Gillette, and the countryside which surrounds it, may not be a household word. However, as this nation converts to clean burning, low sulfur coal as a major source of energy, this small part of the United States will claim its importance as the “Energy Capital of the World.”
Visitors to the area will see numerous coal trains snaking their way along, heading to metropolitan areas of the East and South. Gillette began as a railroad terminal in 1891, and today it is a commercial center for the agricultural and mining industries located here. The town boasts excellent parks, golf courses, swimming pools, a water slide and community facilities.
Tours of the coal mines are open for visitors to see how this black gold is mined. At one time, a third of the nation’s coal was produced from the Powder River Valley outside Gillette.
Many different events are offered throughout the year at the Cam-Plex Multi-event Center. From rodeos, to the county fair, to boat and rv shows, to the Winter Western Festival, Cam-Plex offers something for everyone.
The first fort in Wyoming was started as a fur trade post in 1834, known as Fort John. Located near the Laramie River, it had become Fort Laramie by 1849 when the military took control. The fort's grounds just west of the town of Fort Laramie in southeast Wyoming have an open parade ground surrounded by military-era buildings. One structure, Old Bedlam, is the oldest standing building in the State of Wyoming. At or near Fort Laramie, fur traders, overland emigrants, the frontier army and Indians gathered as they came to trade, work and meet. read more
Whether you're traveling to Wyoming by air, by car, by RV or on horseback, you can find the information for planning your travel here. read more
