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Carbon County, Wyoming facts for kids

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For counties with a similar name, see Carbon County.
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Carbon County
U.S. county
Carbon County Courthouse in Rawlins
Carbon County Courthouse in Rawlins
Flag of Carbon County
Flag
Map of Wyoming highlighting Carbon County
Location within the U.S. state of Wyoming
Map of the United States highlighting Wyoming
Wyoming's location within the U.S.
Country  United States
State  Wyoming
Founded December 16, 1868
Named for Coal deposits
Seat Rawlins
Largest city Rawlins
Area
 • Total 7,964 sq mi (20,630 km2)
 • Land 7,898 sq mi (20,460 km2)
 • Water 66 sq mi (170 km2)  0.8%%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 14,537
 • Density 1.82534/sq mi (0.70477/km2)
Time zone UTC−7 (Mountain)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−6 (MDT)
Congressional district At-large
Ferris Mansion Rawlins Wyoming
The historic George Ferris Mansion in Rawlins.
DMJ Pick Bridge
Pick Bridge over the North Platte River, near Saratoga. It's on the National Register of Historic Places.
North Platte River Northgate Canyon Canoers
People enjoying canoeing on the North Platte River in Northgate Canyon.

Carbon County is a county located in the state of Wyoming in the United States. In 2020, about 14,537 people lived here. The main town and county seat (where the county government is) is Rawlins. The southern border of Carbon County touches the northern border of Colorado.

History of Carbon County

Carbon County was created in 1868. It was one of the first five counties in what was then called Dakota Territory.

Early Land Claims

Before it became part of Wyoming, this area was claimed by different groups. It was once part of the Spanish Empire. Later, it was part of the Republic of Texas (from 1835 to 1845) and then the State of Texas until 1852. After that, Texas gave up its claims to this northern part of the land to the U.S. government.

Forming the County

Carbon County was officially organized on December 16, 1868. It was formed from a part of Laramie County in Dakota Territory. When the government for Wyoming Territory was set up on May 19, 1869, Carbon County became one of its counties.

Why "Carbon" County?

In 1868, the Union Pacific Railroad started the first coal mine in Carbon County. The county was named "Carbon" because of the large amounts of coal found there.

Changes to County Borders

Over time, Carbon County's size changed.

  • In 1875, some land was taken from Carbon County to create Johnson County.
  • In 1888, more land was used to create Natrona County.
  • After these changes, the county's borders stayed mostly the same, with only small adjustments made in 1911.

Local Leaders

People from Carbon County have served in Wyoming's state government. For example, members of the Trowbridge and O'Toole families, who were ranchers, represented the county in the Wyoming House of Representatives and the Wyoming State Senate for many years.

Geography of Carbon County

Carbon County is a large area. It covers about 7,964 square miles. Most of this (7,898 square miles) is land, and a smaller part (66 square miles) is water. It is the third-largest county in Wyoming by its total area.

The Continental Divide runs through Carbon County. This is a line that separates which way rivers flow – either towards the Pacific Ocean or towards the Atlantic Ocean.

Main Roads

Neighboring Counties

Carbon County shares borders with several other counties:

Protected Areas and Historic Sites

Carbon County is home to parts of important natural and historical places:

People of Carbon County

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1870 1,368 —
1880 3,438 151.3%
1890 6,857 99.4%
1900 9,589 39.8%
1910 11,282 17.7%
1920 9,525 −15.6%
1930 11,391 19.6%
1940 12,644 11.0%
1950 15,742 24.5%
1960 14,937 −5.1%
1970 13,354 −10.6%
1980 21,896 64.0%
1990 16,659 −23.9%
2000 15,639 −6.1%
2010 15,885 1.6%
2020 14,537 −8.5%
2023 (est.) 14,334 −9.8%
US Decennial Census
1870–2000 2010–2016

2010 Census Information

In 2010, there were 15,885 people living in Carbon County. There were 6,388 households, and 4,109 families.

  • About 88.8% of the people were white.
  • About 16.8% of the people were of Hispanic or Latino background.
  • The average age of people in the county was about 38.9 years old.
  • The median income for a household was around $56,565 per year. This means half of the households earned more than this, and half earned less.

Small Communities

These are places that are not officially towns but have a group of homes:

Communities in Carbon County

City

  • Rawlins (This is the largest city and the county seat.)

Towns

Unincorporated Communities

These are smaller communities that are not officially organized as cities or towns:

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado de Carbon (Wyoming) para niños

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