These 12 Photos Of Wyoming In The 1970s Are Mesmerizing

The 1970s in Wyoming was an interesting decade. The entire state was being impacted by the energy boom, and the industry in many towns was transforming completely. Wyoming’s economy became extremely dependent on natural resources such as coal, oil, and natural gas, due mostly in part to the national energy crisis. This energy crisis led to a search for alternate resources and Wyoming, because of its geological formations, became a great source for these resources. Not only was the economy dependent on minerals but it also was built around agriculture, livestock, and tourism. Wyoming saw a real growth in population as the 1970s progressed. Many of the current families who live here first settled in the Cowboy State during that decade!

Here are some photos of Wyoming from one of the most interesting decades of our lives.

By D. E. White [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

This is a picture of Porkchop in Norris Geyser Basin hours after it had erupted. The national parks in Wyoming were getting more attention in the 1970s due to the increase in tourism and the ease of travel throughout the West. Porkchop Geyser is located pretty close to the world's tallest geyser - read about it here.

Wikimedia Commons

Here is another picture, from the 70s, of a geyser erupting in Yellowstone National Park at the Midway Geyser Basin. If you were to visit Midway Geyser Basin today, it would probably be to see Grand Prismatic Spring.

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By Boyd Norton, 1936-, Photographer (NARA record: 1111093) (U.S. National Archives and Records Administration) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Here is a picture of Casper taken in 1973. Back then, Casper was considered Wyoming's leading industrial city. Today, Casper is a popular place for hiking through Rotary Park and skiing through the Hogadon Basin.

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By Boyd Norton, 1936-, Photographer (NARA record: 1111093) (U.S. National Archives and Records Administration) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Glenrock, Wyoming was first established as a stop along the Oregon Trail and the Pony Express. In the 1970s, the The Dave Johnston Power Plant was built by the Pacific Power and Light Company. This power plant turns steam and coal into electricity, and this photo shows the plant in its prime in 1973.

By Boyd Norton, 1936-, Photographer (NARA record: 1111093) (U.S. National Archives and Records Administration) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

These windmills in Wyoming also played a role in pumping water and generating electricity back in the 70s. Wyoming has some of the highest wind power potential of any state - obviously.

By Boyd Norton, 1936-, Photographer (NARA record: 1111093) (U.S. National Archives and Records Administration) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Underground mining, which dominated Wyoming's economy and small towns in the late 1800s and early 1900s, quickly evolved into strip mining. The Wyodak Coal Mine is the largest strip mine in the world. The coal here is mined and then becomes a source of fuel for generating electricity.

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By Boyd Norton, 1936-, Photographer (NARA record: 1111093) (U.S. National Archives and Records Administration) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

This is a picture of a farm using an irrigation system back in 1973. Wyoming has been an important agricultural state since the earliest says of American settlement! In fact, one of the most fascinating conflicts in the American West was the tale of The Johnson County War between small time cattle ranchers and big business interests.

Wikimedia Commons

The Norris Museum consists of two sections that are divided by this breezeway. The museum is located on Grand Loop Road in Yellowstone National Park. This is a picture taken of the 1970s in Wyoming as many tourists got to see it.

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Jack Boucher [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

This is a picture of the front of the Atlas Theater taken in 1974. It is located at 213 W. Sixteenth Street in Cheyenne. The theater is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

By Historic American Buildings Survey [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

The T.A. Moulten Barn is a homestead that was built back in the early 1900s. It's located at Mormon Row in Grand Teton National Park and is one of the most easily recognized landmarks in the Cowboy State. This is a picture taken in 1977.

Jack Boucher [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

The Union Pacific Passenger Station is now a railroad museum located at 121 West Fifteenth Street in Cheyenne. This picture was taken in 1974 while it was still one of the busiest stations in the region.

U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16582424

This is Amy Carter, Jimmy Carter's daughter, catching a fish while vacationing in the Grand Tetons in 1978.

What memories do you have of Wyoming from the 70s?