Lander Mining Company's Placer Mine, undated

Although gold was discovered by the Fremont Expedition of 1842, serious mining in Fremond County did not commence until 1870. Most gold mining in Wyoming was lode mining. Several placer mines, however, operated in the late 1800's near Baggs in southern Carbon County, near Miner's Delight and south of Lander. Lewiston, now a ghost town, had a number of placer mining operations during the period 1874 to the 1890's including the Burr Lode, the Lone Pine, the Mint, the Hidden Hand, the Wolf, and the Wilson Bar. In the 1890's, a 500 foot of gravel at the Wilson Bar yielded some 370 ounces of gold. In 1893, the Burr yielded 3,000 ounces. Nuggets as large as 7 1/2 ounces have been recovered in the area. The Bullion Mine at Lewiston is estimated to have yielded some 21,000 ounces of gold during its operation.

In 1907 the state geologist in his report to the Governor noted:

"The pumping out of the Miners Delight mine has again started placering in the old placers in the gulch below the mine, and old and new ground is being worked over with the usual satisfactory results, as this gulch has produced gold, almost continually, since tile mine was first discovered. Small placers have been operated all over the district this year, but no large works have been installed.

"A matter which brought Wyoming into the limelight for a brief spell was the reported salting of the Red Canon placers, twenty miles south of Lander, in Fremont County, after the work of investigating the ground had been going on for many months, and the matter was brought to the attention of the Governor, who ordered the State Geologist to investigate the matter thoroughly. This is being done, and the whole matter will, be turned over, and public report made, as soon as the work is completed, in order to set Wyoming right before the investing public and the mining world."

[Webmaster's note: tile ore, an earthy cuprite often mixed with iron oxide. Cuprite is a copper ore.]

One of the more famous examples of salting of mines in Wyoming was not with regard to gold but of diamonds. See Rawlins II.

Lander churches, undated

The Roman Catholic Church was originally established in 1882 as the Church of the Immaculate Conception. The first church building was completed in 1883 at a cost $3,000.00. In 1920, the name was changed to Holy Rosary. In 1883, the Episcopal and the Methodist Churches were established.

Lander, approx. 1907

Note on the right the Golden Rule Store, predecessor of today's J. C. Penney Company. For more on J. C. Penney see Kemmerer. On the left is he Palace Pharmacy. The building later housed the Albany Bar. See next two photos.

Palace Pharmacy, 1906

Albany Bar, 1910

Fire Department Parade, Lander, 1909

Lander Baseball Team, 1910.

Lander, Wyo., 1929

Lander, Wyo., 1930's

Lander, Wyo., 1970's

Next page, Stage Service to and from Lander..