History

City of Torrington

"An equal opportunity employer"

2017 East A Street Torrington, WY 82240

Torrington History

Several communities have "Torrington" either as their name, or as part of their name. If you know of more than the ones listed, let us know and we will add them to the list.

In the United Kingdom: Great Torrington, Little Torrington and Black Torrington and all are located in Devonshire, near the west coast. There is a Torrington in New South Wales, Australia, and a Torrington in Alberta, Canada. In the United States Torrington, Connecticut and Torrington, Wyoming. Thank you to Richard Patterson for the additional info!

For a little of the history of Torrington, Wyoming and Goshen County see the article below or the Goshen County History link on the left side.

These edited excerpts are taken from "WIND PUDDING and RABBIT TRACKS VOL. 1" with permission from the Homesteaders Museum.

Town of Torrington

The Town of Torrington is the first station in Wyoming on the Bridgeport and Guernsey branch of the C.B. & Q railroad, and is located on the north bank of the North Platte River. The first post office was established in the year 1889 and was located on the homestead of W.G. Curtis, about one mile west of the present town site. Mr. Curtis was the one person largely responsible for the "getting'' and establishing this post office, and he is the person who gave it its name ... Torrington ... after the town in Connecticut, where he and his family formerly lived. W.G. was the first postmaster, serving in that capacity for several years before John Cameron, who moved the office to his place, succeeded him.

In May of 1900, the Guernsey branch of the Burlington was built to this site location and a station established with George King serving as station agent. At that time there was no store or business ''district" here. People in the valley were accustomed to drive (by horse and wagon or any other conveyance) to Gering to do their �necessities" trading. In the south part of the county they traveled either to Cheyenne or Chugwater to trade and buy their necessities.

At this time there was already here a hardy group of pioneers tilling the soil and testing its productiveness. It wasn't long before the word went out to folks in the east that this fertile land was the place to sink roots and grow. So the emigration to this part of Wyoming began and development of Torrington was under way. It was no longer a post office and railroad station in the wilderness, but a thriving community offering goods and services to those arriving from points east to make their home on the prairie.

Not only was Torrington a town offering folks a "mail" station and basic needs for life and survival, but it was a cow town where cattle by the thousands were loaded aboard trains for shipment to the nation's markets. From Pony Trails in Wyoming by John Rollinson, we get this very vivid view and account from the point of view of cowboys in the area after the turn of the century it was decided not to start loading the beeves until next morning. The cars, with the locomotive, had been waiting a day and a night, as they had been ordered in advance of our coming. Those of us who could get away washed up and rode into the little town, (Torrington), which consisted of a few houses, a couple of general stores, a schoolhouse, church, and three saloons, together with a livery barn and a depot. A number of horses were standing in front of the places of business.

''Most of the men had been there before, and each had a favorite bar he desired to patronize ... we lost no time getting inside and lining up at the bar. Some of my companions greeted the big dark‑haired barkeeper with a friendly handclasp and a slap on the back, as they footed the brass rail. He was introduced to us as Chris . . . "

The account goes on to say that a roulette wheel was going full speed and there was a rinky‑dink male piano player in the main room. Nowhere could girls be seen in this establishment ... which was in the main part of town. On the walls of the saloon were pictures of Indian chiefs, Indian villages, some foot soldiers and hunting scenes. It seems that this area was the exact location of the old Red Cloud (Indian) Agency before it became a Government agency. The stories indicate that Old Chief Red Cloud used to make his village head�quarters here.

Rickety Dick Putney, a son of Mrs. G.W. Powell, established the first store in Torrington soon after the railroad was built into the area. Another pioneer was G.H. Sawyer who came in 1901 and opened a general merchandise store. The little store was just being finished, so Mr. Sawyer leased it and opened his business. While the country was very sparsely settled he built up a large and faithful trade, drawing from a distance of thirty miles.

By 1904 the first bridge across the North Platte River was built. This was located approximately a mile and a half west of the present bridge site ... nearer the present golf course. Heretofore people had had to ford the river, getting along pretty well doing such in the fall and winter when the water level was low. Fording was very difficult during the peak run‑off season of the spring and summer months.

At this same time J.T. Snow and H.S. Clark, Jr established the first bank. It was to be called the Snow and Clark Bank. In November of that year the bank was changed to a state institution under the name of Torrington State Bank. About a dozen of the influential citizens of Torrington and vicinity owned stock in the new bank. The officers and directors of the bank were: H.S. Clarke, Jr., President‑ Ed. H. Reid, Vice President� J.T. McDonald, Cashier. Snow Hall was also built at this time and was used for school, church, town meetings, dances, and other community gatherings.

By 1905 a school house had been built but in three short years was totally inadequate to accommodate the student population in the little community town.

From small beginnings the town began to grow and businesses popped up on every corner and filled in up and down the dirt and muddy Main Street. The town had a look thusly:

One National Bank
Three General Merchandise stores
Two Hotels
One Pharmacy
One Hardware and Furniture Store
One Men's Clothing Store
Two Lumber Yards
One Grain and Feed Store
One Printing Shop
One Barber Shop
One Meat Market
One Blacksmith Shop
One Livery and Feed Stable
One Opera House
Four Real Estate Offices
One Shoe and Harness Repair Shop
One Telephone Office
One Pool Hall
Two Physicians
One Dentist
One Attorney
One Dealer in Poultry and Eggs
Carpenters and Contractors
One Painter

To understand Torrington, one must understand its ''founder'' as well. The following statement is about W.G. Curtis, from the little book, Torrington, Wyoming: "The fact that we have a United States Commissioner in Torrington has resulted in a saving of a good many dollars to homesteaders who have filed on land in the north part of Laramie County, as they would otherwise have been compelled to go to Cheyenne to make their fil�ings and for final proof hearings. Mr. Curtis has the most up‑to‑date maps that can be obtained and in addition to this he knows practically every foot of land in this sec�tion, having lived in this country for nearly thirty years ' He was the first Postmaster of Torrington, having had charge of the office for seven years before there was any railroad in this section. The mail was carried from Cheyenne to Ft. Laramie by stage in those days, and the Torrington mail was carried from the Fort twice a week. Since the town was incorporated, Mr. Curtis has served two terms as Mayor. He has taken an active part in the construction of several irrigation ditches, the Torrington ditch which waters some of the finest land in this valley having been incorporated by him. Mr. Curtis served one term in the Wyoming State Legislature, and has also held a number of other responsible positions. He is prepared to locate anyone on homestead or desert entry, 160 or 320 acres, on short notice and at reasonable prices.''

The ''Red Cross" Pharmacy was established in Torrington in January,1906 by W.S. Miller and Dr. E.S. Empey. The pharmacy was sold the next year to H.W. Yoder, who renamed it, ''Palace Pharmacy." In addition to pure, fresh drugs, this firm also carried a full line of proprietary remedies and druggists' sundries and a fine line of choice cigars. The store also boasted a handsome marble soda fountain.

The best hotel in the North Platte Valley was the "Hotel Torrington." It was located in a two‑story cement building with convenient and well arranged rooms. E.A. Belingar was the proprietor, giving experienced competent and careful attention to his "valued" guests.

The establishment of the Torrington Telegram on 10^th of October in 1907 did a lot in letting people know and publishing the benefits and opportunities in store for the persons who would move to this area. The first page of this paper featured such an article on the "selling Torrington,'' October 17, 1907.

It was advertised ''how fortunate this community to have two of the very best physicians possible serving the people." These doctors were C.H. Platz, an old timer at four years in the town, and newcomer, C.B. Conaway. Conaway had his training under his famous doctor father in Brooklyn before coming to the West to practice.

After division and separation of lands from Laramie County, Goshen County was established by 1911. After a bitter and heated battle for "county seat" location between Lingle and Torrington with Torrington taking victory, the courthouse was built and dedicated in 1913.

Irrigation canals had been dug in the area, allowing precious water onto farmlands. Crops and hay grew in abundance. Those who could make it in farming did were very prosperous. Those who couldn't sold out left the area, for good in many cases. By 1926 Holly Sugar Factory was built in south Torrington and the new Union Pacific railroad branch and depot were opened. The new sugar industry gave a needed boost to the area's economy and provided jobs internally as well as a "paying crop" for the area farmers. Life could not be any grander.