Casper, city in central Wyoming, on the North Platte River, seat of Natrona County, at the base of the Casper Mountains. Casper is a petroleum-producing and -refining center and the commercial focus of a vast cattle- and sheep-ranching area. The city is the site of Casper College (1945); a branch of the University of Wyoming; and a community college. Winter ski areas are nearby. The site of the city was the river crossing of the Oregon Trail, California Trail, and Overland Trail. A Mormon ferry was established here in 1847, and a bridge was completed in 1859. The first oil well was drilled in 1883, and the first refinery was erected in 1895, but the real growth began with the arrival of the railroad in 1888. The Teapot Dome oil field north of the city gave its name to a major corruption scandal (1922) of the Warren G. Harding presidential administration.
The city's name is derived from Fort Caspar (built 1861; now restored). The fort is named for Lieutenant Caspar Collins, killed in 1865 in a battle with Sioux and Cheyenne tribes who were attempting to halt the influx of white settlers. A clerk's spelling error accounts for the city's present name. It was incorporated in 1917. According to the 1990 census, whites constitute 96.5 percent of the city's population, blacks represent 0.9 percent, Native Americans constitute 0.5 percent, and people of Asian background make up 0.5 percent. Hispanics, who may also be counted among other groups, constitute 3.9 percent of the population. Population 51,016 (1980); 46,742 (1990); 48,283 (1998 estimate).Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2001
http://encarta.msn.com © 1997-2001 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Casper Information info
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