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GUERNSEY

     

Guernsey, mile post 95.0 on the Canyon Sub, is located on was known as the emigrants wash tub. This name was given because this is where all of the pioneers came to bath and do their wash in the 1840's.

In 1880 a New Yorker named Charles A. Guernsey moved west and bought some land in what was then Laramie County. It is on this land that the present day Guernsey is found. C. A. Guernsey was a legislator, a rancher and also promoted mining. C.A. Guernsey is also the author of the book Wyoming Cowboy Days. Guernsey was instrumental in the building of the Guernsey Dam.

The town of Guernsey lies directly on the old Oregon Trail. Guernsey was incorporated in 1902 when the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroads reached the area. At the time of its incorporation, Guernsey was well known as the Hub of the Oregon Trail.

The Guernsey Dam and Powerplant was started on April 30, 1925 as a part of the North Platte Project, which was originally called the Sweetwater Project. The thing that is unique about this, one of the contractors, Utah Construction Co., used a Shay during the construction. It is the only record of a Shay being used in Wyoming that I can find.

The Shay, SN# 598, was a class 50-3, Std gauge, coal burner.

Last Update 10/25/02

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