Family Dollar is a discount store located in Newcastle, Wyoming, offering groceries, household goods, and toys. The store is open from 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM on Monday through Friday, with Sunday hours from 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM. The store can be reached at 264-0315 for more information, including reviews, ratings, hours, phone numbers, and directions.
In addition to the store in Newcastle, Wyoming, there are other locations in Wyoming, such as Family Dollar Supermarket in Lovell, WY 82431, and Family Dollar at 320 E Main Street, Lovell, WY 82431. These stores provide information, directions, products, services, phone numbers, and reviews.
In 2019, Family Dollar announced that 390 stores would be shut down nationwide, but 200 of those stores will remain open. Family Dollar stores in Newcastle, Wyoming, are open from 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM. The store is located at 740 S Seneca Ave, Newcastle, WY 82701-2917 and can be found on Google Maps.
The store’s hours of operation are from 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM, with some stores closing at 10 pm today. The store is open on various days, including Sundays and holidays. To find a Family Dollar store near you, simply enter your city or zip code and start your shopping experience.
In summary, Family Dollar offers a variety of products and services to customers in Newcastle, Wyoming. With a focus on customer satisfaction and convenience, customers can trust Family Dollar for their shopping needs.
| Article | Description | Site |
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| Family Dollar Store Locations in Newcastle, WY | Select a state > Wyoming (WY) > Newcastle. Family Dollar Store Locations in Newcastle, WY. Click on Store Details for Hours and More Information. | familydollar.com |
| Family Dollar Store Locations in Wyoming, WY | Find your closest Family Dollar Store locations in Wyoming. Shop for groceries, housewares, toys, pet supplies, and more. | familydollar.com |
| FAMILY DOLLAR STORE – Updated October 2024 | Family Dollar Store · Map · 740 S Seneca Ave. Newcastle, WY 82701. Directions · 746-2266. Call Now · Known For … | yelp.com |
📹 Why Nobody Lives in Wyoming
Did you know that Wyoming is 324 times larger than the city of New York, but only has a population that is 14 times smaller than …
How Many Stores Are Closing In 2024?
In 2024, store closures are set to reach their highest level since the pandemic, with nearly 6, 200 closures announced so far, surpassing the previous year's total of 5, 500. Macy's will close 150 locations in the US due to declining sales. Major retailers face economic pressures and changing consumer behavior, leading to an expected total of over 6, 000 closures this year. Coresight Research reports 6, 189 closures announced, and 3, 200 brick-and-mortar stores have already shut down, with further closures anticipated.
Big Lots is set to close nearly 50 stores amid its bankruptcy, while Walgreens aims to close 1, 200 unprofitable locations nationwide as part of restructuring efforts. CVS and Family Dollar are also scaling back, with large numbers of store closures planned. By 2026, Walgreens will eliminate 150 underperforming stores. Overall, the US retail landscape is transforming under financial pressures, with over 45, 000 closures predicted in the next five years due to various challenges. Key states impacted include California and Pennsylvania.
What Is Walmart Changing Their Name To?
Walmart is officially changing its name from Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. to Walmart Inc., effective February 1, 2018. Doug McMillon, president and CEO, stated that this name change reflects the evolving way customers shop today and signals the company’s commitment to adapting to future shopping trends. The name "Wal-Mart" has been associated with the company since its inception in 1969 and officially as Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. since 1970. However, as online retail continues to grow, the company wants to emphasize its focus beyond physical stores amid increasing competition from e-commerce giants like Amazon.
The name change is part of a broader strategy to enhance its e-commerce presence and serve customers seamlessly, regardless of how they choose to shop. The company also plans to roll back its diversity, equity, and inclusion policies, aligning itself with several corporations that have undertaken similar reviews. By dropping the hyphen and "Stores" from its legal name, Walmart signifies its transformation in response to changing market dynamics. This evolution showcases Walmart's intent to remain the world's largest retailer while adapting to the significant shift towards online shopping.
Who Really Owns Dollar General?
Dollar General, a prominent discount retailer, has a diverse ownership structure, primarily comprised of institutional investors, insiders, and retail shareholders. As of September 2023, Vanguard Group, Inc. was the largest shareholder with an ownership stake of 11. 4%, followed by other major investors such as BlackRock, Capital International Investors, and T. Rowe Price. The company’s institutional ownership was reported at 72. 94% as of September 30, 2023, marking a slight increase from the previous quarter.
Dollar General was established in 1939 in Scottsville, Kentucky, by James Luther Turner and his son Cal Turner as a family-owned business named J. L. Turner and Son. In 1955, it adopted the name Dollar General Corporation, and it became a publicly traded entity in 1968, listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol DG. During its history, Dollar General was briefly taken private by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts in 2007 before going public again.
Current key executives include CEO Todd Vasos, CFO John Garratt, and COO Jeffrey Owen. The company's ongoing success is evident, with institutional investors playing a crucial role in its ownership and management structure.
Does Walmart Own Family Dollar?
Dollar Tree owns Family Dollar, but neither is affiliated with Walmart, which holds a 68. 5% stake in the combined Dollar Tree-Family Dollar entity. Walmart, an influential player in the retail industry, acquired Family Dollar in 2015 for $8. 5 billion, significantly enhancing its presence in the discount market. Despite Walmart's stronghold, discount retailers like Dollar Tree and Dollar General have carved out a successful niche, often competing effectively against larger retailers. The Walton family remains the major stakeholder in Walmart, controlling roughly half of the company's shares.
Walmart's strategy has included several acquisitions aimed at expanding its e-commerce footprint, such as Vudu and Jet. com, although some ventures have not performed well. The push to enhance competitiveness led Walmart to experiment with its own dollar store concept in response to the success of chains like Family Dollar. Despite challenges such as messy stores and high prices, Family Dollar has managed to endure within the discount sector.
Following the merger of Dollar Tree and Family Dollar, the combined entity operates over 15, 000 stores, indicating a strong capacity to compete against Walmart and others in the retail marketplace. However, the future of Family Dollar remains uncertain, with Dollar Tree exploring potential sale or spin-off options after the acquisition.
When Did Family Dollar First Open?
Family Dollar was established in 1959 by 21-year-old entrepreneur Leon Levine, who opened the first store in Charlotte, North Carolina, in November of that year. The chain aimed to provide high-quality merchandise at prices under $2. 00. By 1961, Family Dollar expanded to South Carolina, followed by Georgia in 1962 and Virginia in 1965. The 1960s marked rapid growth for the company, with over 27 stores operating by the decade’s end and annual sales exceeding $5 million.
In 1970, Family Dollar went public, pricing its shares at $14. 50. The chain reached significant milestones, opening its 100th store in 1971, 200th in 1974, and 300th in 1978. The company continued to thrive, with Leon Levine overseeing its expansion until he transitioned control to his son in 2003. Family Dollar gained attention in 2014 when investor Carl Icahn urged the company to sell. Later that year, Dollar Tree announced plans to acquire Family Dollar for $8.
5 billion. Throughout its history, Family Dollar aimed to cater to lower-middle-income customers, making it a well-known name in retail, with over 5, 000 units operating by this time. Leon Levine’s vision ultimately established Family Dollar as a retailing legend.
Who Bought Family Dollar?
In July 2014, Dollar Tree, Inc. announced its acquisition of Family Dollar Stores, Inc., agreeing to pay $74. 50 per share, which poised the deal at $8. 5 billion while assuming $1 billion in Family Dollar’s debt, bringing the total to $9. 5 billion. Dollar Tree aimed to enhance its competitiveness against larger rivals through this merger. The acquisition culminated in 2015 amid a bidding war with Dollar General but has since posed challenges for Dollar Tree in effectively integrating Family Dollar.
Analysts describe the acquisition as problematic, as Family Dollar has struggled to perform well since its purchase. In response to ongoing issues, Dollar Tree is exploring options to restructure its business, including a potential sale or spinoff of Family Dollar. Despite originally perceiving Family Dollar as a means to drive growth, Dollar Tree has found it difficult to revitalize the brand. The combination was anticipated to be "transformational," yet nearly a decade later, its success remains uncertain.
The ongoing struggle has prompted speculation among industry experts regarding potential acquisitions by private equity firms or international retailers. This situation highlights the complexities and risks inherent in retail mergers and acquisitions, particularly within the highly competitive discount sector.
How Many Family Dollar Locations Are There?
Family Dollar, headquartered in Chesapeake, Virginia, operates over 8, 200 locations across the United States, excluding Alaska and Hawaii. As of November 2024, there are approximately 7, 936 Family Dollar stores in the U. S., with Texas hosting the largest concentration at 1, 115 stores, representing about 14% of the national total. Family Dollar offers a variety of products, including groceries, housewares, and toys, catering to diverse consumer needs.
The store chain is part of Dollar Tree Inc. and is designed to provide affordable shopping experiences. There are reports of Family Dollar closing around 600 locations this year and an additional 370 in the forthcoming years due to lease expirations. Despite this, the number of dollar stores in the U. S. has grown, totaling nearly 38, 500 in 2024, increasing by approximately 1, 400 compared to the previous year.
For customers looking to maximize savings, Family Dollar provides a shopping app with Smart Coupons® and same-day delivery from over 7, 300 locations, exemplifying its commitment to customer convenience and affordability.
Is Family Dollar Going Out Of Business In 2024?
At least 13 retail brands are set to close U. S. stores in 2024, totaling around 2, 055 locations. The largest chain, Family Dollar, plans to shut down at least 600 stores this year due to significant underperformance. Parent company Dollar Tree Inc. announced nearly 1, 000 Family Dollar closures beginning in 2024. In Elkins, West Virginia, a Family Dollar is currently selling its merchandise at a 50% discount before closing. Dollar Tree will close about 600 locations in the first half of 2024, with an additional 370 closures expected as leases expire over the coming years.
The decisions come amid challenges faced by the retailers, including inflation, a shift in consumer spending, and concerns over shoplifting. Family Dollar’s closure of the 600 stores represents about 12% of its locations across the U. S. Other retailers are also scaling back, including Walgreens, which is closing 259 stores, and Big Lots, which is shutting down 360 locations. The retail landscape is shifting as companies adjust to evolving market conditions and economic pressures, resulting in significant downsizing across various brands.
📹 This kid is so funny at the church 😂😂😂
My dad was a drilling mud engineer for Baroid. He checked rigs all over Wyoming when I was K-2nd grade. I remember Riverton, every house we lived in for those 3 years, my two schools, the far country of the state, the Tetons, Wind River Canyon, the balancing rock johnnies, Devil’s Tower. I consider my short time there a highlight in my lifel I am now 75.
Many years ago (Living in Seattle) I spent a summer riding my motorcycle around the country. One of my all-time favorite memories is the day I pulled into Rawlins and was “arrested” for “not wearing western cloths!” I was put on trial right there and found guilty. The “judge” told me I had my choice of sentences… a 50 cent fine or “Hung by the neck until dead!” When I chose to pay the fine I was handed 2 wooden nickels, each one good for a cold beer in any bar in town. Turns out they were celebrating an outlaw (Big Nose Jack) who was hung there after killing a popular local sheriff. What a hoot that day turned out to be.
Wyoming was my home for 25 years. Living there was like being in love with a beautiful woman… who’s always trying to kill you. Between sub-zero temperatures, avalanches, icy roads, and grizzly bears… every time you go into the backcountry (which is everywhere around you) death is a very real possibility. I was on search and rescue with both Teton and Fremont Counties, so I saw nearly every manner of death the environment had to offer; drownings, rock falls, plane crashes, bear attacks, hunting accidents, avalanches, hypothermia, logging accidents, climbing accidents, and all on a regular basis. Living there is a daily exercise in cheating death. Now you know the real reason why Wyoming is the least populated state in the US.
Having worked in Wyoming on different infrastructure projects when I work in construction, it’s very evident why not many people want to live there. The environment is constantly trying to kill you, especially in the wintertime. Coming from Pennsylvania, I thought it got cold where I live, but boy was I mistaken. The biggest thing is the wind. I cannot stress how deeply irritating it is to constantly have this brutal, cold wind relentlessly hitting you. It. Never. Stops. Absolutely beautiful state, though.
My wife’s uncle bought what he thought was “hunting land” in Wyoming without going to actually see it. When he finally went to check it out in person he noticed that there was no water source for animals anywhere on his property or anywhere near it thus no animals to hunt. I think he only went the one time and has been trying to sell it for years now. It upsets him so much nobody even brings up Wyoming when he’s around.
I am an Aussie and I always wanted to go to Wyoming ever since I read the Flicka books. I got on a greyhound in Denver and got off at Wheatland and hired a car and got as far as Casper. Saw the Oregon trail tracks. It was early Spring and still snowy. One of my best memories was cruising down the freeway with the radio on. The sun was shining. On came “The Joker”by Steve Miller, then Fleetwood Mac. Good times. There is something about small towns and open space that feels more healthy and natural to me. I don’t think humans were made to live on top of each other. You need to live where the stars shine bright at night and you can hear an owl hooting. Luckily I’ve got a little place in rural Victoria that I can get to on weekends.
I lived in Wyoming for two and a half years of my mid 20s. There’s far, far less to do than in big cities, yes, but you would enjoy living there if you have aspirations of farming/ranching or could happily spend every day doing outdoor prairie activities (hunting, fly fishing, snowmobiling, dirt biking, etc). Plus almost no matter where you are in the state, if you hit the road before breakfast, you could be in Denver by sometime after dinner, if not sooner, and be able to enjoy a week or a weekend with big city amenities.
besides the far west of wyoming with its majestic mountains and yellowstone park, wyoming is largely an arid, tree-less area of high desert and desolate land. ive often traveled through central wyoming and you will not see a single tree (and very few animals or humans) for HOURS except a few planted by houses. cheyenne is very close to colorado, so you’re getting a more northern colorado feel by then.
As someone who has lived in Wyoming their entire life, I’ve never felt the need to move. I have friends all over the world who hate to come here, cause there’s “not much to do”, specifically in the attraction sense, but you have the opportunity to do so much that others can’t. I personally built my own forge, with family who dug out a pond for swimming in the summer, and skating in the winter. It’s definitely a land where you have to make your own enjoyment, though with the increase availability of fast Wi-Fi does make it easier for tourists to handle the area.
I’ve lived in Wyoming my whole life. I was born, raised, and now growing older here. I must say, despite all of the harshness towards the state from all of the people who much prefer the city and population, it’s a perfect home for me, and even though it might not seem like very many, but plenty of other people here, as well. It’s true, that there isn’t much to do here, but for near everyone I know, we all love the more isolated feeling of the place. It feels more, free, and not at all clustered because of the lack of people. I suppose what I’m saying is, we love how there’s near no one here, and we love everything to be more laid back, and chaotic. True, there are animals like grizzly bears, but it’s unlikely that they’re at all going to traverse into the larger towns. As for people who really adore the winter and the wilderness there is here, and the quiet, calm and slowed down nature of everything, we love our home, no matter how harsh or cold the winter gets, or how unbearable it may seem at times, it’s beautiful when you get to have a look at it. But, I suppose these are my thoughts, as someone from Wyoming, and who loves living here.
I’m from the Midwest, but I spent a week in Wyoming on geology field camp in 2002. Spent my 21st birthday & bought my first legal beer in the great city of Buffalo, WY. There wasn’t much there besides that hotel and gas station, despite a major interstate passing through it. The city of Cody was one of the most unique places I’ve ever seen with how much they lean into their western roots. I hope it’s still like that. And the drive on US 14/16/20 from Cody to Yellowstone is still one of the most beautiful scenic drives I’ve ever seen. Living there’s probably not for me…can definitely see its appeal for the few ppl who do live there…but I can’t wait to visit there again.
Went on a road trip with some friends and we stayed in Wyoming for a few days camping around Pine Haven and Devils Tower. It was in mid May. We arrived to wind and mid 50’s. The first morning we woke up to over a foot of snow and got 6 more during the day. Our supply tent blew away and sunk in a near by lake. The closest grocery store was 1.5 hours away. Closest gas station… 45 minutes. Wyoming slapped us in the face that day and that’s coming from a dude who lives in Michigan.
We bought a home on five acres without seeing it. My mother lives in Wyoming as well. She’s a widow. We live close to her. Just in case. Born and raised in Alaska lived there 40 years. This reminds me of Alaska. We love it! We see deer everyday wondering through our yard. Just like in Alaska. Every spring we had a cow (moose) have her twins in our back yard. My grandparents settled here decades ago.
I visited Wyoming as part of a road trip holiday in 2017, and also to see the total eclipse on August 21st. I found it a really beautiful place, with the town of Laramie being an absolute delight. I went to Glendo National Park for the eclipse & was lucky enough to have clear blue skies for the event – the first ‘total eclipse’ I’d ever witnessed. Driving across the state on IS80 was a great experience… the huge horizons were an awesome sight for someone who lives in the ‘crowded house’ of S.E.England… as were the vast open spaces all around. I appreciate it must be a tough environment in winter, but like all of the bits of the USA I have seen on my road trips there, it is really very beautiful!
I grew up in Wyoming and feel it is beautiful! There is more to Wyoming than Yellowstone. It was a great place to grow up in the 60’s & 70’s. Living in Michigan now but sometimes feel there are way too many people here! WY has beautiful bright blue skies and lower humidity. And you don’t need to go far for beautiful views of the stars!
I drive through this state all the time on I 80. I’m a truck driver and do a cross country run a lot. I must say, it is a very beautiful state. I was just recently trapped in rock springs due to the bad weather and they closed I 80. If I had to pick, I’d go atop the mountain east of Laramie. I’d put a house near the southern tip of the mountain that overlooks Colorado. I’d probably have to get a snowmobile, but I would love it.
From FL just went to Yellowstone and Grand Teton last month and have to say Wyoming is gorgeous!!😍 love it so much the sun sets later, the air is fresh and the water is freezing and refreshing. Definitely somewhere everyone needs to visit at least once in this life. Makes you really appreciate all the beauty God created ❤😊
I live in the Pacific Northwest, we call it the Upper Left (I know, dumb joke). I’ve been to Wyoming a number of times and must say the unmatched beauty is amazing. The kindness of the locals, the open range, the Grand Tetons and the the deep silence are there to experience. Sure, it probably has it’s drawbacks, what place doesn’t. We’re known for seemingly interminable rain and flat gray skies for months, yet the clear summer weather makes that all worthwhile. It’s been said that there isn’t a lot to do in places like Wyoming. Well, did you go all that way to be entertained or discover someplace new that requires actually getting up and walking outside to indulge yourself in some of the finest scenery and pristine places you could imagine. Wyoming is there to enjoy.
I visited after I graduated high-school with a friend that had family there from Oklahoma. We stayed for a great two weeks of hunting and trout fishing. I saw it snow on the 4th of July and stood by a fire cold as his cousins swam on the bluest lake I have ever saw. I definitely have fond memories of the state.
Although I lived in Laramie Wyoming with my friends for 1 year, yet I really miss the life, which is so peaceful and comfortable. medicine bow snowy range, vedauwoo, laramie river, each scence is always in my mind. I still hope I can go back to Wyoming and live there for the rest of my life some day. It is not an advertisement, just a good memory.
In the 80s we lived on the outskirts of Evanston. It was during the oil boom so there were people from all walks of life. Those eight years gave me a perspective on life that I will always treasure. Yes, the climate was/is harsh; it is, after all, a high desert plain. But it was the people. Mostly those who grew up there. Never since have I experienced the quality of character as that of the people of Wyoming. Honest. Hard working. Friendly. Caring. Trustworthy. Compassionate. It didn’t matter what country road, which small town, which farmer working his land, we all gave each other a wave as we drove by. If a person needed help on the side of the road at two or three of us would stop. I say “us” because there existed an unspoken understanding between people that you weren’t an outsider. You were part of a community of people who truly cared about one another. The easy going nature of people who had nothing to hide because they were genuine. I’m much older now but could still see myself retiring there if there was enough health care available. I miss standing outside at night seeing the sky fill with stars. The cool breeze always began to flow as the sun set. The scent of sagebrush and pine. The voices of the coyotes and wolves in the darkness. The endless fields of gold in September.The different types of bales awhile later. Eagles and hawks, the permanent residents. The migration of those who would return next year. The beauty of Spring. The heat of Summer. The colors of Autumn.
While traveling across the US in the ’70’s, my car broke down near Rock Springs. There was nobody on the Interstate until several hours later a single camper drove by me and stopped. I was very lucky because they offered help and back then there were no cell phones for emergencies. I left my car and drove with my new friend back to Rock Springs for assistance and a tow truck. Eventually, my car was towed back to Rock Springs to a Chevy dealer for repairs…and so began a new chapter in my life. What I learned that day was that even though there were so few people in the state, Wyoming residents take care of each other otherwise because help is never close by and staying alive in an emergency is a high priority.
Wyoming is crazy windy, especially in the winter. It’s out of control most of the time. Example: my buddy has a flag pole on his property. He has gone through 4 flags (wind whipped them so hard) that are basically half flags now. It only takes about a month to make a regular flag about half the size. I’m telling you, the wind is out of control. Plus, there NO TREES from the middle of the state to the eastern border. Everything is just flat and WINDY.
I lived in Colorado all my life and saw a state I once adored get turned into landlocked California. I put up with it for far longer than a should have, until I just couldn’t take it anymore. I spent a decent amount of time in Wyoming and absolutely loved it. The quiet, the peacefulness, the wildlife, the wonderful people, everything. I even learned to tolerate the intense wind and cold winters. I finally decided it was time to leave my native state and call Wyoming my new home. My only regret is not moving sooner.
I went to the devil’s tower last may as part of a road trip. There were several states I’d never been to before (Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Nebraska, Iowa, and Minnesota) but I liked Wyoming, and the Dakotas the best of all of them. I’d never been to the great plains, so even though I went for the Dakota’s national parks, the Great Plains were crazy to look at as well. Like being in a sea of green. Badlands and Theodore Roosevelt were both cool places to visit. I have nothing negative to say about the other states, just that I usually was just driving through most of them. Montana for instance, I was driving through at night, the same for Minnesota. I stayed at hotels at both places and the people were friendly enough, but you can’t really tell anything about places at night time. Other than Montana in May was freezing cold in comparison to my home state. It was 90 degrees already in May in Kentucky when I left. It was about 40 degrees up there at night time. I also liked Nebraska’s Sandhills. I hadn’t decided yet whether to drive through Kansas or Nebraska, and randomly chose Nebraska because the Rocky Mountain National Park was potentially going to be closed for snow (thus removing the reason I was going to Colorado) and just decided on Nebraska. So I had no idea about the sandhills and thought that area was cool to drive through and look at. Iowa kind of reminded me of KY except flatter. Wyoming’s people reminded me the most of the area of KY I’m from. Kind of people that wave as they drive by.
Italian here and I LOVE Wyoming. I don’t know what living in Wyoming is like, but as a tourist I find it incredibly beautiful. Yellowstone and Grand Teton NP are obviously amazing places but I also absolutely loved driving around…Cody, Bighorn National Forest, Jackson, Cheyenne, Upper Green River….yes it is somehow pervaded by a deep sense of loneliness and remoteness but that’s part of the charme of this beautiful state. There’s plenty of chaotic places in the world, sometimes it really feels great to slow down a bit and enjoy the simple things. Can’t wait to go back 🤟
I’ve been hiking the Wind River Range for 45 years, beginning as a 23 year old looking at a map and saw an area that seemed impossible to really be true. With Jeep and shovels we wound our way along the Green River through the remaining snowfields (North of Pinedale along the road to Cora and beyond) and discovered what we believed to be Heaven on Earth in The Bridger Wilderness, way before the area was “discovered” by others 2 decades latter. Whitewater rafting on The Shoshone River…visiting Sierra Trading Post and Buffalo Bill Museum in Cody. I’ve shared this with family and friends plus solo trips for 2-3 weeks. I feel very fortunate to have experienced this part of Wyoming. After a lifetime of hiking many places, sea-kayaking the entire Ontario Coast and all The Great Lakes plus coastal Southeast Alaska often solo…Wyoming is special.
Geography and climate is everything. There is really no point in comparing Wyoming to NYC, or Rhode Island or any place else that is populous because its coastal or warm or a center of trade. No, it is not astonishing that one city can have 14 times more people than Wyoming. This type of thing happens all the time, all over the world. Where do most people want to live – a desert or mountain top, or a warm spot on the coast?
Decades ago, my sister and I went on a road trip vacation. It was in the month of August. One of the highlights was Yellowstone National Park. Ironically, saw no bears. Did see moose, bison, and ducks. We sat at a lake near the Eastern entrance. The Teatons were spectacular. I admired the trees in full Summer bloom. The best memories I had of Wyoming.
I haven’t been to Wyoming since 1979 but this is what I remember about my week visit to Jackson Hole. Most days the daily high was -15 degrees Fahrenheit. They had things along the streets that looked like parking meters but they were really electrical posts that the residents would plug into because all their vehicles had engine heaters. When they stopped somewhere the residents left their vehicles running out of fear they wouldn’t start if left to get cold. Wyoming used simple numbers on their license plates, some had only three digits. I grew up in Michigan and live in the mountains of Colorado and Wyoming is way too cold for me.
Wyoming is definitely one of the most peaceful and beautiful states I’ve ever been to. I live in the mountains of North Carolina which is amazing but after spending last summer bouncing around out west living out of a van I can see myself settling down out there. Tetons and Yellowstone was cool, but the further you get from the touristy stuff and further into the wilderness the better it gets
My son invited me out to Colorado for my 70th birthday, earlier this year. We did day visit to nearby Wyoming, and I absolutely fell in love with the small town feeling of Cheyenne. I just may make the move, someday, to be closer to my son. Thanks for the informative article. Have a great day, everyone.👍
I was stationed in F.E. Warren AFB in Cheyenne for 3 and a half years and loved it, minus the wind and lack of four seasons. There is a lot of history and natural landmarks to see and some of the highlights i was fortunate enough to experience wirh my family include Yellowstone National Park, Devils Tower, Thermopolis HotSprings, Independence Rock, Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Museum, white water rafting in the Wind River Reservation, BigHorn Medicine Wheel, and lastly Cheyenne Frontier Days!!!
I drove through Wyoming several years back and stopped at a Walmart in Gillette. On my way back to my car in the parking lot three teenage boys stopped me and asked me where I was from. I told them Portland OR and they responded basically in unison “take us with you we have to get out of this place!” I laughed and drove off but in hindsight I wonder if they were serious!
I love when people talk about the relaxed pace of life in the country I used to own a ranch in west Texas started work when it was light enough to see worked until after sunset no time to relax during the day and horses and cows need to be fed 7 days a week city life working only 8 to 10 hours a day 5 or 6 days a week is actually a much slower pace
Another thing about the climate in Wyoming, the wind can be quite a bear. When I was out there, it was a constant 30 mph wind blowing sand in your face, and there was a little info panel on the side of every TV website that told you how fast the wind was blowing that day. Also when you drive through on I-80 you’ll see giant wood fences made to keep snow drifts away from the interstate, as well as big gates like you’d see at a railroad crossing that they use when they need to shut down portions of the highway in the winter. And it seemed like everything in Wyoming was always at least fifty miles away; being from the (congested) east, Wyoming was an eye-opening experience.
I lived in Wyoming for 25 years, there are alot of reasons I stayed that long, but after 25 years it was time to leave, Wyoming has had struggle after struggle, one gimmick after another one fad after another, In the State there are mostly low paying crummy seasonal jobs, they try to pay people minimum wage, constant business closures, Restaurants constantly fail, the smaller towns are almost impossible to live in, they rip people off on Rents and the prices of homes, as much as they can. I finally got smart and moved back to East Texas, we absolutely love it here, Good paying jobs all over the area, you can easily rent or buy a home for half of what they try to swindle out of people in Wyoming, we live in the country, horses and cows are our neighbors, we have 3 beautiful large lakes close to us, unlimited camping, fishing, exploring, its truly a wonderful place to live, no problems here ever, nothing but problems in Wyoming….
When I lived in Montana 1990-2001 I visited Wyoming 12-15 times. Except for some barren, bleak parts of the state I found it to be a fine place. I’m an avid fly fisherman and enjoyed some great fishing. Never hunted there but friends who lived there told me of some great elk hunting. On a different note, I found some excellent restaurants in Wyoming,the best of all being the Winchester Steak House in Buffalo,where I had the best ribeye I’ve ever had in theUS and returned to Buffalo four times just to have that steak again. Wyoming has a lot to offer to anyone who is willing to get around and search a little.
I remember hearing Don Imus doing a bit on the radio in NYC in the mid-70s where he stated that the State of Wyoming doesn’t actually exist. He posed the rhetorical questions “Have you ever been to Wyoming? Have you ever even met anyone from Wyoming? Have you ever met anyone who has been to Wyoming?” His conclusion was that since the answers to his questions were always “No” when he asked people directly, it’s not really there. It was a very funny bit.
It’s simple. I’ve been there briefly, and the WIND uh, you can’t wear a hat, your property probably constantly gets wind damage. Wind weathers your skin/face, cuts you up, you have to squint all the time. It’s ALL over the state. I cannot stand windspeeds of 20 mph or more, and it’s common to be 30+ there all the the time.
As a European, citizen of Prague, CZ middle Europe, I would change immediately my place for one in Wyoming… I absolutely adore that nature, I dont care if there is not much to do, I do have my guitar and thats pretty much all I need.. If there would be some working oportunity to live there, I would go right now 🙂 I hope one day I will have that oportunity to leave it here and go there, wait for me Wyoming 🙂
I came to university of Wyoming in 1981 from Mumbai pop >12M and Pune population >3.5M to Laramie 18,000 people and when the schools was off then 5000. It was a shock of my life. I was used to 110 deg weather to -45 first year with windchill of -100 deg and you call Chicago the windy city? I saw my first snow there and in 1982 saw aurora borealis near VedaaWoo. It is my favorite place and over the next 2 yrs became my home as a graduate student. I became a tour guide 4 all friends. If Kashmir in India is a heaven on the earth the Yellowstone and grand Tetons (i was told it is proniunced as grand tit ons) are at least heaven in the USA. First national forest, first national park and first national monument. I ❤❤❤❤ the place. Every time I go back there it feels like I am visiting home. Such is my love 4 WY. WY gave me life, independence, livelihood, new direction and thinking and education and set me 4 life.
I remember when I lived in Nebraska taking a detour through Wyoming as I was on my way to RMNP and wanted to take the scenic route (I had just come from Mt. Rushmore/Black Hills), I hit WY right as the sun was rising and its by far one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been to. It’s hard to put to words the beauty of it. Right now in my mid to late 20s I wouldn’t want to live their as I like the city, but 30s and 40s? It’s definitely up their on my places to live.
Hey the picture at 3:21 is not Wyoming. Looks like you got yourself a lovely picture of Utah. Lush vegetation like this doesn’t appear in many places in Wyoming. Also you didn’t mention the horrible wind Cheyenne, Laramie, Rawlins and most of the towns along i-80 endures most of the year. When a wreck happens along i-80 due to blowing and drifting snow the Highway department closes the entire stretch of i-80 from Cheyenne to Evanston. It may be sunny and warm in Laramie but if the road is closed in Evanston – too bad. The entire highway, 300+ miles, is closed.
Wyoming is among my top favorite states that I would love to live in. Along with Utah & Montana. I crave the peaceful, quiet and beautiful tranquility of those states. Give me the rockies! They’re just drop dead gorgeous. And absolute wonders of nature . To think these mountains and canyons were carved into the earth over the course of over 200 million years.. truly incredible.
4:00 No Yellowstone visitor is going to find an escape from big city crowding. I’m there now, and I’ll never return to this over-crowded, under-developed, poorly run clown show of a park. “Overwhelmed” accurately describes all of Yellowstone; the entry gates, roads, parking, toilets.. all of it seeming designed for 1950’s traffic levels are absolutely ill suited to handle 2023 traffic levels. I’ve been to many of the other big ones; Arches/Canyonlands, Bryce, Zion, Grand Canyon, Rock Mountain (Estes Park) and so on.. they’re crowded but manageable and worth the effort, Yellowstone is not.
We moved from CA to rural Casper WY 9 years ago. Bought a business, and husband retired 1 year ago. Wyoming is very business friendly compared to CA. We own a small ranch raising cattle. Best thing we could have ever done. Yes, it’s windy, and winters can be harsh, but I would rather live here than a big city or still in CA.
I lived in Pinedale and worked for the WY Game and Fish. WY stole my heart . It is beautiful in its serene ruggedness. The Wind Rivers are amazing! Having traveled through the Alps in Switzerland, the Tetons are still the most majestic mountains to me! Rivers, wildlife, good hardworking folks. The one tough thing is 40 below in the winters.
I’ve been hiking in the winds and never seen any bear, mountain lions concern me more than bear and the only mountain lion I have ever seen anywhere was near Angel fire New Mexico at 3:00 in the morning on a snow skiing trip approximately 15 years ago. Wyoming is an incredibly beautiful and majestic States scenic wise if I ever won a lottery I would probably live in Wyoming. Or any people left that don’t know it’s a fact there are more antelope living in Wyoming than there are people. Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons are uncomparable.
As someone who grew up in what I had considered to be a small town just outside of London (area of just 13 square miles), it’s wild to me that a major city that is over double the size has a population 20,000 less than my “small” town. We have smaller cities here, but they’re also small in size as well as population (Ripon, Wells etc.) and generally aren’t major cities, or are historical centres like the City of London, which is incredibly small both area-wise and population-wise (but very densely populated).
I grew up in Colorado and moved to Riverton, Wyoming in 1969. My employer, Datel of Wyoming was sold to an interest in Texas. A year later the downsizing began. I fled to California in 1971 for my third high tech job. We’ve alway wanted to return to Wyoming, but we raised our family mostly in Oregon and we didn’t want the separation from kids and grandkids. Our “closest” remote friends are still in Riverton and we still travel there for visits. I wouldn’t move back in my advanced years, but I regret not living there longer. Plenty of elbow room in nearly any direction!
I hiked Glacier Trail 801 in the Wind River Range – August 13-17, 2019 as part of a Gannett Peak summit climb. Last summer I participated in a run — the Wyoming Range 100 miler. The sparse population and large open spaces are an attractive feature of Wyoming. In order to expand my options, I purchased 10 acres of land a bit north of Rawlins. I live in S. Arizona full time but like to get out to my properties in WY and CO during road trips. Cheers.
I moved to Wyoming from Atlanta, Georgia back in 2007. First went to Evanston and then came on east to Cheyenne in 2011. Really cool state with some cool, laid back people. The community college in Cheyenne is great and there are opportunities here to grow and prosper. Crime is very low and the cost of living is reasonable. Glad I left Georgia. Still live in Cheyenne and life is good.
I’ve lived in Wyoming for most of my life. I’ve lived on the east coast, while I was in the Navy, and in the south afterwards, and while I enjoyed each area for the time I was there, I still prefer the wide open space of my homestate. Most people that relocate here move out by the 5 year mark. It’s not for everyone.
I’ve been to Wyoming like once or twice when I was a kid, going on vacation to Yellowstone. I can imagine it’s a very big state full of mountains, woods, and cold during the winter seasons. I also traveled to the surrounding states like Utah, Idaho, and Montana. I’m a west coast person, but nice to have a little change in scenery once in a while. Would like to go back and visit some day.
It’s a low population because most of the state is very rugged, isolated, dry as dust (serious water issues there) and has almost no economy outside of resource extraction, limited farming and ranching and tourism in very selected spots, basically the ski resorts and Yellowstone. Basically, it’s about as much in the middle of nowhere as anywhere in the continental United States. The culture is also SUPER conservative and people are often very insular and suspicious there. As many of these comments here show, they LIKE having a small population and will make you feel ostracized and uncomfortable if you go against the grain much there. It’s pretty self-selected population in that way. The main area of population growth is Cheyenne, which is almost like an outermost band suburb of Denver.
My favourite memory of Wyoming is driving my Toyota 4 banger on the interstate on my way back home to BC fro Colorado. My truck was lugging and I couldn’t get it up to speed. I thought something was wrong. I pulled off and in to a gas station. I went to get out but couldn’t get my door open. It was so windy!! I was driving into the wind but couldn’t tell because there were no trees around to give it away.
Well yes no state income tax in Wyoming that is definitely pretty cool and the state is doing really well economically, but I think basically what you explained early on in the article is why people still aren’t moving there. There’s just not much to do and the terrain is well rugged and the weather is quite cold in the winter and I think that’s pretty much the reason. Although I still question why so many people still move to california. I live in California in fact I live in wine country and I’m just an hour North of San francisco. Santa Rosa is where I’m from and I love it here but I don’t love how expensive it is getting here. The fact that people still moved to California and yes I know there’s a lot of people leaving California but actually statistically there’s still more people moving into the state and it just baffles me that people would actually voluntarily move here without landing like an amazing career first. There isn’t a good reason to really move to this state unless you found an amazing job here.
As a geographer… I appreciate you getting people to think geographically… One small note at 54 seconds in… You mentioned Delaware… Which is not accurate… But thanks. Wyo I is a great state with lots of natural beauty, resources and good people. I’ve been to most of the colleges and university there and salute them all.
We just did a cross country trip. And we have been to WY 3x. There are many beautiful towns in the state. Many places worth visiting. And like states this large the terrain varies greatly from the beautiful to the vast wide-open spaces. I would not hesitate to move there. You can buy land at under 100.00 an acre. Winters are a little on the harsh side. And if you like privacy this is your place. It took a full 8 hours to get across the state. The visit was worth every hour spent there. Cody was our personal favorite. We spent 2 days there.
Another WY native, even moved back after leaving for college and exploring the country for 15 years. But Wife’s job had us out of Wyoming again a few years later, and my folks have since retired to Montana so that’s where we go. It’s one of those things you can’t describe to to others, exactly like how an only child and a child with siblings will never Really understand each others childhood. Anyway, I’d gladly go back “home” to Lander, or most anywhere else in the state, if the opportunity presented itself. I actually LIKE the climate there, would far prefer to shovel snow than mow lawns.
You never talked about CFD (cheyenne frontier days). It’s the largest outdoor rodeo here in cheyenne and the population size triples or quadruples. It happens every 3rd week of July and the whole city pretty much shuts down for the whole week as some many events are planned with rodeo shows, fairs, and big name music artists who put on shows. I recommend that everyone at least goes for one cfd.
Moved to Wyoming from New York, nicest people youll ever meet. Just from a driving standpoint: Car stuck in the snow? Ten people will pull over to help get you out. No tolls, park for free where you want. I never heard anyone honk their car horn, everyone let’s you merge, no one follows too close. Reserved yet charitable folks live here. No place else like it. Quality over quantity, and we like it that way. And the oilfield pays over 100k a year so theres tons of wealth and opportunities if you want to work. Highly recommend moving here. Best place to live in America by far. Oh and homeless are practically non existent because the winters are so severe. Harsh weather for sure but everyone enduring it together makes us that much more familiar. World renowned hunting and fishing, too. Most of the state is federal land so it’s like having several million acre back yard.
Did the producer actually visit Wyoming in say 3 seasons out of the year? The climate is extremely rough there. In Laramie you had 30 mile per hour gusts nearly all the time except on the coldest days and possibly during summer. Their football stadium had an elevation of 8800 ft. It’s just a very inhospitable state, and it takes a very rugged/hearty individual to live there.
I was born in Wyoming and grew up there. It feels different than any other state. I definitely sigh in relief once I leave Colorado to go back home to visit family. But it’s not for everybody. It’s pretty cold and really dry. Or really hot and really dry. In a lot of towns there’s not a ton of opportunities. But I’m definitely thankful for growing up there. Had a really good childhood there.
I’ve lived in Wyoming all my life while I like the country it’s not as easy to live here as you might think.with all the land around it isn’t cheap and every thing is far apart there is no income tax that also means less government services.if you come here you need to know how to get thing’s done yourself.your going wait for things more and you might have to drive 50 to100 miles to go get what you need.
Here in Sheridan, Wyoming, the area is seeing rapid growth that is resulting in ugly subdivisions, wild animals being displaced, horrible traffic with stupid drivers, garbage and used needles on the walking paths, dramatic rises in crime, and a cost of living increase that is driving many older and younger families out of their homes (resulting in severe worker shortages). That is thanks to the influx of Californians who fled here during the ‘rona. I’m hoping this winter is long and severe and runs a bunch off.
Soy de España y conozco Wyoming muy superficialmente, pues simplemente pasé 12 días de agosto en una cabaña que alquilé con unos amigos hace ya algunos años. La primera noche recuerdo que dormimos a la intemperie, observando el cielo estrellado. Un espectáculo impresionante que me cautivó profundamente, pues no había rastro de contaminación lumínica y el cielo estaba limpio y despejado. Lo disfrutamos mucho la verdad. Sin embargo, a medida que fueron pasando los días nos dimos cuenta que la vida en Wyoming no debe ser nada fácil. Una naturaleza salvaje con un clima que varía muchísimo de una hora a la siguiente. Las rachas de viento intenso y las noches frías, disuaden a la hora de pensar en instalarse definitivamente en un territorio con una naturaleza tan hostil. Wyoming es muy recomendable para desconectar y disfrutar haciendo actividades al aire libre, pero nada más. Saludos desde España 🇪🇦🇪🇺
As someone who lived there a couple years, and travelled to all four corners in the process, I’ll tell you why no one lives in Wyoming. All of the beauty allocated to the state is west of the Big Horn Mountains. The places most American citizens are familiar with: Yellowstone, the Grand Tetons, Jackson Hole, etc. It’s well in the running for the most beautiful area in the entire country. However, all that area is either a national park (Yellowstone), or owned by rich people, and so is either impossible or expensive to live in. East of the Big Horns? Flat. Boring. There’s virtually nothing there but grass, wind, pronghorn antelope, oil wells, and coal mines. I think those last two are the only discernible reason there aren’t even fewer people living in Wyoming.
I was lucky enough to stay in Medicine Bow Wyoming because my stepdad worked for the construction company that built interstate 80 through Colorado, Wyoming and Nebraska. I worked at the Virginia Inn during that time. Best experience I ever had, great people and nature as far as you could see. I love that state because you have fresh air, space and prairie forever. Also got to see where our uranium came out of the ground and interacted with a true authentic mountain man, best time of my life.
It’s a lovely state with some strange dynamics. The Teton county area is right near the top in the US for per capita income and home values. A lot of WY residents don’t even like to consider that part of the state of “Wyoming”. I’ve heard more once that it’s basically California values in Wyoming. Then you have the eastern third of the state which consists of high desert, sagebrush and rattlesnakes and zero water. Casper, Sheridan, Gillette all share some common things. Cheyenne is close enough to Denver metro that it has a different feel altogether. Then over in the sections that share a border with UT you have these town that are almost entirely LDS church towns where the Mormons have taken over
Just my observations….People in Wyoming are very self-sufficient and independent. They seem to thrive with less government…they are by far the hardest working people I’ve ever seen. I love NYC. Been there several times over the past 40 years. People in large cities are so dependent of others for food, shelter, and many other amenities it’s ready sad. Big city folks have so many problems, while WY has low crime and far less problems.
For anyone think of visiting here a few tips from someone that grew up there: 1. 1/4 tank of gas is the same as empty. Fill up before leaving any towns. 2. Tell someone where you’re going and how long you’ll be gone (for any outdoor adventure for example). Better odds of being found if you end up stranded. With that in mind pack extra food and water for any long trips. 3. Stay away from any large animals! A moose will kill you just as fast as any bear. 4. Expect cell service to be poor and even crap out outside of town; particularly around the mountains. 5. The ppl are generally friendly just be polite and you shouldn’t have an issue.
I’ve spent time in Cody, Powell, Jackson, Star Valley, Meeteetse, Kemmerer, Evanston, Worland, Lander…. Wyoming is awesome if you like fresh air, wildlife, lack of crowds, and beautiful scenery. That’s pretty much the case for Montana, Idaho, and Utah too, although Utah (Salt Lake mainly) is getting awfully crowded unfortunately.
I live near Cody Wyoming, which is super famous for its local history arpund Buffalo Bill and Yellowstone. It is super cool living here, but I also wish we had more cultural diversity and stuff to do. It’s so quiet here that alot of the time people go to Walmart for fun because there is nothing else to do.
I spent a summer in Gillette Wyoming getting blasted by thunder storms. As we were all huddled in a gas station getting blasted by golf ball sized hail and lightning everywhere waiting for this to pass I told them I was from Commiefornia and they all said “arent you worried about earthquakes?” LOL.
I spent a few years in Wyoming while in college. I like many of my friends love the state and people there. Unfortunately I had to leave due to lack of work like most of my friends. If I could have stayed I would in a heart beat. It’s the least diversified state economically, but it will adapt. I’ve been to a few colleges but I can honestly say that Laramie and UW are above and beyond what you pay for. I’d highly suggest checking it out if you’re applying for university. One day I’ll go back for good, but until then I’ll miss it like hell.
I lived and worked in Cheyenne Wyoming Before Beautiful State People Bailing Hay etc Nice Hotels used to be only $25 dollars a night we worked putting a new rubber roof on a Motel in Cheyenne Nice Helpful people gets really cold and violent Thunderstorms but I loved it Delicious food used to ride My mountain Biking from Ft Collins to Cheyenne Beautiful Wildlife even worked for a church in Cheyenne Wyoming stayed at several motels in Cheyenne Beautiful State People Food etc
I’m from New Jersey and I got to be honest, Wyoming seems like a good state to retire to someday I mean some people I know when they move out of New Jersey they want to live in Virginia, the Carolinas, Atlanta, and Florida, but me I’ve always been different. So Wyoming seems like the perfect fit because it seems like the right environment for me to vibe and be at peace with myself so I think when I retire Wyoming is gonna be on my top list
This article felt like an incomplete thought. Weirdly little reflection on “why Wyoming isn’t begging for people” to flow into the state and lingering questions like what life in Wyoming might look like ten years from now. I expected a bit more because I usually feel like I learned a lot after perusal your articles!
Wyoming besides Cheyenne is a beautiful state, very nice people & if you love the outdoors and not a ton of people it’s the perfect state for you. The winters are crazy & accessibility to your basic necessities is not always available because of the isolation Wyoming offers beautiful scenery like Jackson hole, Teton national range, Rocky Mountains, Yellowstone & beautiful plains. Definitely a cowboys paradise.
One day my husband and I were traveling from Wisconsin to Idaho. We were barreling down the freeway and saw a pickup truck barreling down the frontage road. There was a little boy in the cargo area, leaning over the side and obviously begging his mother to let him out, while his mother leaned out the passenger window, obviously screaming at him to sit back down because he was in danger. The driver charged obliviously on. My husband, who was driving, saw what I was looking at and said, “We must be in Wyoming!”
I’m from a medium sized Canadian city just under 1,000,000 people. I had the pleasure of visiting Wyoming about 12 years ago. I loved Wyoming. I spent time in Yellowstone park, but also several days in Cody, WY. I don’t mind saying that it was hard for me to leave Cody, and return home. I feel so comfortable, relaxed and home in Cody. Wyoming is a wonderful state, and the people that live there are privileged to do so. I wish everyone in WY, the very best.
This article really misses a lot. When Meriwether Lewis and William Clark returned via different routes in 1806, William Clark passed as close as present-day Livingston, Montana. Due to a pressing timeline to meet Lewis at a certain date, he decided not to explore to the south along the Yellowstone River to its source. Had he done so, he would have found Mammoth Hot Springs, followed by the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and countless other wonders. It would have opened up a gold rush of sorts upon the wonders of what would become Yellowstone National Park, causing an influx of vendors, hoteliers, miners, tourists etc, with very little preservation of the natural resource, much like what happened to Niagra Falls. Railroads would have been built to access this boom, the population would explode and the whole state would be very different today. But because he didn’t, and because no other expedition of that magnitude explored Yellowstone until 1870, Yellowstone and its wonders remained buried in myth and rumor for another 64 years. Development and settlement would take place in Montana instead, and across to Idaho. Meanwhile, to the south, the Oregon Trail corridor did a great job of dissuading travelers of stopping to settle on their way through, with its high deserts and lack of water. The Wind River Range was essentially a wall that forced all to detour around its southern edge at South Pass (and still does). And if you make it to South Pass, why would you stop when Utah is so close?
Yes, I do remember back to age 5-7 and even before. My impressions were formed by disruption and having a troubled mother. Wyoming residence was perhaps the hint of what family could be and mean until it gradually deteriorated as many families do under pressures of work, culture, etc. I am writing about this and I do have extraordinary recall. Wyoming is where I had polio and experienced healing through prayer of this potentially dread event. perusal my mother ride a ski lift by herself at Jackson Hole was perhaps a metaphor for all that followed. Anyway, I spend my life connecting its many dots.
My wife (from central California) and I (from Utah) considered moving to Wyoming. My wife was all for it until I explained just how absolutely remote everything is, and how extreme the cold is. “But I have been to Tahoe. I like the cold,” she claimed. But I knew she would not be able to understand what waking up to real single digit weather for months would be like.
Except for the extreme northwest corner of the state encompassing the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone, Wyoming is a desolate eyesore. The stretch of I-80 in the south is the route followed by the pioneers and its a wonder more of them didn’t turn back. The award for pit of the nation has to belong to Rock Springs. If we wanted to train astronauts for extended duty on the dark side of the moon, Wyoming would provide the perfect training ground.
We might’ve stayed in Wyoming if my husband felt his heart could rest easily in a sense of community, but he was continually facing pressure from prejudicial attitudes and the reminder of Heart Mountain to the north. Personally, from Alaska, I loved spending time in Medicine Bow Forest, the Rockies, purple fields of lupine in spring, meadows where wild iris, buttercup, and rare ladies slipper thrived, skiing at Happy Jack, but then, I was from AK, and used to few neighbors, and self-sufficiency. There wasn’t any jobs my husband could take that would provide the sense of self-worthiness necessary to thrive, whereas my career was easily transferable to almost any place that had a pharmacy.
So having lived in Wy nearly my whole life, let me throw some stuff out here. Our state reps lie about having a surplus, it’s all owned by the ranchers that basically hold every major political office in the state. That surplus is also in a discretionary fund that is not open public record, and nobody believes it exists anymore. We are a massive wellfare state, nearly every other person uses government assistance programs while simultaneously complaining about them existing. The land out here is rather beautiful, but you’ll quickly get turned around by a very spiteful people. People on the surface are lovely to one another, but are rather hateful in many many ways. Racism is very common here, and there are communes of Wh Supremacists hidden throughout the state. For all the beauty here, it also has huge patches of nothing. The Tetons and the northwest portion of the state are awe surprisingly beautiful, but many places elsewhere are just flat industrial areas with a mountain backdrop. Walmart is the controlling force of industry in this state secretly, with the main rep of the corp at one point literally threatening the state houses because they attempted to allow a competitor into Cheyenne, and those houses instantly backed off from her threat. Housing isn’t crazy expensive, but wages are god awful if you’re not working in energy or railroads, and don’t get sick because insurance here is expensive as hell, and the quality of care is very poor. Hard drugs are very bad in the major cities here, and the crimes that go with that are usually pretty bad as well.