The town of Buffalo is situated north of the center of the county, on Clear Creek, near the Big Horn Mountains. It was founded in 1882 and incorporated by act of the Wyoming Legislature in 1884. When the time came to name this town, several names were placed in a hat, and one was drawn. "Buffalo" was the name suggested by William Hart in honor of his hometown Buffalo, New York. For many years Buffalo claimed to be the largest town in the United States without a railroad, but in February 1918 the first train arrived over the Wyoming Railroad which connected with the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy railroad at Clearmont in Sheridan County. Work on this line began in 1914. The town has a unique winding main street, which was laid out in early days following the contour of a gulch running north and south through town. Clear Creek crosses this main street east and west and is entirely covered by the street surfacing, being seen on either side as it flows under and emerges from the street. (WPA) Located on virgin buffalo grounds which were claimed by the Indians. (Annals of Wyoming 14:2) One version of the origin of this name was presented in the Annals of Wyoming for April 1942. Two other versions are given in Bartlett's History of Wyoming. The first states that the name was given by Alvin J. McCray who was born in Buffalo, New York. The second story states that several houses had been erected before a name was selected. Each man wrote his choice on a slip of paper, deposited it in a hat, and the name Buffalo was drawn. William Hart, a native of Buffalo, New York, claimed he deposited that slip in the hat. (Annals 14:3)
County:
Johnson
Feature Category:
Manmade Features
More Reading:
The Occidental, 1879 to 2009 : an historic Wyoming hotel. Bollinger, G. A. [Buffalo, WY] : Jim Gatchell Memorial Museum Press, c2011.; Buffalotarrak : an anthology of the Basque people of Buffalo, Wyoming. Iberlin, Dollie. Reno : Center for Basque Studies, University of Nevada, c2011.
