Echoes of Uranium: Unearthing Jeffrey City's Ghostly Past

On Saturday, Aug. 10, the Riverton Museum hosted a Jeffrey City Adventure Trek as part of the Wind River Visitors Council’s Adventure Trek Series. Trip Leader, Zach Larson, who completed his thesis on uranium and the uranium mines in Wyoming, guided the tour.

Jeffrey City was originally called "Home on the Range," and during the trek the group visited the original homestead, where they met the current owner, Bob Adams. Jeffrey City was once Fremont County’s third largest town—a bustling mining town complete with restaurants, a bowling alley, a movie theater and a swimming pool. The town saw an explosive growth beginning in the late 1950s and had an ultimate decline in the early 1980s. The town is now home to a few dozen residents, and a welcome stopover for cross-country cyclists.

The Wyoming Jade Festival was taking place during the trek, which brought an unusual number of people to Jeffrey City, a contrast to its typical desolation. The group explored old lots that once housed hundreds of homes, most of which are now long gone. The remnants of Jeffrey City's once-vibrant community were starkly evident.

The group discovered a charming bike hostel and took shelter there as the heavy rain began to pour. This hostel is a reminder of the area's lingering hospitality, despite its ghost town status. Tune in to step back in time to a once vibrant Jeffrey City.

For more detailed information on Jeffrey City’s history and the uranium boom, visit Exploring Rural.