Prehistoric Central Wyoming                

The first occupation  
of this area was by
Paleoindian people. 
Learn about mammoth and bison hunts, lithic production, and
cultural chronology
from Paleoinidan
to Proto-Historic                     

Trail Features

Emigrants following the Oregon, Mormon, and California Trails passed this site during the westward migration.  The exhibit features the Mormon Ferry, Guinard Bridge, and Richard Bridge.

Fort Caspar History

Complimenting the
outdoor fort buildings.  Visitors will discover additional history about Fort Caspar, the 1936
reconstruction, Caspar Collins, and archaeology
conducted on the site.

Community
Development

Walk through 100 years of Casper
history illustrated
with objects from the museum collection and lean about the history of all the communities in Natrona County
through interactive
videos.

Oil and Gas Industry

An integral part of
Natrona County's
growth and economy, the industry is presented in exhibits that feature refineries and oil field development.

Native American
Exhibit

Objects on display
include clothing, tools
used for hunting and
war, and ceremonial
pipes.  These objects
are tied in to the
history of the Native
Americans on the
Northern Plains as well as to the history of these same tribes
after moving to the
reservations. 

In the Temporary Exhibit Galleries

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In Pursuit of Equality
February 2 thru March 24, 2012

Using period photographs and text panels, this exhibit tells the story of Nelly Tayloe Ross, Thyra Thomson, and Elizabeth Byrd, three Wyoming women who, through their actions as elected office holders, challenged and changed the conventional understanding of equality in Wyoming during the 20th century.  The exhibit was organized by the American Heritage Center in Laramie.  For more information, click here, or call the Museum at 235-8462.

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Special Traveling Exhibit for Spring

The fort buildings are part of a joint
reconstruction project between the Works
Progress Administration and City of Casper in 1936. The buildings were rebuilt close to the original locations using a floor plan drawn by Lieutenant Caspar Collins in the 1860s. The reconstructed post actually represents Platte Bridge Station, not the expanded Fort Caspar.  In the 1980s, a replica of the Mormon ferry and a reconstructed section of the Guinard bridge were added to the grounds.

Mormon Ferry

The Mormon Pioneer Party established the first commercial
ferry operation at the Upper Crossing of the North Platte River in 1847.

Guinard Bridge

Trader Louis Guinard
established a toll
bridge and trading
post in 1859-1860.

Telegraph Office

In 1862, the U.S.
government sent
troops west to guard the transcontinental telegraph line linking the East and West
Coasts.

Day Room

Sergeants were
responsible for the
day-to-day
operations of the
fort.

Infantry Barracks

Infantry soldiers were not stationed at the post until 1865.  The first to arrive were
“Galvanized Yankees” of the 3rd U.S. Volunteer Infantry.

Mess Hall

The mess hall served as both kitchen and
dining room for all
soldiers at this small post.

Cavalry Barracks

Cavalry troops
established the fort
in 1862.  Soldiers
of Company G of
the 11th Ohio
Volunteer Cavalry
manned Platte Bridge Station single-handedly from the fall of 1863 through the spring of 1865.

Commissary           

The army provided
basic food rations,
uniforms, and
equipment, which
were distributed to
soldiers from
the commissary.

Laundry

Although laundresses were a part of the frontier army structure and assigned to specific
companies of soldiers, they may not have been stationed at the post in its early years because of its small size.

Lieutenants’
Quarters

Lieutenant Henry C. Bretney of Company G, 11th Ohio Volunteer Cavalry, commanded the post from the fall of 1863 into the summer of 1865.

The 6th U.S. Volunteer Infantry soldiers joined the 3rd at Platte Bridge Station in the fall of 1865.

Major Martin
Anderson of the
11th Kansas
Volunteer Cavalry
was in command
of the post during
the two battles
between soldiers
and Native Americans in July 1865.

Blacksmith Shop

The blacksmith served the needs of the troops at the post, along with the emigrants and
others traveling the trails.

Sutler’s Store

The sutler was a
trader authorized
by the army to set
up a store on fort
grounds. The sutler’s store served as a social center for soldiers and offered goods not normally available from the army commissary. 

This is a memorial
cemetery with
headstones for
several soldiers from the 11th Ohio Volunteer Cavalry who died while serving in the West.

Centennial Park was
added to the Museum
grounds in 1990 to
commemorate the
Wyoming State
Centennial. The park
includes a “History
Walk,” a series of
interpretive signs
detailing the history
of central Wyoming,
and a Signature Cabin, a building displaying photographs and
student signatures
from all Natrona
County schools in
1990. Picnic shelters,
grills, and playground
equipment round out
the park. 

Centennial Park and other areas of the site are available for rental for weddings, family reunions, and other gatherings. Call 307-235-8462 or email for more information or to make a reservation.