Kemmerer, Wyoming

Kemmerer is the largest city in and the county seat of Lincoln County, Wyoming, United States. Its population was 2,415 at the 2020 census.

Kemmerer was incorporated in 1899.

History

Explorer John C. Frémont discovered coal in the area during his second expedition in 1843. The Union Pacific Coal Company opened the first underground mine in 1881 after construction of the Oregon Short Line Railroad from Granger to Oregon.

Patrick J. Quealy (1857–1930) immigrated from Ireland, founded Kemmerer as an "independent town" in 1897 when he was vice-president of the Kemmerer Coal Company, located south of the original townsite. He named the company and town after his financial backer, Pennsylvania coal magnate Mahlon S. Kemmerer (1843–1925). In 1950, the operation converted to strip mining and became the world's largest open pit coal mine. In 1980 the Kemmerer Coal Co. was sold to the Pittsburg & Midway Coal Company, a subsidiary of the Westmorland Coal Company. The pit remains in operation with an annual output of about 5 million tons.

Quealy sold lots in the townsite rather than lease them, which permitted the establishment of independent businesses. The company's subsidiary, Frontier Supply Company, provided electricity by utilizing a used $1,150 generator acquired in Utah. In Wyoming, he and his wife became active in Democratic Party politics and in St. Patrick's Church, for which the company donated land.

Quealy was the founding president of the First National Bank, As of 2026 the store is still operating. It includes a museum portion to the store with historical artifacts.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water.

The Fossil Butte National Monument is located 15 miles west of Kemmerer, on U.S. Highway 30.

Climate

According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Kemmerer has a warm-summer humid continental climate, abbreviated "Dfb" on climate maps. The hottest temperature recorded in Kemmerer was on July 12, 1990, while the coldest temperature recorded was on December 22, 1990.

|source 2 = National Weather Service

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Kemmerer had a population of 2,415 and 986 households, of which 656 were families. The median age was 39.9 years. 27.5% of residents were under the age of 18 and 17.7% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 103.5 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 104.2 males age 18 and over.

There were 986 households in Kemmerer, of which 31.2% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 56.7% were married-couple households, 20.3% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 18.1% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 29.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 1,229 housing units at an average density of 157.5 per square mile (60.8/km); 19.8% were vacant, with a homeowner vacancy rate of 3.8% and a rental vacancy rate of 25.3%. The population density was 309.6 per square mile (119.5/km).

{| class="wikitable"

|+ Racial composition as of the 2020 census The 2016–2020 5-year American Community Survey estimates show that the median household income was $63,861 (with a margin of error of +/- $4,663). The median family income was $81,429 (+/- $17,525). Males had a median income of $51,250 (+/- $14,109) versus $26,387 (+/- $2,541) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $35,114 (+/- $10,853). Approximately, 2.0% of families and 7.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.0% of those under the age of 18 and 15.9% of those ages 65 or over.

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 2,656 people, 1,078 households, and 704 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 1,265 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 93.2% White, 0.2% African American, 1.2% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 3.9% from other races, and 1.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.8% of the population.

There were 1,078 households, of which 30.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.7% were married couples living together, 4.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 34.7% were non-families. 29.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.8% 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 3.03.

The median age in the city was 38.2 years. 24.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26% were from 25 to 44; 30.4% were from 45 to 64; and 11.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 52.2% male and 47.8% female.

Economy

thumb|Naughton Power Plant

Naughton Power Plant is a 400 MW coal-fired power station supplemented by 380 MW gas, located on the southwest edge of Kemmerer. The plant employs 230 people, and is scheduled to stop burning coal in 2026, and gas in 2036.

In 2021, TerraPower selected Kemmerer as the site for a 345 MWe sodium-cooled fast reactor coupled with a molten salt energy storage system (which will allow it to increase its energy output when variable renewable energy sources are not generating). Its construction permit was approved by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in March 2026. It is estimated to cost $4 billion, with the US Department of Energy supplying half of that cost, and Bill Gates contributing $1 billion of his money.

The company plans to employ workers from Naughton Power Plant, and started clearing the site in 2024 to be ready for construction if/when a license is obtained from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Government

Kemmerer has a mayor and city council. The mayor and the six council members are elected at-large for four-year terms. Fossil Island Golf Course was built in 1920 and is known for its two par-5 holes culminating on their own island green. A walking path starts at the Community Fishing Pond and follows the Hams Fork River.

Education

Kemmerer is located within Lincoln County School District #1, which includes Canyon Elementary School, New Frontier High School and Kemmerer High School. Teresa Chaulk is the Superintendent of Schools.

Notable people

John Buck (born 1980), former MLB catcher
Jerry Buss (1933–2013), owner of the Los Angeles Lakers, lived in Kemmerer as a teenager
William L. Carlisle (1890–1964), one of America's last train robbers, lived in Kemmerer after his release from prison in 1936
Edgar Herschler (1918–1990), governor of Wyoming from 1975 to 1986
James Cash Penney (1875–1971), founder of the J.C. Penney chain of stores
Mollie Hemingway (c. 1974), journalist, was raised in Kemmerer
Nancy F. Peternal, state legislator

References

External links

City of Kemmerer
Kemmerer Chamber of Commerce