Torrington, Wyoming | |
|---|---|
 Sign welcoming visitors to Torrington (2006) | |
 Location of Torrington in Goshen County, Wyoming. | |
| Coordinates:42°04′00″N104°10′57″W / 42.06667°N 104.18250°W /42.06667; -104.18250 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Wyoming |
| County |  Goshen |
| Named after | Torrington, Connecticut |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Herb Doby |
| Area | |
• Total | 3.73 sq mi (9.65 km2) |
| • Land | 3.72 sq mi (9.64 km2) |
| • Water | 0.0039 sq mi (0.01 km2) |
| Elevation | 4,104 ft (1,251 m) |
| Population | |
• Total | 6,119 |
| • Density | 1,644.0/sq mi (634.75/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-7 (Mountain (MST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-6 (MDT) |
| ZIP code | 82240 |
| Area code | 307 |
| FIPS code[3] | 56-77530 |
| GNIS ID[4] | 1595642 |
| Website | City website |
Torrington is a city in and thecounty seat ofGoshen County,Wyoming, United States.[5] The population was 6,119 at the2020 census, down from 6,501 at the2010 census.
It is the home ofEastern Wyoming College, and is the surrounding region's center of commercial activity. Within this primarily agricultural community, there are several fertilizer plants, a formersugar beet factory which closed in 2019, and numerous tourist facilities and retail businesses that serve the local and nearby rural populations.[6]
Situated on the historicMormon Trail and near theOregon andCalifornia trails[7] along the banks of theNorth Platte River, Torrington was founded in 1900 byW. G. Curtis (1857–1913), and named by him for his home town ofTorrington,Connecticut. Originally a watering and coaling station for theCB&Q Railroad, which began passenger service in 1900, the town was a gathering place for nearby farmers and ranchers. In 1905, the first bridge was constructed over theNorth Platte River.[8]
Apost office called Torrington was established in 1889 on Curtis' farm three miles west of the future town, with Curtis serving aspostmaster and later as mayor. In 1908, the town incorporated in Laramie County. It had a bank, three general stores, a pharmacy with a soda fountain, a land office, and two hotels (for one of which the building, although modified, still exists at 1841 Main Street.)[8] It soon became a central place of trade forGoshen County, and for surrounding areas ineastern Wyoming andwestern Nebraska.[8]
The town's site survey began in April 1900, by Ashland B. Smith of the Lincoln Land Company of Nebraska. The survey and plating was recorded in Cheyenne on June 22, 1900, and individual plots of the land sold to residents for one dollar each by Charles Henry Morrill, President of the Lincoln Land Company.The Torrington Telegram[9] (which was still published in 2015) was established in 1911.[8] The 1900 United States Census lists only 71 inhabitants in the Torrington Precinct and does not list it as a town. All residents were stock growers, ranch laborers, cowboys or at school, except for one listed as a hardware clerk.
Also in 1911,Goshen County was organized.[8] TheCounty was created from a portion of the northern end ofLaramie County. The towns of Torrington and nearbyLingle—some 10 miles (16 km) away—competed for designation as thecounty seat. Torrington prevailed after Torrington residents raised sufficient funds for acourthouse. Thecornerstone for the courthouse was set in 1913, in a ceremony where a band was conducted by Hi Yoder, from whose family the nearby town ofYoder, Wyoming, takes its name.[8]
Around that time, earlymotor cars started showing up in town, theGoshen County Fair Association was established, and in 1915 Torrington had a population of 443.[citation needed] In 1919, the Trail Hotel building, which still exists at 2001 Main Street, was constructed. In 1925, theUnion Pacific Railroad based inOmaha constructed aspur line fromCheyenne to South Torrington, to serve the proposedHolly Sugar Corporation plant, which began operations in 1926.[8]
The Holly Sugar factory, laterWestern Sugar Cooperative, processedsugar beets since 1923 and closed in early 2019. It was once a major employer for the Torrington area.[10] The preserved historicUnion Pacific Depot building now houses theGoshen County Homesteaders Museum.[8]
The Torrington Livestock Commission, established in 1934,[11] still held twice-weekly livestock auctions in 2015. It is the largestlivestock auction operation and barn in Wyoming, and ranks as the third to fifth largest livestock auction in the United States. Drawing cattle from a nine-state region (Nebraska,Colorado,Arizona,Nevada,Utah,Idaho,South Dakota,Montana and the bulk ofWyoming) the Torrington livestock auction barn attracts buyers from all over the nation. And, as of 2011[update],Goshen County ranked number one in Wyoming for itscattle inventory.[12][13]
Today, when traveling between Torrington andGuernsey, Wyoming, motorists will be following the path of the historicOregon andMormon Trail as they make their way along the banks of theNorth Platte River past the site of the 1854Grattan Massacre nearLingle, and past the historic western 19th-CenturyU.S. Army Cavalry outpost,Fort Laramie National Historic Site.[6]
Torrington is located at42°4′0″N104°10′57″W / 42.06667°N 104.18250°W /42.06667; -104.18250 (42.066542, −104.182471).[14] According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.62 square miles (11.97 km2), all land.[15] Its elevation is 4,104 feet (1,251 meters).
Torrington, situated on theNorth Platte River, has asemi-arid climate (Köppen climate classificationBSk).
| Climate data for Torrington, Wyoming | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 70 (21) | 75 (24) | 85 (29) | 91 (33) | 100 (38) | 105 (41) | 111 (44) | 105 (41) | 101 (38) | 92 (33) | 83 (28) | 77 (25) | 111 (44) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 39.5 (4.2) | 45.0 (7.2) | 52.0 (11.1) | 61.2 (16.2) | 71.0 (21.7) | 82.4 (28.0) | 89.1 (31.7) | 87.3 (30.7) | 77.7 (25.4) | 65.4 (18.6) | 49.2 (9.6) | 41.0 (5.0) | 63.4 (17.5) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 24.9 (−3.9) | 30.0 (−1.1) | 37.5 (3.1) | 46.0 (7.8) | 56.2 (13.4) | 66.3 (19.1) | 72.3 (22.4) | 70.2 (21.2) | 59.8 (15.4) | 47.6 (8.7) | 34.0 (1.1) | 26.2 (−3.2) | 47.6 (8.7) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 10.3 (−12.1) | 14.9 (−9.5) | 23.0 (−5.0) | 30.7 (−0.7) | 41.3 (5.2) | 50.2 (10.1) | 55.5 (13.1) | 53.1 (11.7) | 41.9 (5.5) | 29.7 (−1.3) | 18.8 (−7.3) | 11.3 (−11.5) | 31.7 (−0.2) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −39 (−39) | −33 (−36) | −26 (−32) | −17 (−27) | 11 (−12) | 29 (−2) | 39 (4) | 32 (0) | 14 (−10) | −9 (−23) | −23 (−31) | −43 (−42) | −43 (−42) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 0.31 (7.9) | 0.40 (10) | 0.70 (18) | 1.68 (43) | 2.54 (65) | 2.09 (53) | 1.78 (45) | 1.19 (30) | 1.27 (32) | 0.95 (24) | 0.57 (14) | 0.36 (9.1) | 13.84 (351) |
| Source 1: NOAA (normals, 1971–2000)[16] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: The Weather Channel (Records)[17] NOAA NNDC Climate Data[18] | |||||||||||||
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1910 | 155 | — | |
| 1920 | 1,301 | 739.4% | |
| 1930 | 1,811 | 39.2% | |
| 1940 | 2,344 | 29.4% | |
| 1950 | 3,247 | 38.5% | |
| 1960 | 4,188 | 29.0% | |
| 1970 | 4,237 | 1.2% | |
| 1980 | 5,441 | 28.4% | |
| 1990 | 5,651 | 3.9% | |
| 2000 | 5,776 | 2.2% | |
| 2010 | 6,501 | 12.6% | |
| 2020 | 6,119 | −5.9% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 6,212 | [19] | 1.5% |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
As of thecensus[2] of 2010, there were 6,501 people, 2,527 households, and 1,506 families living in the city. Thepopulation density was 1,407.1 inhabitants per square mile (543.3/km2). There were 2,717 housing units at an average density of 588.1 per square mile (227.1/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 93.2%White, 1.0%African American, 0.9%Native American, 0.5%Asian, 0.2%Pacific Islander, 3.0% fromother races, and 1.3% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 11.3% of the population.
There were 2,527 households, of which 26.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.8% weremarried couples living together, 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 40.4% were non-families. 34.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.83.
The median age in the city was 41.4 years. 19.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 11.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.2% were from 25 to 44; 26.8% were from 45 to 64; and 19.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 52.5% male and 47.5% female.
At thecensus[3] of 2000, there were 5,776 people, 2,436 households, and 1,522 families living in the city. Thepopulation density was 1,617.4 people per square mile (624.7/km2). There were 2,644 housing units at an average density of 740.4 per square mile (286.0/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 93.49%White, 0.31%African American, 0.90%Native American, 0.29%Asian, 0.10%Pacific Islander, 3.65% fromother races, and 1.25% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 9.47% of the population.
There were 2,436 households, out of which 26.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.9% weremarried couples living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.5% were non-families. 32.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.86.
The age distribution was: 23.3% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 23.1% from 25 to 44, 22.9% from 45 to 64, and 21.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $30,136, and the median income for a family was $40,750. Males had a median income of $31,058 versus $20,101 for females. Theper capita income for the city was $16,026. About 9.3% of families and 13.3% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 16.0% of those under age 18 and 11.3% of those age 65 or over.
TheUnited States Postal Service operates the Torrington Post Office.[20]
TheWyoming Medium Correctional Institution (WMCI) is located in Torrington.[21][22][23] WMCI, a facility of theWyoming Department of Corrections, serves as an intake center for male inmates not sentenced to death. It was opened on January 6, 2010, and the first 75 inmates to be housed there arrived on January 13, 2010. By 2015, it housed over 300 inmates.[24]
Public education in Torrington is provided byGoshen County School District#1. Zoned campuses include Lincoln Elementary School (grades K–2), Trail Elementary School (grades 3–5), Torrington Middle School (grades 6–8), andTorrington High School (grades 9–12).
Other towns and communities included in the consolidated Goshen County School District includeLingle,LaGrange,Huntley, andYoder, among others.
Eastern Wyoming College, located in Torrington, is a two-yearcommunity college serving the area, with outreach centers servingPlatte,Niobrara,Converse,Weston andCrook counties.[25]
Torrington has apublic library, the Goshen County Library.[26]
U.S. Highway 26 East (Scottsbluff Road)U.S. Highway 26 West (Yellowstone Road)
U.S. Highway 85 North (Lingle/Jay Em Road)U.S. Highway 85 South (Cheyenne Road)
WYO 92 (Huntley Highway)
WYO 154 (Veteran Road)
WYO 156 (Sugar Factory Road)
WYO 159 (Van Tassell Road)Torrington Municipal Airport is a city-owned, public-useairport located two nautical miles (4 km) east of thecentral business district of Torrington.[27]
Goshen County Senior Friendship Center providesparatransit services in Torrington on weekdays.[28]
Municipalities and communities ofGoshen County, Wyoming,United States | ||
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