Lander is a city in and the county seat of Fremont County, Wyoming. It is located in central Wyoming, along the Middle Fork of the Popo Agie River, just south of the Wind River Indian Reservation. It is a tourism center with several nearby guest ranches. Its population was 7,546 at the 2020 census.

History

Lander was previously known as Pushroot, Old Camp Brown a transcontinental explorer who surveyed the Oregon Trail's Lander Cutoff. With the arrival of the railroad, Lander's population more than doubled between 1900 and 1910.

Sinks Canyon in the Wind River Range is close to Lander. Elk migrate out of the Wind River Range into the lowlands near Lander, arriving in early winter and frequently staying at least through calving season in the spring. The town is located in the Wind River Basin.

Climate

According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Lander has a warm-summer humid continental climate, abbreviated "Dfb" on climate maps. The hottest temperature recorded in Lander was on July 27, 1935, while the coldest temperature recorded was on December 19, 1924, and February 8, 1936.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Lander had a population of 7,546. The median age was 39.4 years. 23.3% of residents were under the age of 18 and 20.1% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 93.4 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 88.8 males age 18 and over.

There were 3,135 households in Lander, of which 28.5% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 45.6% were married-couple households, 18.5% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 28.8% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 33.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

! Race !! Number !! Percent

|-

| White || 6,287 || 83.3%

|-

| Black or African American || 52 || 0.7%

|-

| American Indian and Alaska Native || 456 || 6.0%

|-

| Asian || 84 || 1.1%

|-

| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander || 0 || 0.0%

|-

| Some other race || 119 || 1.6%

|-

| Two or more races || 548 || 7.3%

|-

| Hispanic or Latino (of any race) || 454 || 6.0%

|}

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 7,487 people, 3,161 households, and 1,932 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 3,385 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 88.0% White, 0.2% African American, 7.3% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 1.0% from other races, and 2.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.8% of the population.

There were 3,161 households, of which 28.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.2% were married couples living together, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 38.9% were non-families. 32.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.85.

The median age in the city was 40.3 years. 22.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.3% were from 25 to 44; 27.3% were from 45 to 64; and 17% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.0% male and 51.0% female.

2000 census

As of the census The work of William Shakespeare is performed by the touring Wyoming Shakespeare Festival Company, a non-profit organization based out of Lander. The Lander Community Concerts Association has brought in various performing artists since 1947. Lander's local library is the main branch of the Fremont County Library System, the original local Carnegie library still stands as part of the current building.

In the early 1990s, the St. Louis based chamber-pop band, Lydia's Trumpet, recorded their song, "Lander" on the cassette release entitled: Valentine Waffle. The song is based on the city, its founder, and a nostalgic summer road trip there.

The town is one of the headquarters of Asthmatic Kitty Records, founded by Sufjan Stevens.

Annual cultural events

The Pioneer Days Parade and Rodeo takes place on July 3 and 4 every year.

thumb|Lander's Fourth of July Parade in 1962.

thumb|July 4 parade on Main St in 1984.

The Lander Brew Festival features samples from Rocky Mountain-area breweries and has been held since 2002.

Lander is also home to the Wyoming State Winter Fair. In addition to Livestock showings, there are also plenty of rodeo activities to see or participate in.

Other annual events include the International Climbers Festival, and the Annual One Shot Antelope Hunt.

Attractions

thumb|Lander City Park located on the south end of town provides camping space and hosts a number of events in summer.

Outdoor attractions near Lander include Sinks Canyon State Park, Worthen Meadow Reservoir, Shoshone National Forest, the Wind River Range, and the Red Desert. Additionally, Lander is home to a number of museums, including the Fremont County Pioneer Museum, which focuses on the history of the Lander area; the Museum of the American West, which maintains a complex of historic structures; the Sacagawea Cemetery, the cemetery is located near Fort Washakie, north of Lander on the Wind River Indian Reservation; the Lander Children's Museum, with hands-on exhibits; and the Evans Dahl Memorial Museum, dedicated to the Annual One Shot Antelope Hunt. Several locations in Lander are listed on the National Register of Historic Places including the Lander Downtown Historic District, Jackson Park Town Site Addition Brick Row and the US Post Office and Courthouse-Lander Main

Government

Lander's city government is made up of an elected mayor, six-member city council, city clerk, treasurer and other departments, committees and appointed boards. The facility was operated by the Wyoming Board of Charities and Reform until that agency was dissolved as a result of a state constitutional amendment passed in November 1990.

Postal service

The United States Postal Service operates the Lander Post Office.

Airports

There is a small general aviation airport in Lander, called Hunt Field. Scheduled passenger airline service is available via the Central Wyoming Regional Airport located near Riverton, Wyoming.

Law enforcement

The law enforcement within Lander consists of the Lander Police Department.

Notable people

  • Jim Allen (born 1952), a former member of the Wyoming House of Representatives, who was born in Lander
  • Keri Ataumbi (born 1971), Kiowa artist, who was born on the Wind River Indian Reservation near Lander
  • Steve Bechtel (born 1970), a rock climber with a number of first ascents in his record; Born in Casper, as an adult he lives and works in Lander
  • Cale Case (born 1958), economist, businessman, politician; born in Lander
  • Mike Dabich (born 1942), professional basketball center who played one season in the American Basketball Association
  • Clayton Danks (1879–1970), the model of the cowboy on the Wyoming state trademark, the Bucking Horse and Rider, is interred at Mount Hope Cemetery in Lander.
  • Ed Drew (1865–1911), born in Lander, was an Arizona rancher, miner, and lawman in the final years of the Old West
  • Teri Greeves (born 1970), Native American beadwork artist, was born on the Wind River Indian Reservation near Lander
  • Lester C. Hunt (1892–1954), 19th governor of Wyoming, U.S. Senator known as an outspoken opponent of Senator Joseph McCarthy
  • Ralph Kimball (1878–1959), former Justice of the Wyoming Supreme Court, who lived as an adult in Lander
  • Larry LaRose (born 1953), NASA flight engineer, shuttle training aircraft, is a native of Lander.
  • Nate Marquardt (born 1979), mixed martial artist and current welterweight in the UFC, was born in Lander
  • Barney McLean (1917–2005), alpine skier, competed in three events at the 1948 Winter Olympics, born in Lander
  • Joseph B. Meyer (1941–2012), Wyoming attorney general and state treasurer was an assistant county attorney in Lander early in his political career
  • Helen Mowery (1922-2008), Miss Wyoming 1939, stage, film, and television actress, born in Casper, raised in Lander
  • Bob Nicholas (born 1957), Wyoming State representative from District 8 in Cheyenne, is a native of Lander
  • Phil Nicholas (born 1955), Republican member of the Wyoming Senate, born in Lander
  • Sacagawea (c. 1788–c. 1884), from the Lemhi Shoshone tribe; assisted Lewis and Clark on their trek of discovery across the northwest
  • Todd Skinner (1958–2006), free climber, who lived in Lander as an adult to be near its dolomite cliffs
  • Guy Trosper (1911–1963), screenwriter who was born in Lander and is buried there
  • Seth Brady Tucker (born 1969), poet, who was born in Lander
  • Herman Gould Nickerson (1841-1927), American pioneer, US Army Captain, Indian agent, Wyoming Legislature member, and Lander Judge

The 1926 film War Paint was shot in and around the Wind River Indian Reservation and Lander.

In 2025, YouTuber Any Austin visited Lander due to its similarly to the city of Whiterun from the video game The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.

References