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Gillette, WY Area GuideGillette is a beautiful city located in Northeast Wyoming, halfway between the Black Hills and the majestic Big Horn Mountains. Gillette is the county seat of Campbell County and is know for its vast oil reserves, electrical power plants, natural gas production, and the large number of coal mines producing over thirty percent of the nation's coal for electrical generation. Gillette has since become known as “Energy Capital of the Nation”. As of the 2000 census, Gillette had a population of 19,646. The city is host to numerous art galleries, antique shops, and plenty of other unique shops will please most shoppers, as well as a variety of businesses and restaurants suited to everyone’s tastes. Gillette is also host to several parks, swimming pools, and recreational opportunities, providing an activity for everyone in the family. HistoryThe area now known as Gillette began when Frank Murrey, Robert, and George Durley, and Charles T. Weir filed homestead rights in Rockpile Draw. The new railroad crossed these homesteads, so the Lincoln Land and Livestock Company bought them. In July, 1891, the livestock company planned the town of Gillette and sold lots. The town grew with the arrival of the railroad in August, 1891. The city of Gillette was named for Edward Gillette, a surveyor who saved the railroad massive amounts of money. The first school in Gillette was built in 1891. The first schools included students of all grades. The Gillette High School had its first graduating class in 1912 and there were two students in that first graduating class. Many more developments followed during in the early 1900’s including the addition of a doctor, a bank, two newspapers, the First Baptist church, and the addition of the Northern Wyoming Telephone Company. Other additions included electricity and the first motion picture theater in 1915. Early homesteaders found deposits of coal close to the surface, providing them with an inexpensive fuel for heating their homes. Starting in 1909, small mines were built around the county. The first major coal mine in Campbell County was Wyodak, east of Gillette. Since that time the coal industry has blossomed, bringing an extra 116 miles of railroad track to the area and producing numerous jobs. The first oil explorations began in the 1940s, with the first commercial oil field discovery was made in 1948. Oil discoveries near the Crook County line in 1956 began the first oil boom. Other major oil and gas discoveries were made in the 1960s and 1970s at Belle Creek, Hilite, and Harzog. In 1983, 21,000,000 barrels of oil were produced in Campbell County. Campbell County is the second largest producer of oil in the state. In 1969, a total of 758 oil wells were drilled. Four hundred thirteen were producing wells. Gillette, WY Attractions & ActivitiesHigh Plains Campground
Bell Knob Golf For a detailed list of Area Attractions Gillette, WY, please visit: http://www.gillettechamber.com/visitgillette.php Parks & RecreationGillette’s parks and recreational needs are served by the Campbell County Parks and Recreation Department. The department maintains 6 community Parks with soccer and softball fields and 16 neighborhood parks. Most neighborhood parks have open play areas as well as playground equipment. The new Campbell County Recreation Center features many amenities including a 42-foot climbing wall designed to resemble aspects of Devil’s Tower Monument, a six-lane lap pool, a three-meter diving platform, a zero-depth leisure pool including two water slides, a lazy river and many toy features, three basketball courts, four racquetball courts, elevated walking track, kids zone used for baby-sitting, concessions, weight room, cardio area, three exercise rooms, two birthday party rooms, two tanning beds, training and locker rooms. The partnership developed in this project with the Campbell County School District allowed for an 81,000-square-foot field house with a six lane, 200-meter track and five indoor tennis courts. The Spirit Hall Ice Arena offers public skate sessions, ice skating lessons and is home to the Gillette Hockey Association and NE Wyoming Figure Skating Club. For this and more information on Area Parks and Recreation, please visit: http://www.ccprd.com/ Events Calendar
Boys and Girls Club of Campbell County 11th Annual Golf Tournament For a detailed list of Community events, please visit: http://www.calendarwiz.com/calendars/calendar.php?crd=gillettecommunitycalendar&op=cal&month=6&year=2010 For more details about Gillette, WY please visit: http://www.ci.gillette.wy.us/index.aspx?page=1
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Gillette Thunder Speedway
Buffalo Stampede
