Laramie, WY
Overview
The city of Laramie ("The Gem City of the Plains") had a population of 30,816 as of the 2010 Census and 27,204 as of the 2000 Census. Due to the presence of the university, the population of Laramie is rather fluid and transient, with students leaving during the summer months. The elevation of Laramie seems to vary depending the source: the university cites 7,220 feet above sea level at War Memorial Stadium, while the chamber of commerce places the elevation at 7,165 feet above sea level, perhaps closer to downtown Laramie. Annually, 10.88 inches of precipitation (rain and snow) falls in Laramie, with 36 inches in the form of snow. Perhaps the most famous weather statistic is the wind speed, which averages 12.8 miles per hour!
Laramie was the home to Matthew Shepard, a young man who was murdered in 1998 in what is now considered a hate crime due to his homosexuality. In spite of this event and its aftermath that challenged the notion that Wyoming is the "Equality State," Laramie generally is a safe place to live and work, and its crime rates are well below the national average. Mr. Shepard's story began with his abduction by locals Aaron James McKinney and Russell Arthur Henderson. The two beat and robbed him, and then left him to die while tied to a fence away from town. His body was found while he was barely alive, but rescuers were unable to revive him. The two suspects in this crime later admitted that they beat Mr. Shepard because of his homosexuality.
Home to the burgeoning University of Wyoming, Laramie sees its population swell during the school year when over 13,000 students attend classes. Some of the major attractions at the university include the American Heritage Center, the War Memorial Stadium (football), Arena-Auditorium (basketball), and various museums and exhibits. One of the most popular museums at the University of Wyoming is the geology museum and library.
Routes
City Streets and Roads
First St (8 photos)
Union Pacific Pedestrian Viaduct (9 photos)
University of Wyoming (22 photos)
War Memorial Stadium (5 photos)
Willet Dr (5 photos)
Other Roads (20 photos)
War Memorial Stadium
War Memorial Stadium, home to the University of Wyoming Cowboys college football team, is located just west of 22nd Street north of Grand Avenue (Business Loop I-80 and U.S. 30). A large parking lot is located between 22nd Street and the east side of the stadium, which is shown here. 09/07/05
09/07/05
10/13/07
10/13/07
10/13/07