Editing Wright, Wyoming

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name      = Wright, Wyoming
| settlement_type    = [[Town]]
| nickname           = 
| motto              = "Wright Time... Wright Community...Wright Now!"

<!-- Images -->| image_skyline      = Wright, WY.jpg
| imagesize          = 
| image_caption      = 
| image_flag         = 
| image_seal         = <!-- Maps -->
| image_map          = File:Campbell County Wyoming Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Wright Highlighted 5685015.svg
| mapsize            = 260px
| map_caption        = Location of Wright in Campbell County, Wyoming.
| pushpin_map        = USA
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in the United States

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

<!-- Government -->| government_footnotes = 
| government_type    = 
| leader_title       = 
| leader_name        = 
| leader_title1      = 
| leader_name1       = 
| established_title  = 
| established_date   = <!-- Area -->
| unit_pref          = Imperial
| area_footnotes     = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2019">{{cite web|title=2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2019_Gazetteer/2019_gaz_place_56.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 7, 2020}}</ref>
| area_magnitude     = 
| area_total_km2     = 7.39
| area_land_km2      = 7.39
| area_water_km2     = 0.00
| area_total_sq_mi   = 2.85
| area_land_sq_mi    = 2.85
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.00

<!-- Population -->| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States Census|2020]]
| population_est     = 1653
| pop_est_as_of      = 2023
| population_footnotes = <ref name ="wwwcensusgov"/>
| population_total   = 1644
| population_density_km2 = 237.27
| population_density_sq_mi = 614.44

<!-- General information -->| timezone           = [[Mountain Time Zone|Mountain (MST)]]
| utc_offset         = -7
| timezone_DST       = MDT
| utc_offset_DST     = -6
| elevation_footnotes = <ref name=gnis/>
| elevation_ft       = 5122
| coordinates        = {{coord|43|44|49|N|105|28|14|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code        = 82732
| area_code          = [[Area code 307|307]]
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 56-85015<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info        = 1605008<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|1605008}}</ref>
| website            = [http://www.wrightwyoming.com Town of Wright Wyoming]
| footnotes          = 
| pop_est_footnotes  = <ref name="USCensusEst2019CenPopScriptOnlyDirtyFixDoNotUse"/>
}}
'''Wright''' is a town in [[Campbell County, Wyoming|Campbell County]], [[Wyoming]], United States. The population was 1,644 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].

== History ==
[[File:Wright Centennial Museum in Wright, Wyoming.jpg|thumb|Wright Centennial Museum]]
Ten thousand years ago, the first people came to the high plains to hunt buffalo and antelope. In more recent times, the Sioux and Crow claimed this area as their hunting grounds. In the 1880s, ranchers came to graze long horn cattle and sheep on the open range. They were followed by homesteaders lured by the promise of free land.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ccgov.net/316/About-the-County|title=About the County {{!}} Campbell County, WY - Official Website|website=www.ccgov.net|access-date=January 9, 2017}}</ref>

Official settlement began in the area in the early 1900s but boomed in the 1970s, with the creation of the [[Black Thunder Coal Mine]], the largest mine in the [[Powder River Basin]] and most productive mine in the United States.

The Wright family homesteaded the area in 1911 creating the Wright Community. Shortly after moving to the area, R. A. Wright opened Wright's first Post Office providing mail service to area ranchers. The community became known as Wright, Wyoming.

In 1976, during the economic boom led by Amax Coal, Black Thunder coal mine was developed near town. As with all energy towns, housing, schools, and essential services were needed. And like other coal mining regions, the Atlantic Richfield coal company stepped up and built the newly organized community, developing housing and a company store.

The Town of Wright was incorporated in 1985, making it one of Wyoming's newest municipalities with a rich history. By 1990, Wright was a well-established community with a population of 1,236 people.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.wrightwyoming.com/history.aspx|title=Wright, Wyoming|website=www.wrightwyoming.com|access-date=January 9, 2017}}</ref>

On August 12, 2005, an F2 rated tornado struck a mobile home park at Wright, destroying 91 homes, damaging others, and killing two people. Around that time, the residents there proposed a split from Campbell County.

[[File:Wright Town Hall in Wright, Wyoming.jpg|thumb|Wright Town Hall]]

==Geography==

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|2.85|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, all land.<ref name ="Gazetteer files">{{cite web|title=US Gazetteer files 2010|url=https://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=December 14, 2012}}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population|align=left
| 1990 = 1236
| 2000 = 1347
| 2010 = 1807
| 2020 = 1644
| estyear = 2023
| estimate = 1653
| estref = <ref name="USCensusEst2019CenPopScriptOnlyDirtyFixDoNotUse">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/tables.2019.html|date=May 24, 2020|title=Population and Housing Unit Estimates|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=May 27, 2020}}</ref>
| footnote = U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}

===2010 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name ="wwwcensusgov">{{cite web|title=U.S. Census website|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=December 14, 2012}}</ref> of 2010, there were 1,807 people, 685 households, and 476 families residing in the town. The [[population density]] was {{convert|634.0|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 813 housing units at an average density of {{convert|285.3|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the town was 94.5% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.1% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 1.4% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.2% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 1.8% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 2.0% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 6.2% of the population.

There were 685 households, of which 40.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.9% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 6.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 7.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 30.5% were non-families. 24.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 1.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.16.

The median age in the town was 32.8 years. 30.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 28.7% were from 25 to 44; 30.8% were from 45 to 64; and 2.2% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 55.0% male and 45.0% female.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 1,347 people, 475 households, and 388 families residing in the town. The [[population density]] was 490.0 people per square mile (189.1/km<sup>2</sup>). There were 544 housing units at an average density of 197.9 per square mile (76.4/km<sup>2</sup>). The racial makeup of the town was 97.62% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.45% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.07% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.82% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.04% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 2.30% of the population.

There were 475 households, out of which 48.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.6% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.3% were non-families. 15.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 1.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.84 and the average family size was 3.15.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 33.9% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 34.7% from 25 to 44, 23.3% from 45 to 64, and 1.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 112.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 107.2 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $53,125, and the median income for a family was $55,764. Males had a median income of $46,058 versus $22,955 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $20,126. About 3.9% of families and 6.1% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 6.8% of those under age 18 and 33.3% of those age 65 or over.

==Education==
[[File:Cottonwood Elementary School in Wright, Wyoming.jpg|thumb|Cottonwood Elementary School]]
Public education in the town of Wright is provided by [[Campbell County School District Number 1|Campbell County School District #1]]. Zoned campuses include [http://www.ccsd.k12.wy.us/schools/Cottonwood/index.html Cottonwood Elementary School] (grades K–6) and [[Wright Junior/Senior High School]] [http://www.ccsd.k12.wy.us/schools/WJSH/WJSH.html] (grades 7–12) which competes in 2A athletics in Wyoming.

Wright has a [[public library]], a branch of the Campbell County Public Library System.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://publiclibraries.com/state/wyoming/ | title=Wyoming Public Libraries | publisher=PublicLibraries.com | access-date=June 13, 2019}}</ref>

==Economy==
Having been established as a mining town, the majority of people living in Wright are employed by the various mines surrounding it. The site for the proposed, but stalled, Two Elk Energy Park is several miles from town. The Two Elk power plant is a planned 300 megawatt [[Thermal power station|power plant]] which would burn "[[Coal refuse|waste coal]]" from mines in the area. Waste coal is low-grade coal unsuitable for shipping and sale which would otherwise be reburied. Recent iterations of the plan include using beetle-killed pine as fuel. Only a shed and a partial foundation are at the site. Over 16 years, a series of permit extensions have been issued by Wyoming. Nearly half a billion dollars are available from tax-exempt bonds, but additional investment is required in order to fund the plant.<ref name=SFC033113>{{cite news|title=Wyo. power plant stalls 17 years, faces skepticism|url=http://www.sfgate.com/business/energy/article/Wyo-power-plant-stalls-17-years-faces-skepticism-4396988.php|access-date=March 31, 2013|newspaper=San Francisco Chronicle|date=March 30, 2013|author=Mead Gruver|agency=Associated Press}}</ref>

==See also==
{{portal|Wyoming}}
* [[List of municipalities in Wyoming]]

==References==
{{reflist|22em}}

==External links==
{{commons category-inline|Wright, Wyoming}}


{{Campbell County, Wyoming}}

{{authority control}}


[[Category:Towns in Campbell County, Wyoming]]
[[Category:Towns in Wyoming]]
[[Category:Company towns in Wyoming]]