gun battles with locals in a fight known as the "Battle of Suggs."
Camp Bettens was built in mid-June 1892, and was abandoned in mid-November
When the railroad reached Suggs in 1892, railroad officials planned the new town of Arvada on the west bank of the Powder River, and Suggs was abandoned. The post office was moved from Suggs to Arvada on July 20, 1893.
The Arvada area has deposits of coal
at a shallow depth, and in the early days, local wells produced natural gas
in solution in the drinking water. The drinking water would catch on fire, and could burn.
In 2011, the US Postal Service proposed closing the Arvada post office along with 42 other Wyoming post offices.
, there were 33 people, 18 households and 9 families residing in the CDP. The population density
was 15.4 per square mile (6.0/km²). There were 26 housing units at an average density of 12.1/sq mi (4.7/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 84.85% White, 6.06% Native American, and 9.09% from two or more races.
There were 18 households of which 27.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 27.8% were married couples
living together, 16.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 50.0% were non-families. 44.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 22.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.83 and the average family size was 2.56.
21.2% of the population were under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 24.2% from 25 to 44, 27.3% from 45 to 64, and 21.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 120.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 136.4 males.
The median household income
was $11,875, and the median family income was $46,250. Both males and females had a median income of $0. The per capita income
for the CDP was $13,500. There were no families and 11.8% of the population living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and none of those over 64.
. Schools serving the town include Arvada Elementary School (grades K-6), Arvada-Clearmont Junior High School (grades 7-8), and Arvada-Clearmont High School District (grades 9-12).
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
(CDP) in Sheridan County, Wyoming
Wyoming
Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 33 at the 2000 census.
Geography
Arvada is located at 44°39′15"N 106°7′52"W (44.654207, -106.131238).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the CDP has a total area of 2.1 square miles (5.5 km²), all of it land.
History
Arvada, Wyoming is located on the west bank of the Powder RiverPowder River (Montana)
Powder River is a tributary of the Yellowstone River, approximately long in the southeastern Montana and northeastern Wyoming in the United States. It drains an area historically known as the Powder River Country on the high plains east of the Bighorn Mountains.It rises in three forks in eastern...
, about fifty miles northwest of
Gillette
Gillette, Wyoming
Gillette is a city in and the county seat of Campbell County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 29,087 in 2010. Gillette is a city centrally located in an area involved with the development of vast quantities of American coal, oil, and coal bed methane gas...
. From 1888 to 1891, a stage line that ran from Sundance
Sundance, Wyoming
Sundance is a town in Crook County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 1,161 at the 2000 census. The town is named for the Sun Dance ceremony practiced by several North American Indian Nations.-Sundance in popular culture:...
to
Buffalo
Buffalo, Wyoming
Buffalo is a city in Johnson County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 3,900 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Johnson County...
crossed the Powder River on a ferry boat at the future site of Arvada. The town of Suggs, Wyoming was established on the east bank of the river in 1891, and a the post office opened September 14, 1891. Suggs was named for a local rancher.
During the summer of 1892, railroad crews working on the Burlington and Missouri River Railroad
Burlington and Missouri River Railroad
The Burlington and Missouri River Railroad was an American railroad company incorporated in Iowa in 1852, with headquarters in Omaha, Nebraska. It was developed to build a railroad across the state of Iowa and began operations in 1856...
, built a bridge across the Powder River at Suggs, although the railroad had only reached Gillette at that point in time. Suggs quickly became an "end of tracks town" with bars, brothels, and gambling establishments.
During the Johnson County War
Johnson County War
The Johnson County War, also known as the War on Powder River, was a range war which took place in April 1892 in Johnson County, Natrona County and Converse County in the U.S. state of Wyoming...
of 1892, a group of Buffalo Soldier
Buffalo Soldier
Buffalo Soldiers originally were members of the U.S. 10th Cavalry Regiment of the United States Army, formed on September 21, 1866 at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas....
s from Fort Robinson
Fort Robinson
Fort Robinson is a former U.S. Army fort and a present-day state park. Located in the Pine Ridge region of northwest Nebraska, it is west of Crawford on U.S. Route 20.- History :...
, took the train to Gillette, and marched to Suggs. There the black soldiers built "Camp Bettens" in spite of a hostile and racist local population. One black soldier was killed and two wounded in gun battles with locals in a fight known as the "Battle of Suggs."
Camp Bettens was built in mid-June 1892, and was abandoned in mid-November
When the railroad reached Suggs in 1892, railroad officials planned the new town of Arvada on the west bank of the Powder River, and Suggs was abandoned. The post office was moved from Suggs to Arvada on July 20, 1893.
The Arvada area has deposits of coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
at a shallow depth, and in the early days, local wells produced natural gas
Natural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
in solution in the drinking water. The drinking water would catch on fire, and could burn.
In 2011, the US Postal Service proposed closing the Arvada post office along with 42 other Wyoming post offices.
Demographics
At the 2000 censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
, there were 33 people, 18 households and 9 families residing in the CDP. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 15.4 per square mile (6.0/km²). There were 26 housing units at an average density of 12.1/sq mi (4.7/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 84.85% White, 6.06% Native American, and 9.09% from two or more races.
There were 18 households of which 27.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 27.8% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 16.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 50.0% were non-families. 44.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 22.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.83 and the average family size was 2.56.
21.2% of the population were under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 24.2% from 25 to 44, 27.3% from 45 to 64, and 21.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 120.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 136.4 males.
The median household income
Median household income
The median household income is commonly used to generate data about geographic areas and divides households into two equal segments with the first half of households earning less than the median household income and the other half earning more...
was $11,875, and the median family income was $46,250. Both males and females had a median income of $0. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the CDP was $13,500. There were no families and 11.8% of the population living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and none of those over 64.
Education
Public education in the community of Clearmont is provided by Sheridan County School District #3Sheridan County School District Number 3
Sheridan County School District #3 is a public school district based in Clearmont, Wyoming, United States. With an enrollment of 101 students , it is the second smallest school district in the state of Wyoming.-Geography:...
. Schools serving the town include Arvada Elementary School (grades K-6), Arvada-Clearmont Junior High School (grades 7-8), and Arvada-Clearmont High School District (grades 9-12).