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Bosler, mile post 582.3 on the Laramie Sub.

Bosler, north of Laramie on the road west, old U. S. Highway 30, began as a railroad shipping station and a cattle town. Bosler's development took many side tracks, but nothing except the highway gave it a sustaining boom. The town suffered through several busts, such as the big land promotion in 1908 which depended on an irrigation project that never materialized. Other somewhat successful projects kept agriculture going until the drought of the 1930s. Surviving the demise of crop agriculture, it remained a railroad and a cattle town

The post office moved from Two Rivers in 1908 and both were named after a local rancher, James Williamson Bosler, who had been in the area since the 1880s. In 1924, the Lincoln Highway Association travel guide described Bosler as being on a "good gravel" road with a population of 75, one hotel and one garage. "One railroad crossing at grade, not protected. One Railroad, 3 general business places, express company, telephone, one newspaper, two public schools. Good hunting and fishing. Camp site."

The town "enjoyed a brief fling of highway business in the 1930s as auto travel increased and Bosler had a good position on the main route east and west." The 1941 guide, listed a growing population of 264, and explained that Bosler "bears the name of the former owner of the Diamond Ranch. The Diamond for some time was headquarters of Tom Horn, who was charged with being paid by the big cattle interests to keep the range clear of sheep." Ranching was still strong in the area, but shipping by railroad slowed and ceased in 1973, when the Union Pacific closed its facilities.

Interstate 80 opened in 1972, leaving Bosler to shrink to a school, post office and gas station. The loss of highway traffic drained Bosler's lifeblood. Bosler became a new Wyoming ghost town.

Last Update 07/22/01

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