Spencer, Wyoming Ghost Town

You’ll find Spencer, Wyoming among America’s most dramatic ghost town stories, where an entire community vanished within 48 hours after failed railroad negotiations in 1889. Before its sudden demise, the town thrived on mining operations, with the Colorado Fuel & Iron Company extracting 40 million tons of iron ore through 1980. The site contains visible remnants of frontier life, including original foundations and mining equipment that tell a fascinating tale of the American West.

Table of Contents hide

1 Key Takeaways

2 The Rise of a Western Frontier Settlement

3 Mining and Railroad Influences

4 Daily Life in Spencer’s Peak Years

4.1 Mining Workers’ Social Life

4.2 Family Medicine and Healthcare

5 The Hospital’s Role in Local Healthcare

5.1 Medical Staff and Services

5.2 Healthcare Access Through Decades

5.3 Building’s Final Operating Years

6 Economic Decline and Abandonment

7 Physical Remains and Artifacts Today

8 Spencer’s Place in Wyoming’s Ghost Town Legacy

9 Preservation Efforts and Tourism Potential

10 Frequently Asked Questions

10.1 Were Any Notable Outlaws or Lawmen Associated With Spencer’s History?

10.2 What Indigenous Tribes Originally Inhabited the Area Before Spencer Was Established?

10.3 Did Spencer Have Any Significant Weather-Related Disasters During Its Existence?

10.4 What Happened to the Cemetery and Are There Still Burials There?

10.5 Were There Any Major Epidemics That Affected Spencer’s Population?

11 References

Key Takeaways

Spencer began as a mining settlement, with the Powars II site being North America’s oldest documented mine, dating back 13,000 years.
The town experienced rapid decline after failed railroad negotiations in 1889, resulting in a mass exodus within 48 hours.

During its peak, Spencer featured bustling saloons, general stores, and community gatherings that formed the social fabric.
The Colorado Fuel & Iron Company extracted 40 million tons of iron ore from Spencer’s mines between 1898 and 1980.
Physical remains include original foundations, mining equipment, log cabins, and personal artifacts that showcase 19th-century frontier life.

The Rise of a Western Frontier Settlement

While many Western settlements emerged from mining rushes, Spencer’s origins tell a different story of gradual frontier development. You’ll find the township’s roots trace back to a lone trapper named Lincoln, who made his home by the lake that would later bear his name.

The settlement patterns truly began taking shape when Cyrus B. Thomas arrived in 1846, followed by Henry Stroup in 1848.

Throughout the next decade, you’d have witnessed steady agricultural development as families like the Hatches, Cowles, and Parks established homesteads. Much like the pioneers who settled at Point of Rocks Station along the Overland Trail, these early settlers helped establish vital outposts in the Wyoming Territory.

The community reached a significant milestone when they held their first township election in 1861.

Mining and Railroad Influences

Although Spencer’s early years centered on frontier settlement, the discovery of North America’s oldest documented mine – the Powars II site – would forever link the area to mining history.

Spencer’s mining legacy began with frontier dreams but was forever defined by the ancient Powars II site, North America’s oldest documented mine.

You’ll find evidence of both ancient and industrial mining techniques spanning nearly 13,000 years, from Paleoindian red ocher extraction to CF&I’s massive iron ore operations.

Ancient miners used animal bones and antlers to dig for precious red ocher
The Colorado Fuel & Iron Company extracted 40 million tons of iron ore between 1898-1980
Railroad lines connected Spencer to nearby Sunrise and Hartville

Rail corridors revealed archaeological treasures where industrial and native histories intersect

Amateur archaeologist Wayne Powars first discovered the red ocher mine during extensive explorations in the 1930s and 1940s. Recent research by Dr. Spencer Pelton has further illuminated the site’s significance as a crucial Paleoindian quarry.

The railroad impact transformed Spencer’s destiny, enabling large-scale mining operations while shaping the town’s eventual decline.

When the mines closed and trains stopped running, Spencer’s bustling frontier spirit faded into ghost town silence.

Daily Life in Spencer’s Peak Years

If you’d lived in Spencer during its heyday, you’d have found miners gathering at the local saloon after grueling shifts, sharing drinks and stories while participating in community dances and celebrations to maintain social bonds.

The harsh reality of mining life meant injuries and illnesses were commonplace, with most medical care provided by fellow townspeople using home remedies and basic first aid. A modern telephone system helped residents stay connected and call for help during emergencies. For those seeking safety and protection, they could rely on the volunteer fire department that responded first to local emergencies.

Your family’s health would’ve depended heavily on community knowledge and support, as proper medical facilities were distant and doctors’ visits were rare events reserved for the most serious conditions.

The social life of Spencer’s mining workers revolved around several key establishments that served as communal gathering spots after long days of grueling labor.

You’d find the saloons culture thriving, with miners’ camaraderie fostered through card games, storytelling, and sharing sarsaparilla or stronger drinks. In its peak years, the town supported over 300 residents who regularly gathered at these establishments. The bustling scene included four general stores that anchored the town’s social activity.

These rough-and-tumble establishments weren’t just about entertainment – they served as essential community hubs where you could:

Catch up on local news and mining developments
Form lasting friendships with fellow workers from diverse backgrounds

Participate in informal business meetings and deal-making
Join in community celebrations and mining competitions

The town’s social fabric also included general stores, hotels, and boarding houses where you’d find both veteran miners and newcomers mixing freely, creating the unique spirit of Western frontier life.

Family Medicine and Healthcare

During Spencer’s peak years, healthcare centered around the imposing Spencer State Hospital, which opened its doors in 1893 as a response to overcrowding at Weston State Hospital. The institution dominated rural medicine in the region, housing up to 1,200 patients and employing local residents as caregivers who often boarded on-site.

You’d find community health deeply intertwined with the hospital’s operations. The facility maintained its own farms, power systems, and water supply, creating a self-sufficient medical compound. The hospital’s care expanded beyond mental health to treat patients with typhoid fever, tuberculosis, and other illnesses.

While family doctors likely provided some care in town, the hospital’s presence overshadowed private practice. Its whistle marked daily rhythms of life, and its 295-acre grounds provided both therapeutic space for patients and sustenance through agricultural production.

When the hospital closed in 1989, it dramatically altered Spencer’s healthcare landscape.

The Hospital’s Role in Local Healthcare

You’ll find that Spencer State Hospital served as the region’s primary mental healthcare facility from 1893 through 1989, relieving overcrowding at Weston while expanding to treat infectious diseases like tuberculosis and typhoid fever.

Throughout the decades, the hospital’s medical staff managed patient care across the quarter-mile-long brick complex, utilizing on-site resources from the 180-acre property to provide extensive treatment. The facility maintained an open-door policy where patients had freedom of movement within set boundaries.

The institution’s final operating years saw modernization efforts, including the 1973-76 replacement of its administrative building, before ultimately closing its doors after nearly a century of service to Roane County.

Medical Staff and Services

While many frontier towns struggled to provide adequate healthcare, Spencer’s medical services were remarkably extensive through its state hospital, which opened in 1893 to serve an eight-county region.

The facility’s medical expertise encompassed thorough patient care with modern treatment approaches and specialized units.

You’d find an impressive range of services that included:

Psychotherapy and group counseling sessions adapted to individual needs
Physical illness treatment units with dedicated rehabilitation programs

Advanced therapies including electroconvulsive treatment and chemical interventions
Specialized alcohol treatment programs showing forward-thinking medical approaches

The hospital maintained an innovative open-door policy, keeping most patients in unrestricted wards rather than using mechanical restraints.

Staff provided continuous care through integrated living quarters, ensuring round-the-clock medical support for the region’s mental health needs.

Healthcare Access Through Decades

Spencer’s healthcare landscape extended far beyond its local boundaries, with Wyoming State Hospital in Evanston playing a central role in the region’s medical infrastructure since 1887.

As Spencer lacked major medical facilities, you’d find significant healthcare disparities between local and institutional care options. If you needed mental health treatment, you’d have to rely on rail transport to reach the state hospital in Evanston.

Throughout the decades, your access to healthcare would’ve largely depended on seasonal conditions and available transportation.

While local physicians handled general medical needs, complex cases required referral to Wyoming State Hospital’s expanding campus. The hospital’s evolution from a basic asylum to a thorough psychiatric facility gradually improved treatment options, though distance and weather continued to challenge rural residents seeking specialized care.

Building’s Final Operating Years

During its final operating years leading up to 1989, the hospital complex remained a self-contained healthcare community that served as the region’s last major institution for mental health treatment.

The hospital legacy reflected a complete care system with its own utilities, expansive farmland, and integrated facilities. You’ll find its community impact was substantial, as it treated various conditions beyond mental health while maintaining strong ties with local residents.

Key aspects of the hospital’s final era:

Operated extensive farm operations providing food for patients and staff

Maintained an open-door policy with controlled internal fencing
Replaced its administrative building in mid-1970s to modernize facilities
Served as the area’s largest employer until its closure impacted the local workforce

Economic Decline and Abandonment

The failed negotiations between landowners and the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad in 1889 triggered Spencer’s swift demise. When Joseph Spencer couldn’t strike a deal for depot land at LAK Ranch, the railroad’s decision to bypass the town crushed local economic strategies and shattered community resilience.

Within 48 hours of the September 1st announcement, you’d have witnessed a mass exodus as residents dismantled or abandoned their buildings. The town’s dependence on railroad access proved fatal – without passing trade and travel routes, businesses couldn’t survive.

Those who fled often settled in Newcastle, living temporarily in dugouts along Cambria Creek. Later attempts to revive Spencer as a tourist destination in the 1970s fell short, leaving only ghost town remnants as evidence of the boom-and-bust cycle of Wyoming’s frontier communities.

Physical Remains and Artifacts Today

Despite over a century of exposure to Wyoming’s harsh elements, visible remnants of Spencer’s frontier past still dot the landscape today.

Time and weather have battered Spencer’s remains, yet traces of its pioneering spirit endure across Wyoming’s rugged terrain.

You’ll find physical remnants of original foundations, charred wooden planks, and log cabins that showcase typical 19th-century construction methods. The artifact significance is evident throughout the site, telling the story of this once-bustling mining town.

As you explore Spencer’s remains, you’ll discover:

Mining equipment and tools scattered among collapsed mines
Household items like cookware and ceramics that paint a picture of daily life
Personal artifacts including clothing fragments and horse tack

A weathered cemetery with faded tombstones revealing genealogical data

The site’s preservation efforts have stabilized key structures while maintaining authenticity, allowing you to experience this slice of Wyoming’s mining heritage firsthand.

Spencer’s Place in Wyoming’s Ghost Town Legacy

Standing among Wyoming’s many abandoned frontier settlements, Spencer emerges as a compelling tribute to the state’s rich mining heritage.

You’ll find Spencer’s significance deeply rooted in the classic gold rush narrative of 1868, when miners and speculators flocked to this promising outpost.

Like many ghost town narratives, Spencer’s story echoes the familiar boom-and-bust cycle that defined Wyoming’s mining era. The town flourished briefly as an essential hub for mineral extraction and frontier commerce until an 1890 fire accelerated its downfall.

By 1899, Spencer had joined the ranks of Wyoming’s forgotten settlements, its fate sealed by depleted mines and shifting transportation routes.

Today, it stands as a memorial to the untamed spirit of western expansion and the transient nature of frontier prosperity.

Preservation Efforts and Tourism Potential

While Wyoming’s ghost towns face constant threats from both nature and human activities, Spencer’s preservation efforts showcase the state’s commitment to protecting its frontier heritage.

Wyoming’s dedication to preserving Spencer stands as a testament to safeguarding the authentic stories of America’s frontier past.

The state’s preservation strategies include collaborative work between the State Historic Preservation Office and local stakeholders to safeguard this piece of Western history.

Advanced security measures like fencing ($160,000) and remote alarms ($16,000) protect archaeological treasures
Salvage excavations recover thousands of artifacts, documenting Spencer’s rich historical significance
Tourism initiatives integrate interpretive signage and controlled access points to enhance visitor experiences

Community involvement and private landowner cooperation strengthen preservation through shared stewardship

You’ll find these efforts align with Senate File 58’s provisions, ensuring that Spencer’s cultural resources remain protected while offering you opportunities to explore Wyoming’s authentic frontier past.

Frequently Asked Questions

Were Any Notable Outlaws or Lawmen Associated With Spencer’s History?

You’ll find rich outlaw encounters through Butch Cassidy’s Wild Bunch, who used nearby hideouts, while lawman legends like Frank Canton and Tom Horn pursued justice in your region’s wild frontier.

What Indigenous Tribes Originally Inhabited the Area Before Spencer Was Established?

You’ll find the Eastern Shoshone were the primary inhabitants, sharing these ancestral lands with Northwestern Shoshone bands. They hunted buffalo and gathered resources alongside Paiute, Bannock, and Ute peoples.

You won’t find records of flood damage or winter storms devastating Spencer. Historical documents suggest the town’s decline wasn’t tied to weather disasters, unlike South Pass City’s deadly 1907 avalanche.

What Happened to the Cemetery and Are There Still Burials There?

You’ll find most bodies were relocated from this pioneer cemetery, with burial records largely lost. Today, you can see just one remaining headstone, though preservation efforts acknowledge numerous unmarked graves still exist there.

Were There Any Major Epidemics That Affected Spencer’s Population?

While you might expect epidemic effects to have caused population decline, there’s no direct evidence of major disease outbreaks in Spencer. The town’s fate followed typical Wyoming ghost town patterns of economic decline.