Medicine Bow Origin and History
History of the U.P. Railroad
The Cheyenne and
Arapaho used this area for
hunting. The Native Americans named the river
flowing through the area "Medicine Bow."
It refers to a tradition of being able to
find tough springy sage shrub called
Buffalo Berry for making their hunting
bows with. Anything that was good for a
purpose was referred to as good medicine
and the bows were called "Medicine Bows,"
hence the name given to the River and
later the Town. Since the headwaters of
the river originated in the mountains to
the South, they are called the Medicine
Bow Mountains.
1868 - Around
August 1st, the Railroad came through what
is now Medicine Bow. A pump station was
established on the river. A store and
saloon were the beginnings of Medicine
Bow. With the railroad came a five (5)
stable roundhouse, service facilities, and
water tank for the locomotives.
1869 - Medicine
Bow became a central supply point in the
area. The railroad served the Medicine Bow
freight industry, bringing supplies from
the East. The supplies originally came.
from Camp Carlin, near Cheyenne, but
Medicine Bow was a closer railhead. From
here supplies were put on freight wagons
bound for Army Stockades, such as Ft.
Fetterman, 90 miles North of Medicine Bow,
and other parts of the Powder River
Country.
Cavalry - As
many as 75 soldiers garrisoned in the Town
of Medicine Bow, protecting it from roving
bands of Indians, who were reluctant to
leave their hunting grounds which were
considered an area of Good Medicine by
them.
Westward expansion, which had previously taken place in
wagons along the Oregon Trail, transferred gradually to travel
by rail. Many families traveled in specially fitted box cars,
called "Immigrant Cars". It was a very uncomfortable
way to travel.
1870-- Census
taken the month of June listed 35
civilians, 65 soldiers, no stockmen or
cowboys, and most civilians were connected
with the Railroad. June 25, 1870, the same
month the Census was taken, the Medicine
Bow Station was attacked. The
Cavalry, Company 1,
2nd
Cavalry, turned back the attack.
Ranching -
During the 1870's ranching came to the
vicinity of Medicine Bow. Stockyards were
built to contain cattle being shipped
East. In the late 1870's and early 1880's,
2,000 cattle a day were being shipped from
Medicine Bow. The cattle were being
brought to Medicine Bow for shipping from
as far away as Idaho & Montana.
1876 - The
first elementary school was established in
Medicine Bow.
1880 - The
census taken that year listed 54 people in
Medicine Bow, 15 of which were directly
employed by the Railroad, e.g., engineers,
section foremen, and laborers.
1885 - Owen
Wister arrived in Medicine
Bow.
1890 - The
Census that year showed 105 people in
Medicine Bow, a majority of which were in
Railroad related occupations. Medicine Bow
was still a large shipping center for
cattle. Sheep were introduced into the
area and shearing pens were
constructed.
1900 - 1,000
tons of wool per year was being shipped
from Medicine Bow. The census showed 236
people in Medicine Bow who were employed
in predominantly railroad related
occupations.
1901 - U.P.
Railroad relocated to present location,
causing the abandonment of Rock Creek
Station and Old Carbon.
1909 - Railroad
transferred ownership of the Town of
Medicine Bow, which was then incorporated.
Construction began on the Virginian hotel
under the direction of the owner and first
Mayor, August Grimm, and his partner.
1913 - First
U.P. Depot built in 1901 burned July 24.
On November 23, 1913, the present Depot
was completed. The "Transcontinental
Lincoln Highway" was completed, bringing a
new industry to Medicine Bow, tourism.
Late 1930's
& Early 1940's - Passenger Train
service was slowly discontinued.
1954 - U.P.
tracks were widened and the curves
straightened. The Depot was moved back
from the tracks to its present location.
The Railroads switched from coal to diesel
engines which caused coal mining in the
area to practically cease.
1960's &
1970's - Interstate 80 was opened,
diverting tourism from the Lincoln
Highway. In the late 1970's, demand for
low sulfur coal made mining an important
industry in the area again. The Census
taken in 1970 showed there were 455 people
in Medicine Bow.
1980 - Census
taken in 1980 showed 953 people because of
the boom. However, in early 1980, the
demand for low sulfur slacked off due to
Federal Emission restrictions being lifted
on industry in the East. The mining
industry in the area went bust!
1981 - Depot
was closed.
1982 - Depot
was given to the Town of Medicine Bow by
the U.P. Railroad.
1983 - March 28
- Museum was opened by the Town of
Medicine Bow.
1990 - Census
taken for 1990 showed about 380 people, a
difference of almost 600
people.
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