South Pass City got an early 150th birthday present this week. Sunset Magazine included the historic site in its list, “50 Essential Western Travel Experiences.”
“A Western mining town was a chancy start-up. Although a few succeeded to become big cities, far more crumpled picturesquely into dust. South Pass City is among the most evocative,” said the Sunset listicle. “Here, near where the Oregon Trail crossed the Continental Divide, an 1867 gold strike launched a town of 1,000, which dissolved once the gold ran out. The state of Wyoming restored many surviving buildings, giving you a chance to stroll, sip sarsaparilla, and ponder Western failure and success.”
On the note of success, South Pass City is one of the best-preserved mining towns in the West. Despite its ghost-town status, it’s only getting better after 150 years on the map.
“One hundred and fifty years is a long time out here,” said Joe Ellis, Superintendent of South Pass City State Historic Site. So celebrating the sesquicentennial anniversary of anything—let alone a gold rush—is a big deal.
Join Sunset in celebrating South Pass City State Historic Site by attending the special events scheduled for this summer. The annual Gold Rush Days July 7 and 8 will be expanded this July to include live music, a dramatic fireworks display, and more in addition to the usual gold-panning, Carissa Mine tours, and anvil blast. Keep an eye on http://southpasscity.com/ and Facebook for details as they get firmed up.
Also watch for special events all summer long, like the site staying open late Saturdays in July and August, the chance to taste beer in a historic saloon, and guided walks on the new trail system.
After all this time, Historic South Pass City remains one of the top things to see “in the best place in the world,” as Sunset put it.
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Related Links: Lander Chamber of Commerce, Riverton Chamber of Commerce, Dubois Chamber of Commerce, Destination Dubois, Shoshoni Chamber of Commerce
See the complete calendar of events or request a vacation packet at Wind River Country.
About Wyoming’s Wind River Country/Fremont County
Wyoming’s Wind River Country is the authentic, untamed West. It holds the answers to your adventurous spirit. Come discover new things like the best route to Yellowstone, see an Indian powwow, ride a horse or holler at a rodeo, pan for real gold, and hike in country that will take your breath away. Find the room to breathe, slow your pace a bit, and discover uncontrived adventure that will rejuvenate your soul in Wind River Country.
