The Wyoming State Legislature approved the formation of Park
County--named in honor of Yellowstone National Park--on February 15,
1909. Early fur traders such as John Colter and George Drouillard
traversed the area in the early 1800s, opening trade with the indigenous
Crow and Shoshone. In the middle of the 19th century, buffalo hunters,
miners, ranchers, and homesteaders arrived and displaced the indigenous
people in the area, establishing trading posts and the cowboy town of
Meeteetse. The region's natural wonders inspired conservationists to
lobby Congress to create Yellowstone National Park in 1872 and Shoshone
National Forest in 1891. In the 1890s, Buffalo Bill Cody spearheaded an
effort to irrigate arid lands and established productive farms and new
towns such as Powell and Cody. The scenery and outdoor recreation
opportunities lured many tourists to the area, including Ernest
Hemingway and Amelia Earhart. From the mountain peaks to the river
valleys, Park County offers insight into the extraordinary history of
the American West.