Dubois, Wyoming facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dubois, Wyoming
Town
Along the main street in Dubois
Motto(s):  "Where Real Cowboys Work and Play"
Location of Dubois in Fremont County, Wyoming.
Dubois, Wyoming Location in the United States
Country	United States
State	Wyoming
County	Fremont
Area
• Total	3.49 sq mi (9.04 km2)
• Land	3.48 sq mi (9.01 km2)
• Water	0.01 sq mi (0.03 km2)
Elevation	6,946 ft (2,117 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	911
• Density	261.03/sq mi (100.77/km2)
Time zone	UTC-7 (Mountain (MST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-6 (MDT)
ZIP code	82513
Area code(s)	307
FIPS code	56-21415
GNIS feature ID	1609085
Website	Town of Dubois, Wyoming

Dubois is a small town in Fremont County, Wyoming, United States. In 2010, about 971 people lived there. By 2020, the population was 911. However, in the summer, the number of people in Dubois almost doubles! This is because many part-time residents come to enjoy the area.

The town itself covers about 3.49 square miles. This means there are about 261 people living in each square mile. But the larger area around Dubois, known by its ZIP Code (82513), is much bigger. It covers over 1,500 square miles! This huge area has about 1,549 people, meaning only about 1 person per square mile. To give you an idea, the Dubois ZIP Code area is bigger than the entire state of Rhode Island!

History of Dubois

How Dubois Got Its Name

The first people who settled here wanted to call the town Tibo. This word comes from the Shoshone language and means "stranger" or "white man." It was a friendly nickname for their priest, Father John Roberts. But the postal service didn't like the name. So, the governor at the time, Joseph M. Carey, named the town Dubois. He named it after his friend, Fred Dubois, who was a senator from Idaho.

People in Dubois didn't like the French way of saying "deh-bwah." Instead, they decided to say it their own way: "Doo-boys." The first part sounds like "Sue," and the second part sounds like "voice." Interestingly, another town in Idaho, also named after Senator Dubois, is pronounced the same way as Dubois, Wyoming. The main sound is on the first part of the name.

Early People and Settlers

Petroglyphs created by the Sheepeater Native Americans who first settled in the Dubois area

The very first people in the mountains and valleys around Dubois were the Sheepeaters. They were a group of Mountain Shoshone Native Americans. They traveled through this area every year, from the Great Plains to the mountains of Yellowstone. The Wind River Valley near Dubois has many signs of these people. They lived here for hundreds of years before moving to a nearby reservation. You can still find ancient petroglyphs (rock carvings), hunting traps, and stone circles where their tepees once stood.

The first Europeans to visit this area were trappers Francois and Louis Verendrye in the 1740s. After that, many fur trappers and hunters came to the Wind River valley. The first homesteaders, who built homes and farms, arrived in the late 1870s.

Famous Residents and Growth

A famous person named Butch Cassidy (whose real name was Robert LeRoy Parker) owned and managed a ranch near Dubois starting in 1890. People say he often visited Welty's General Store in Dubois, which is still open today. There's even a statue in Dubois that looks like Butch Cassidy.

In 1913, the town grew bigger. A hotel, a bar, and a general store were built. This was because Scandinavian lumber workers were expected to arrive the next year. They came to work for the Wyoming Tie and Timber Company. All these original buildings are still standing!

St. Thomas Episcopal Church was started in 1910 by Reverend John Roberts. He was a missionary who worked with Native American tribes on the Wind River. Charles Moore built one of the first "dude ranches" in the area in 1907. These ranches were places where visitors could experience ranch life.

Tie Hacks and Local Attractions

Around Dubois, you can still see parts of old wooden flumes. These were built by "tie hacks." Tie hacks were Scandinavian immigrants who cut logs into railroad ties. They used these flumes to float the ties down the Wind River to Riverton, about 70 miles away, where they were processed for railroads. These ties helped build the American West.

Dubois has some cool places to visit. The Dubois Museum teaches about the history of the Upper Wind River Valley. The National Bighorn Sheep Interpretive Center teaches about Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep. This area is home to the largest herd of these sheep in the United States! They spend their winters in the Whiskey Basin, near Whiskey Mountain.

Life in Dubois Today

Dubois is located on U.S. Route 26. It's also the start of the Wyoming Centennial Scenic Byway. This scenic road crosses the Continental Divide at Togwotee Pass.

Many people in Dubois are writers, artists, photographers, and musicians. They are drawn to the town because of its beautiful scenery and mild weather. Every year, Dubois hosts a national art show, a quilt show, and a unique horseback chariot race. During the summer, you can enjoy a weekly square dance and a rodeo with local and regional cowboys.

In 2014, a big fire destroyed several businesses downtown. It was extremely cold, around -35°F, and firefighters had to battle freezing equipment. The fire was accidental, likely caused by a wood stove chimney. In 2016, a wildfire near Dubois also caused people to evacuate.

In 2020, the National Museum of Military Vehicles opened near Dubois. This huge museum was built by Dan Starks. It has 500 fully restored military vehicles, artillery, ships, and planes. They show the American experience in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. The museum focuses on the people who used the equipment, not just the machines themselves.

Geography of Dubois

Dubois is located at coordinates 43.535936° N, 109.635915° W. It sits at an elevation of about 2,115 meters (6,940 feet) above sea level. The Wind River flows right through the town.

The United States Census Bureau says that Dubois covers about 3.43 square miles in total. Most of this area, about 3.42 square miles, is land. Only a tiny part, about 0.01 square miles, is water.

Climate in Dubois

Dubois has a climate known as a warm-summer humid continental climate. This means it has warm summers and cold winters. The hottest temperature ever recorded in Dubois was 100°F on July 28, 1978. The coldest temperature ever was -49°F on December 5, 1972.

People of Dubois

2010 Census Information

Dubois with Ramshorn Peak to the north

In 2010, there were 971 people living in Dubois. They lived in 507 households, and 256 of these were families. Most of the people (95.8%) were White. There were also small numbers of African American, Native American, and Asian residents. About 0.4% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

About 14.4% of households had children under 18 living with them. Many households (41.4%) were married couples. About 40.6% of households had just one person living there. The average age in Dubois was 51.6 years old. About 13.8% of residents were under 18. And 25.1% were 65 years or older.

Education in Dubois

Public schools in Dubois are run by Fremont County School District #2. The district has one main campus. This campus serves students from Kindergarten all the way through 12th grade. In 2014, the school added new buildings to create this K-12 school. In the 2014-2015 school year, about 146 students were enrolled in Dubois Schools.

Dubois also has a public library. It is part of the Fremont County Library System.

Highways in Dubois

• - U.S. Route 26 and U.S. 287 both pass through Dubois. They run together on a street called West Ramshorn.

Notable People from Dubois

• Butch Cassidy (1866–1908), a famous rancher who once owned a ranch near Dubois.
• Gardello Dano Christensen (1907–1991), a writer known for westerns and children's books.
• Trudy Dittmar (born 1944), a writer who focuses on nature and essays.
• Kate M. Fox (born 1955), who became the chief justice of the Wyoming Supreme Court.
• Matthew Fox (born 1966), an actor famous for his role in the TV show Lost.
• Woodie Held (1932–2009), a baseball player who lived in Dubois until he passed away.
• Michael Hossack (1946–2012), the drummer for the band The Doobie Brothers. He lived in Dubois until his death.
• Connie Kemmerer, a businesswoman and giver to charity. She co-owns a dude ranch near Dubois.
• Jay Kemmerer (born 1947), a businessman and giver to charity. He also co-owns a dude ranch near Dubois with his family.
• Gale W. McGee (1915–1992), a former United States Senator. He used to teach at the University of Wyoming.
• Chance Phelps (1984–2004), a US Marine who was honored in the film Taking Chance.
• Gerry Spence (born 1929), a well-known trial lawyer. He started the Trial Lawyers College near Dubois.

See also

In Spanish: Dubois (Wyoming) para niños