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)
Willet Dr
Willet Drive connects 15th Street with 30th Street through the eastern section of the University of Wyoming campus. While Willet Drive passes to the north of Fraternity Row and south of the cemetery, it provides the most direct access to the Arena-Auditorium, American Heritage Center, and War Memorial Stadium from the main campus. 11/12/05
The driveways on the right (south) side of Willet Drive provide access to several fraternity houses as well as the University of Wyoming Law School. The large domed building looming ahead on eastbound Willet Drive is the Arena-Auditorium, which is home to the University of Wyoming college basketball team. 11/12/05
The Arena-Auditorium used to have a shiny copper roof, but it has blackened with time. Occasionally, the roof is cleaned to restore it to its original copper top finish. The arena is sometimes referred to as the "AA" or "Double A," which combined with the copper roof leads to a "Duracell copper top AA battery" analogy. 11/12/05
The teepee shaped American Heritage Center comes into view after Willet Drive curves around the Arena Auditorium. Inside the American Heritage Center are documents related to Wyoming's history as well as various journalist, historical, and political archives. 11/12/05
Near War Memorial Stadium, eastbound Willet Drive approaches 22nd Street. Follow 22nd Street south to the main War Memorial Stadium parking lot and to Grand Avenue (Business Loop I-80 and U.S. 30). 11/12/05