[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 9]
[Senate]
[Pages 12662-12663]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         GOSHEN COUNTY, WYOMING

  Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize the Centennial 
of Goshen County, WY.
  Goshen County is remarkable. Its 13,250 residents are fortunate to 
live in the unique and diverse communities of Torrington, Lingle, Fort 
Laramie, LaGrange and Yoder. Nestled in a temperate basin along the 
North Platte River, the people have always connected with the land and 
its legacy. Officially recognized on February 24, 1911, the basin area 
has a rich history, one that gave the county its unique name. Legend 
has it an unknown traveler roamed the area known as Goshen's Hole. 
Though his identity was never discovered, he was most likely a trader 
or a fur trapper. The legend of the name's origins has long been 
celebrated and contended by the folks in this area.
  Goshen County was a gateway to the Wild West, and its organization 
benefited from those headed westward. The Goshen Hole area, a popular 
stop for many, saw traffic from Native Americans, mountain men and fur 
traders. Thousands of emigrants following the California, Mormon and 
Oregon trails passed through the county by way of Fort Laramie. 
Established in 1834 along the banks of the Laramie River, the fort 
served as a trading post, post office, resting point and an important

[[Page 12663]]

military base during the Plains Indian Wars. Today, the community of 
Fort Laramie works to preserve the fort's key role in our State's 
history.
  Between 1876 and 1887, the area hosted part of the Cheyenne-Black 
Hills Stage Route between Cheyenne and Deadwood, SD. The route provided 
safe transport of freight, gold and passengers through land inhabited 
by Sioux Indians. The town of LaGrange began as one of many stage stops 
created to accommodate these passengers--it is now the oldest 
incorporated town in Goshen County. The development of the Union 
Pacific Railroad extension project offered new opportunities and 
connected the county to an ever-expanding West. Yoder began as a 
station along the extension line into the valley, and later prospered 
as an agricultural center. These extended tracks--coupled with the 
stage routes--were vital to the county's establishment.
  Today, the county is home to those looking to tame their own bit of 
the Wild West. Thanks to its temperate climate, agriculture is Goshen's 
primary industry. A highly developed irrigation system borrows waters 
from the North Platte River, the Hawk Springs reservoir and the 
Pathfinder Dam, which allows profitable crops of sugar beets, beans and 
wheat to prosper in the North Platte Valley. Small-acreage farms and 
sustainable growing practices bring the farming tradition into the 21st 
century. The county is consistently the leading beef producer in the 
state as over 200,000 head of cattle are raised each year. In addition, 
Goshen County is working to answer America's growing energy demands. 
Its proximity to the Niobrara Shale Formation provides the county with 
opportunities for future oil and natural gas production.
  In honor of the 100th anniversary of Goshen County, I urge my 
colleagues to see this ``Valley of Abundance'' in person. I 
congratulate the citizens who have worked so hard to preserve the 
county's heritage. They should be proud to celebrate this landmark 
achievement.

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