Editing Jeffrey City, Wyoming

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Jeffrey City, Wyoming
|settlement_type          = [[Census-designated place]]
|nickname                 =
|motto                    =

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            =
|imagesize                =
|image_caption            =
|image_flag               =
|image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
|image_map                = WYMap-doton-JeffreyCity.PNG
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Location of Jeffrey City, Wyoming
|image_map1               =
|mapsize1                 =
|map_caption1             =
| pushpin_map = USA
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in the United States

<!-- Location -->
|subdivision_type         = Country
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[Wyoming]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Wyoming|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Fremont County, Wyoming|Fremont]]

<!-- Government -->
|government_footnotes     =
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|leader_title             =
|leader_name              =
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|established_title        =
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<!-- Area -->
|unit_pref  =  Imperial
|area_footnotes           =
|area_magnitude           =
|area_total_km2           = 73.8
|area_land_km2            = 73.4
|area_water_km2           = 0.4
|area_total_sq_mi         = 
|area_land_sq_mi          = 
|area_water_sq_mi         =

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2010 United States Census|2010]]
|population_footnotes     = <ref name="Census 2010"/>
|population_total         = 58
|population_density_km2   =
|population_density_sq_mi = auto

<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[Mountain Time Zone|Mountain (MST)]]
|utc_offset               = &minus;7
|timezone_DST             = MDT
|utc_offset_DST           = &minus;6
|elevation_footnotes      =
|elevation_m              = 1931
|elevation_ft             = 6335
|coordinates              = {{coord|42|29|26|N|107|49|42|W|type:city_region:US-WY|display=it}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 82310
|area_code                = [[Area code 307|307]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 56-40555<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2008-01-31|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 1590071<ref name="GR3">{{cite web|url=http://geonames.usgs.gov|access-date=2008-01-31|title=US Board on Geographic Names|publisher=[[United States Geological Survey]]|date=2007-10-25}}</ref>
|website                  =
|footnotes                =
}}
[[File:Boarded-up abandoned housing in Jeffrey City, Wyoming.jpg|thumb|Boarded-up abandoned housing in Jeffrey City, Wyoming, former uranium boomtown]]
'''Jeffrey City''' is a former [[uranium]] mining [[boomtown]] located in [[Fremont County, Wyoming|Fremont County]], in the central part of the [[U.S. state]] of [[Wyoming]]. The town is known in Wyoming and the [[American West]] as symbol of a boomtown that went "bust" very quickly, as the mine was shut down in 1982 and over 95% of the inhabitants left the town within three years.<ref name="jeffery_city2">[http://www.sublettewyo.com/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/87 Home on the Range No More: The Boom and Bust of a Wyoming Uranium Mining Town 1957 -1958.]</ref> The population was 58 at the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]],<ref name="Census 2010">{{Cite web| url=http://factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/1600000US5640555| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Jeffrey City CDP, Wyoming| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder| access-date=October 26, 2016}}{{dead link|bot=medic|date=April 2020}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> far lower than its onetime population of several thousand people. For statistical purposes, the United States Census Bureau has defined Jeffrey City as a [[census-designated place]] (CDP).

== History ==
Jeffrey City began in 1931 as "Home on the Range", the {{convert|640|acre|km2|adj=on}} homestead of a [[Nebraska]] couple named the Petersons, who relocated because Mr. Peterson was sick after having been [[chemical warfare|gassed]] in World War I. Mrs. Beulah Peterson (later Walker) opened two gasoline pumps when [[U.S. Route 287 in Wyoming|the highway]] came through, and began cooking for those who stopped. The post office at Split Rock, {{convert|14|mi}} away, closed in 1943, and Mrs. Peterson took up the task of handling the ranchers' mail. She canceled the letters with "Home on the Range". She retired her post office cancellation stamp in 1957 when Home on the Range became Jeffrey City. Her family members are currently restoring the old Home on the Range post office site.{{citation needed|date=July 2020}}

Home on the Range became Jeffrey City when those who came to mine uranium sought to honor Dr. C. W. Jeffrey, a wealthy doctor from [[Rawlins, Wyoming]], who initially financed the costs for prospector and businessman Bob Adams to start the Western Nuclear Corporation mining firm and open a uranium mine near the area in 1957, during the [[Cold War]] and the height of uranium demand.<ref name="jeffery_city2" />

Thousands of people looking for high-paying mining jobs streamed into Jeffrey City, and Western Nuclear designed and financed a [[company town]] for the workers and their families. At the height of the boom town optimism, a separate high school building was added and an Olympic-sized swimming pool and third gymnasium was built. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the uranium market collapsed and the mine was forced to close. As was typical of many boom towns, Jeffrey City was singularly dependent on the local mine, and after it closed there was no reason for residents to remain. What was once a thriving local community with shops, schools, library, [[sheriff]], [[youth hostel]], churches, medical clinics and more, became a [[ghost town]] as 95% of the residents left the town by 1986.<ref name="jeffery_city2" /> Today, few institutions remain: the First (Southern) Baptist Church (which is still doing well thanks to the area ranchers who attend),<ref name="church">{{cite web |url=http://www.FBCJeffreyCity.org |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110705163912/http://fbcjeffreycity.org/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 5, 2011 |title=First Baptist Church of Jeffrey City, WY |access-date=2012-04-14 }}</ref> a restaurant and bar called the Split Rock Café that caters to the few local residents and those passing through on the highway, and Monk King Bird Pottery, a pottery studio.<ref name="pottery">{{ cite web |url=http://monkkingbirdpottery.blogspot.com |title=Monkingbird Pottery |author=Byron Seeley |access-date=2012-04-14}}</ref> The Green Mountain Motel provides perhaps the only lodging along the {{convert|122|mi|adj=on}} route between [[Rawlins, Wyoming|Rawlins]] and [[Riverton, Wyoming|Riverton]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g60493-d1631639-Reviews-JC_Motel-Jeffrey_City_Wyoming.html|access-date=17 May 2015|title=JC MOTEL - Reviews (Jeffrey City, WY) }}</ref>

==Geography and climate==
Jeffrey City is located in southeastern Fremont County along [[U.S. Route 287#Wyoming|U.S. Route 287]], {{convert|67|mi}} northwest of Rawlins and [[Interstate 80]], and {{convert|58|mi}} southeast of [[Lander, Wyoming|Lander]], the Fremont County seat. According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the Jeffrey City CDP has a total area of {{convert|73.8|sqkm|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|73.4|sqkm|order=flip}} is land and {{convert|0.4|sqkm|order=flip|1}}, or 0.56%, is water.<ref name="Census 2010"/> The community is in the valley of the [[Sweetwater River (Wyoming)|Sweetwater River]], an east-flowing tributary of the [[North Platte River]].

{{Weather box
|location = Jeffrey City, Wyoming, 1991–2020 normals,  extremes 1964–present: 6319ft (1926m)
|single line = Yes
|Jan record high F = 57
|Feb record high F = 60
|Mar record high F = 73
|Apr record high F = 80
|May record high F = 92
|Jun record high F = 99
|Jul record high F = 98
|Aug record high F = 97
|Sep record high F = 94
|Oct record high F = 87
|Nov record high F = 69
|Dec record high F = 62
|year record high F =

|Jan avg record high F = 44.4
|Feb avg record high F = 48.7
|Mar avg record high F = 62.2
|Apr avg record high F = 73.3
|May avg record high F = 80.8
|Jun avg record high F = 88.9
|Jul avg record high F = 93.9
|Aug avg record high F = 91.8
|Sep avg record high F = 87.0
|Oct avg record high F = 75.8
|Nov avg record high F = 60.5
|Dec avg record high F = 47.0
|year avg record high F = 94.3

|Jan high F = 31.0
|Feb high F = 33.8
|Mar high F = 44.5
|Apr high F = 54.0
|May high F = 64.2
|Jun high F = 76.4
|Jul high F = 85.2
|Aug high F = 83.4
|Sep high F = 72.9
|Oct high F = 57.9
|Nov high F = 42.3
|Dec high F = 31.0
|year high F =

|Jan mean F = 20.0
|Feb mean F = 22.3
|Mar mean F = 32.1
|Apr mean F = 40.2
|May mean F = 49.6
|Jun mean F = 59.8
|Jul mean F = 67.6
|Aug mean F = 65.8
|Sep mean F = 56.0
|Oct mean F = 43.3
|Nov mean F = 30.1
|Dec mean F = 20.3
|year mean F =

|Jan low F = 9.0
|Feb low F = 10.9
|Mar low F = 19.8
|Apr low F = 26.3
|May low F = 35.0
|Jun low F = 43.2
|Jul low F = 50.0
|Aug low F = 48.3
|Sep low F = 39.1
|Oct low F = 28.7
|Nov low F = 17.9
|Dec low F = 9.5
|year low F =

|Jan avg record low F = -18.6
|Feb avg record low F = -15.3
|Mar avg record low F = -2.4
|Apr avg record low F = 10.6
|May avg record low F = 21.0
|Jun avg record low F = 32.2
|Jul avg record low F = 40.3
|Aug avg record low F = 37.0
|Sep avg record low F = 25.4
|Oct avg record low F = 9.3
|Nov avg record low F = -7.5
|Dec avg record low F = -17.2
|year avg record low F = -26.4

|Jan record low F = −49
|Feb record low F = −39
|Mar record low F = -33
|Apr record low F = -18
|May record low F = 11
|Jun record low F = 27
|Jul record low F = 32
|Aug record low F = 28
|Sep record low F = 1
|Oct record low F = -27
|Nov record low F = -31
|Dec record low F = −46
|year record low F =  

|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation inch = 0.35
|Feb precipitation inch = 0.50
|Mar precipitation inch = 0.79
|Apr precipitation inch = 1.40
|May precipitation inch = 1.97
|Jun precipitation inch = 0.97
|Jul precipitation inch = 0.66
|Aug precipitation inch = 0.54
|Sep precipitation inch = 0.82
|Oct precipitation inch = 0.91
|Nov precipitation inch = 0.51
|Dec precipitation inch = 0.46
|year precipitation inch =

|Jan snow inch = 5.00
|Feb snow inch = 7.00
|Mar snow inch = 8.80
|Apr snow inch = 12.10
|May snow inch = 5.60
|Jun snow inch = 0.40
|Jul snow inch = 0.00
|Aug snow inch = 0.00
|Sep snow inch = 1.30
|Oct snow inch = 7.40
|Nov snow inch = 6.30
|Dec snow inch = 6.30
|year snow inch = 

|source 1 = NOAA<ref name = NOAA1>
{{cite web
|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&startDate=0001-01-01&endDate=9996-12-31&stations=USC00484925&format=pdf
|title = Jeffrey City, Wyoming 1991-2020 Monthly Normals 
|access-date = December 6, 2023
}}
</ref>
|source 2 = XMACIS2 (records & monthly max/mins)<ref name = XMACIS2>
{{cite web
|url = https://xmacis.rcc-acis.org/
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|title = xmACIS
|access-date = December 6, 2023
}}
</ref>
}}

==Demographics==
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 106 people, 45 households, and 32 families residing in the CDP. The [[population density]] was {{convert|3.7|PD/sqmi}}. There were 112 housing units at an average density of {{convert|3.9|/sqmi}}. The racial makeup of the CDP was 98.11% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]] or 104 people, 0.94% or one [[Native Americans in the United States|Indigenous American]], and 0.94% or one person from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.89% of the population, or two people.

There were 45 households, out of which 15.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.7% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 2.2% or one household had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.7% were non-families. 17.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.61.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 14.2% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 26.4% from 25 to 44, 41.5% from 45 to 64, and 9.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females, there were 152.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 127.5 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $42,857, and the median income for a family was $42,679. Males had a median income of $65,156 versus $23,750 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the CDP was $20,061. There were no families and 8.2% of the population living below the [[poverty line]], including no under eighteens and none of those over 64.

==Education==
Public education in the community of Jeffrey City is provided by [[Fremont County School District Number 1|Fremont County School District #1]]. In 2013 the school served kindergarten through 4th grade, and had two students. Prior to 1997 Jeffrey City had its own school district.<ref name="Students">{{cite news |last1=Todd |first1=Leah |title=TWO KIDS FOR THE COUNT First day of school at Jeffrey City Elementary |url=https://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/wyoming/first-day-of-school-at-jeffrey-city-elementary/article_bf46a935-4dfa-5bb8-aa33-89f8fd3eebf5.html |access-date=10 August 2018 |agency=Billings Gazette |date=1 September 2013}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Uranium City]], Saskatchewan
* [[Yellowcake boomtown]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.sublettewyo.com/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/87  Home on the Range No More:  The Boom and Bust of a Wyoming Uranium Mining Town 1957 -1958.]
* [http://www.ghosttowns.com/states/wy/jeffreycity.html Jeffrey City: Uranium mining ghost town]

{{Fremont County, Wyoming}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Census-designated places in Fremont County, Wyoming]]
[[Category:Census-designated places in Wyoming]]
[[Category:Uranium mining in the United States]]
[[Category:Company towns in Wyoming]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1931]]