[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 9]
[Senate]
[Pages 12825-12826]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        NIOBRARA COUNTY, WYOMING

  Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I rise today to honor the Centennial of 
Niobrara County, WY.
  The residents of Niobrara County are fortunate to live in such a 
timeless and scenic place. Nearly 2,500 residents live in the 
communities of Lusk, Manville, Lance Creek, and Van Tassel. Its many 
natural wonders that fill the landscape make Niobrara one of the top 
places to visit in the State. Part of the county includes land set 
aside and known as the Thunder Basin National Grasslands. This area 
provides a valuable habitat for Wyoming's wildlife and numerous 
recreation opportunities for its residents. Two rivers, the Cheyenne 
and the Niobrara, run through the county and can be credited for 
creating rich, fertile soil in the area.
  Although Niobrara County is one of the smallest counties in the 
State, it certainly has one of the most fascinating histories. The 
county boasts a wide array of prehistoric dinosaur fossils at its 
premier Spanish Diggings site. Several rare artifacts have been found 
and are displayed in national exhibits. The region also saw heavy 
traffic from Native Americans who used

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the grasslands as prime hunting and camping areas. Members of the 
Lakota Sioux, the Cheyenne, and the Kiowa tribes settled in the area 
many years ago.
  With the great westward expansion came the greater urbanization of 
the West. Niobrara County was not immune from such development--
instead, it embraced the changes. The grassland area of the county 
became a popular area for fur traders, homesteaders, and other 
emigrants caught in the throes of gold rush excitement. One popular 
stage stop, Running Water, was located along the banks of the Niobrara 
River and was used by several travelers as a spot to rest and refuel. 
The Cheyenne-Deadwood Stage Route, which traveled the length of the 
county, provided important transport of freight, gold, and passengers. 
This important route and the additional stage lines which passed 
through were essential to the development of the county.
  Today, the residents of Niobrara County have capitalized on that 
industrious spirit. Thanks to the temperate climate and the fertile 
soil in the Powder River Basin, Niobrara County's primary industry is 
agriculture. The county's farmers consistently produce profitable crops 
like grain, wheat, and beans, and its ranchers work diligently in 
livestock production. The county's vast mineral resources played a key 
role in the county's robust economy. Several minerals and precious 
metals have been discovered and mined in the grasslands of Niobrara 
County. Both gold and silver were discovered and mined in the early 
days of settlement. Later, uranium was discovered near Lusk, a 
discovery which sparked a statewide boom in uranium drilling. Finally, 
the discovery of oil in Lance Creek was perhaps the most profitable of 
all mineral extraction. During World War II, Lance Creek was one of the 
country's important oil rigs, producing vast amounts of oil needed for 
the American war effort.
  It is an honor to help the residents of Niobrara County celebrate 
their 100th anniversary. I invite my colleagues to visit this 
enterprising community in person. The residents of Niobrara County 
should be proud to present this heritage to visitors from all over the 
world.

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