Thermopolis, Wyoming
Encyclopedia
Thermopolis is the largest town in, and the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....

 of Hot Springs 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...

. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 3,172.

"Thermopolis" is from the Greek for "Hot City". It is home to numerous natural hot spring
Hot spring
A hot spring is a spring that is produced by the emergence of geothermally heated groundwater from the Earth's crust. There are geothermal hot springs in many locations all over the crust of the earth.-Definitions:...

s, in which mineral-laden waters are heated by geothermal processes. It claims the world's largest mineral hot spring as part of Hot Springs State Park
Hot Springs State Park
Hot Springs State Park is a park in Thermopolis, Wyoming famous for its hot springs. It was Wyoming's first state park.The park includes a number of businesses:*Wyoming Pioneer Home, a state-run assisted-living facility*Gottsche Rehabilitation Center...

. The springs are open to the public for free as part of an 1896 treaty
Treaty
A treaty is an express agreement under international law entered into by actors in international law, namely sovereign states and international organizations. A treaty may also be known as an agreement, protocol, covenant, convention or exchange of letters, among other terms...

 signed with the Shoshone
Shoshone
The Shoshone or Shoshoni are a Native American tribe in the United States with three large divisions: the Northern, the Western and the Eastern....

 and Arapaho
Arapaho
The Arapaho are a tribe of Native Americans historically living on the eastern plains of Colorado and Wyoming. They were close allies of the Cheyenne tribe and loosely aligned with the Sioux. Arapaho is an Algonquian language closely related to Gros Ventre, whose people are seen as an early...

 Indian tribes.

Thermopolis is also the home of the Wyoming Dinosaur Center
Wyoming Dinosaur Center
right|290px|thumb|Wyoming Dinosaur CenterThe Wyoming Dinosaur Center is located in Thermopolis, Wyoming and is one of the few dinosaur museums in the world to have its own excavation within driving distance...

, which hosts the only Archaeopteryx
Archaeopteryx
Archaeopteryx , sometimes referred to by its German name Urvogel , is a genus of theropod dinosaur that is closely related to birds. The name derives from the Ancient Greek meaning "ancient", and , meaning "feather" or "wing"...

 fossil outside Europe.

Geography

Thermopolis is located at 43°38′44"N 108°12′53"W (43.645667, -108.214641). Thermopolis is located near the northern end of the Wind River Canyon
Wind River Canyon
Wind River Canyon is a scenic Wyoming canyon carved out by the Wind River. It is located between the cities of Shoshoni and Thermopolis and is a popular stop for visitors to Yellowstone National Park. It is accessible by U.S. Highway 20 and Wyoming Highway 789. It was designated as a Wyoming Scenic...

 and Wedding of the Waters, where the north-flowing Wind River becomes the Bighorn. Thermopolis is ringed by mountains, with the Bridger Mountains
Bridger Mountains
The Bridger Mountains may refer to either of two mountain ranges in the United States:* Bridger Mountains * Bridger Mountains...

 are to the southeast, the Owl Creek Mountains
Owl Creek Mountains
The Owl Creek Mountains are a subrange of the Rocky Mountains in central Wyoming in the United States, running east to west to form a bridge between the Absaroka Range to the northwest and the Bridger Mountains to the east. The range forms the boundary between the Bighorn Basin to the north and the...

 are to the southwest, the Big Horn Mountains
Big Horn Mountains
The Big Horn Mountains are a mountain range in northern Wyoming and southern Montana in the United States, forming a northwest-trending spur from the Rocky Mountains extending approximately 200 miles northward on the Great Plains...

 to the east and the southern Absaroka Range
Absaroka Range
The Absaroka Range is a sub-range of the Rocky Mountains in the United States. The range stretches about 150 mi across the Montana-Wyoming border, forming the eastern boundary of Yellowstone National Park and the western side of the Bighorn Basin. The range borders the Beartooth Mountains...

 to the west. Thermopolis is the southern-most municipality in the Big Horn Basin.

Roundtop Mountain, on the northwest edge of town, is a unique geological formation and highest area in the immediate vicinity of Thermopolis.

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 town has a total area of 2.5 square miles (6.5 km²), of which, 2.4 square miles (6.2 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (3.64%) is water.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 3,172 people, 1,342 households, and 849 families residing in the town. 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 1,331.0 people per square mile (514.6/km2). There were 1,568 housing units at an average density of 657.9 per square mile (254.4/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 95.90% White, 0.47% African American, 1.70% Native American, 0.25% Asian, 0.50% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, and 1.17% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.30% of the population.

There were 1,342 households out of which 26.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.0% 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, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.7% were non-families. 32.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.86.

In the town the population was spread out with 22.5% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 23.2% from 25 to 44, 26.9% from 45 to 64, and 21.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 89.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.3 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $29,205, and the median income for a family was $38,448. Males had a median income of $26,824 versus $18,438 for females. 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 town was $16,648. About 8.3% of families and 10.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.3% of those under age 18 and 6.5% of those age 65 or over.

Government and infrastructure

The Wyoming Department of Health
Wyoming Department of Health
The Wyoming Department of Health is a state agency of Wyoming. It has its headquarters in the Hathaway Building in Cheyenne.-History:...

's Wyoming Pioneer Home, an assisted living facility for the elderly owned and run by the State of Wyoming, is located in Thermopolis. The facility was operated by the Wyoming Board of Charities and Reform
Wyoming Board of Charities and Reform
The Wyoming Board of Charities and Reform was a state agency of Wyoming that operated the state's charitable and penal institutions.-History:...

 until that agency was dissolved as a result of a state constitutional amendment passed in November 1990.

The United States Postal Service
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...

 operates the Thermopolis Post Office under zip code 82443.

Education

Public education in the town of Thermopolis is provided by Hot Springs County School District #1
Hot Springs County School District Number 1
Hot Springs County School District #1 is a public school district based in Thermopolis, Wyoming, United States.-Geography:Hot Springs County School District #1 serves all of Hot Springs County, including the following communities:*Incorporated places...

 http://www.hotsprings.k12.wy.us/hschs/HSCHS.htm It is the only school district in the county. HSCSD1 includes Ralph Witters Elementary School, Thermopolis Middle School, Hot Springs County High School, and a building for the county auditorium and district administrative offices, all in Thermopolis. Lucerne Intermediate School, a facility for fourth and fifth graders located in Lucerne, closed in 2005. Forth and fifth graders now attend the recently expanded Ralph Witters Elementary.

Climate

Thermopolis experiences a semi-arid climate (Köppen
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...

 BSk) with cold, dry winters and hot, dry summers.

Tourism

Because of Hot Springs State Park, tourism is of considerable economic import to Thermopolis. A state maintained herd of buffalo
American Bison
The American bison , also commonly known as the American buffalo, is a North American species of bison that once roamed the grasslands of North America in massive herds...

 reside in Hot Springs State Park
Hot Springs State Park
Hot Springs State Park is a park in Thermopolis, Wyoming famous for its hot springs. It was Wyoming's first state park.The park includes a number of businesses:*Wyoming Pioneer Home, a state-run assisted-living facility*Gottsche Rehabilitation Center...

, which extends into the northwest of town. Two hot mineral water concessions, the Teepee Pools and Star Plunge, and two hotels are located within the park. Other tourism-related businesses in and near the town include the Wyoming Dinosaur Center
Wyoming Dinosaur Center
right|290px|thumb|Wyoming Dinosaur CenterThe Wyoming Dinosaur Center is located in Thermopolis, Wyoming and is one of the few dinosaur museums in the world to have its own excavation within driving distance...

 and Wind River Canyon Whitewater. Thermopolis (indeed, all of Hot Springs County) levies a 4% lodging tax for borders in county hotels and motels.

The Hot Springs County Museum and Cultural Center has an eclectic collection of memorabilia from local pioneers circa 1890 through 1910, with plans to focus on Tim McCoy
Tim McCoy
Col. Tim McCoy was an American actor, military officer, and expert on American Indian life and customs.-Early years:...

, who lived in Hot Springs County from 1912 to 1942, during which he built the High Eagle Ranch about 45 miles west of town. He worked for many years as an actor in what are now called B westerns, or lower-budget cowboy movies in Hollywood.

Nearby East Thermopolis
East Thermopolis, Wyoming
East Thermopolis is a town in Hot Springs County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 274 at the 2000 census.-Geography:East Thermopolis is located at ....

 is home to the Wyoming Dinosaur Center
Wyoming Dinosaur Center
right|290px|thumb|Wyoming Dinosaur CenterThe Wyoming Dinosaur Center is located in Thermopolis, Wyoming and is one of the few dinosaur museums in the world to have its own excavation within driving distance...

, a private organization that conducts paleontology
Paleontology
Paleontology "old, ancient", ὄν, ὀντ- "being, creature", and λόγος "speech, thought") is the study of prehistoric life. It includes the study of fossils to determine organisms' evolution and interactions with each other and their environments...

 digs in the area and maintains a visitor center.

Notable natives

  • Dave Freudenthal
    Dave Freudenthal
    David Duane "Dave" Freudenthal , is an American politician who served as the 31st Governor of Wyoming. A Democrat, he was reelected to his second term on November 7, 2006, and announced on March 4, 2010, that he would not attempt to seek a third term as Governor.-Education and early...

     — former Governor of Wyoming
  • Barton R. Voigt
    Barton R. Voigt
    Barton R. Voigt is the current Chief Justice of the Wyoming Supreme Court. He was raised in Thermopolis, Wyoming. He obtained a B.A. and M.A. in American History, as well as a J.D., at the University of Wyoming. He practiced law in his home town for ten years, serving as Hot Springs County and...

     — current Chief Justice of the Wyoming Supreme Court
  • Thomas E. "Tom" Walsh, Sr. — mayor of Casper
    Casper, Wyoming
    Casper is the county seat of Natrona County, Wyoming, United States.. Casper is the second-largest city in Wyoming , according to the 2010 census, with a population of 55,316...

     and Wyoming state representative (2003–2008)

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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