Big Piney is a town in Sublette County, Wyoming, United States. As of the 2020 census, Big Piney had a population of 395.

It was incorporated in 1913.

History

Big Piney is the oldest settlement in Sublette County. It was founded in 1879, when rancher Daniel B. Budd and his partner Hugh McKay came with a thousand head of cattle from Nevada hoping to ship them, but got caught instead in severe winter weather in the Green River Valley. The following year, Dan Budd relocated his family to what became Big Piney.

The town was named after Big Piney Creek. The creek took its name from the pine trees growing along the banks of the creek.

Cattle and oil have traditionally been the two primary industries for the area.

The Wardell Buffalo Trap, a canyon used by Native Americans to trap bison, is in the vicinity of Big Piney. Its potential archeological value led to its listing on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971.

Historical documentaries

In 1987, actress Glenn Close, daughter of one of the town's doctors, co-produced a documentary about the vanishing cowboy of the American West, entitled, "Do You Mean There Are Still Real Cowboys?" The film focused on several generations of cattle ranching families in Big Piney. It was first shown in 1988 as part of the PBS television series "The American Experience" and was narrated by actor Robert Redford.

Big Piney was one of four international locations chosen for the 2006 documentary film Comrades in Dreams, about the impact of local movie theaters in four different cultures (North Korea, Burkina Faso, India and Wyoming).

Geography

Big Piney is located at (42.539768, −110.115350).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all land.

Climate

Sometimes known as the "Ice Box of the Nation," Big Piney has one of the coldest climates among inhabited locations in the Lower 48.

Big Piney experiences a semi-arid climate (Köppen BSk) with long, cold, dry winters and short, warm summers. Because of the high elevation and aridity, large diurnal temperature differences are a regular feature of Big Piney's climate. Precipitation is very low and somewhat concentrated in the warmer months.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 552 people, 228 households, and 131 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 282 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 92.8% White, 0.9% African American, 1.4% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 4.0% from other races, and 0.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.7% of the population.

There were 228 households, of which 30.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.8% were married couples living together, 4.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 42.5% were non-families. 31.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 3.17.

The median age in the town was 35.8 years. 24.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 5.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 30.2% were from 25 to 44; 26.8% were from 45 to 64; and 12.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 54.9% male and 45.1% female.

2000 census

As of the census Shane Voss is Mayor until 2027. Sierra Banks is Mayor Pro Tem from 2025 to 2029.

Arts and culture

Green River Valley Museum focuses on local history. There are seven buildings, each with several exhibits.

July 3rd and 4th the town celebrates Chuckwagon Days. Later in July Big Piney hosts the Sublette County Fair.

Education

Public education in the town of Big Piney is provided by Sublette County School District #9. Schools serving the town include Big Piney Elementary School (grades K-5), Big Piney Middle School (grades 6–8), and Big Piney High School (grades 9–12).

See also

  • List of municipalities in Wyoming

References

  • Town of Big Piney
  • Chamber of Commerce
  • Local area information
  • Sublette County information