Sweetwater County is a county in southwestern Wyoming, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 42,272, making it the fourth-most populous county in Wyoming. Its county seat is Green River. By area, it is the largest county in Wyoming. Its southern boundary line abuts the north lines of the states of Colorado and Utah. Sweetwater County comprises the Rock Springs, Green River, Wyoming Micropolitan Statistical Area.
History
Sweetwater County was created on December 17, 1867, as a county within the Dakota Territory. The county was formed of territory partitioned from Laramie County. The county was originally named Carter County for Judge W.A. Carter of Fort Bridger. In 1869, the newly established legislature of the Wyoming Territory renamed the county for the Sweetwater River.
Also in 1869, Uinta County was organized with land ceded by Sweetwater County. Johnson County, originally named Pease County, was formed from parts of Sweetwater and Carbon counties in 1875. In 1884, Sweetwater County lost territory when Fremont County was created. Sweetwater County also lost territory when its boundary with Carbon County was adjusted in 1886. County boundaries were also adjusted in 1909, 1911, and 1951.
South Pass City was the county seat from 1867 until 1873, when the county seat was moved to Green River.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.6%) is water. The largest county in Wyoming, Sweetwater County is larger than six states and is the eighth-largest county in the United States (not including boroughs and census areas in Alaska). Most of the Great Divide Basin lies within the county, comprising the county's northeast quadrant. The Continental Divide runs through the county.
Adjacent counties
- Fremont County (north)
- Carbon County (east)
- Moffat County, Colorado (south)
- Daggett County, Utah (southwest)
- Summit County, Utah (west-southwest)
- Uinta County (southwest)
- Lincoln County (west)
- Sublette County (northwest)
Major highways
- 20px Interstate 80
- 20px U.S. Highway 30
- 20px U.S. Highway 191
- 20px Wyoming Highway 28
- 20px Wyoming Highway 370
- 20px Wyoming Highway 371
- 20px Wyoming Highway 372
- 20px Wyoming Highway 414
- 20px Wyoming Highway 430
- 20px Wyoming Highway 530
- 20px Wyoming Highway 789
National protected areas
- Ashley National Forest (part)
- Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area (part)
- Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge
Demographics
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County commissioners
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Name
! Party
! Term
|-
| Keaton West (chair)
| Republican
| 2022-
|-
| Island Richards
| Republican
| 2022-
|-
| Mary Thoman
| Republican
| 2020-
|-
| Taylor Jones
| Republican
| 2021-
|-
| Robb Slaughter
| Republican
| 2022-
|}
Communities
Cities
- Green River (county seat)
- Rock Springs
Towns
- Bairoil
- Granger
- Superior
- Wamsutter
Census-designated places
- Arrowhead Springs
- Clearview Acres
- Eden
- Farson
- James Town
- Little America
- McKinnon
- North Rock Springs
- Point of Rocks
- Purple Sage
- Reliance
- Table Rock
- Washam
Other unincorporated communities
- Blairtown
- Creston
- Quealy
- Red Desert
- Riner
- Sweeney Ranch
Ghost towns
- Bryan
- Linwood (mostly within the State of Utah)
- Table Rock
- Winton
Media
Sweetwater County is served by two print publications: Rock Springs Daily Rocket-Miner and The Green River Star (a weekly newspaper published in Green River).
Hyperlocal websites
Sweetwater County is served by two hyperlocal news websites, SweetwaterNOW.com and wyo4news.com.
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Sweetwater County, Wyoming
- Wyoming
- List of cities and towns in Wyoming
- List of counties in Wyoming
- Wyoming statistical areas