Located on Shell Creek. At a time prior to any settlement along the Shell Valley, Fred Whitney, Dick Shell and others were rounding up cattle for J.D. Woodruff through this part of the country. Dick Shell fell in love with the country and said he was going to come back and take up land at the head of this creek. The following spring they were again rounding up cattle in that neighborhood. They asked Woodruff if he wanted them to go as far as (Dick) Shell's creek. They afterwards always referred to this place as Shell's Creek until it gradually assumed the name of Shell Creek. Many believe that Shell Creek took its name from the shells found along its banks but this is erroneous. (WPA)
County:
Big Horn
Feature Category:
Manmade Features
More Reading:
The Shell Valley : an oral history of frontier settlement. Shell Oral History Project Committee. Shell, Wyo. : Shell Oral History Project Committee, 1986 Rustler Printing)
