Bucknum is a place and former community in Natrona County, in the U.S. state of Wyoming.[2] It is located about 24 miles west by road from Casper.

Bucknum
Segment of 1958 USGS map showing, from left to right, Powder River, Natrona, and Bucknum.
Segment of 1958 USGS map showing, from left to right, Powder River, Natrona, and Bucknum.
Bucknum is located in Wyoming
Bucknum
Bucknum
Location within the state of Wyoming
Bucknum is located in the United States
Bucknum
Bucknum
Bucknum (the United States)
Coordinates: 43°01′15″N 106°37′34″W / 43.02083°N 106.62611°W / 43.02083; -106.62611
CountryUnited States
StateWyoming
CountyNatrona
Elevation
5,440 ft (1,660 m)
Time zoneUTC-7 (Mountain (MST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-6 (MDT)
ZIP codes
82604 (Casper, WY)
GNIS feature ID1597236[1]
1909 advertisement for Seminole Mercantile Co. store in Bucknum

History

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As the Chicago and North Western built a rail line through the area west from Casper to Lander, it opened a station called Seminole by late December 1905, about 22.4 miles west of Casper by rail.[3][4] The "Seminole" name, however, started causing confusion with another Seminole located on the Union Pacific rail line in Wyoming.[5][6] Therefore, the station was renamed Bucknum in December 1907 by the railroad for Charles K. Bucknum, a Wyoming legislator and former mayor of Capser who owned land near the site.[7][8][9][10]

A post office was established in Bucknum in 1908, and remained in operation until it was discontinued in 1924.[11][12]

Bucknum's reported population was 18 in 1917 and 25 in 1924. A school was reportedly established there by 1922.[13]

As the Chicago and North Western abandoned its line, the communities in this area including Bucknum declined.[14] Rail continues to serve the area, however. A Spanish company bought the bentonite mine in the area formerly owned by U.S. Bentonite (off Bucknum Road) in 2015.[15][16][17] The Bucknum area now falls under the Casper zip code 82604.

References

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  1. ^ "Bucknum, Wyoming". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  2. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Bucknum, Wyoming
  3. ^ (28 December 1905) Rail Road News Notes, Natrona County Tribune
  4. ^ (6 January 1906). Northwest Notes, The Wyoming Press
  5. ^ (28 December 1907). Change Seminole to Bucknum, Riverton Republican
  6. ^ (8 January 1908). It is Bucknum Now, Natrona County Tribune
  7. ^ Chicago and North Western Railway Company (1908). A History of the Origin of the Place Names Connected with the Chicago & North Western and Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railways. p. 49.
  8. ^ Chas. K. Bucknum, Casper Press (October 9, 1908)
  9. ^ (10 January 1908). Other Counties Heard From, Wyoming State Journal and Lander Clipper
  10. ^ (27 April 1924). Place Names of Natrona County and Their Derivation As Told By Historian, Casper Daily Tribune
  11. ^ "Natrona County". Jim Forte Postal History. Archived from the original on February 27, 2015. Retrieved February 27, 2015.
  12. ^ Wyoming Place Names, Annals of Wyoming, Vol. 15, No. 1, p. 86 (January 1943)
  13. ^ National Register of Historic Places; Chicago and Northwestern Raiload Depot, Powder Mill. (1987)
  14. ^ Old Wyoming Postoffices, Annals of Wyoming, p. 158 (October 1957)
  15. ^ (30 September 2015). Spanish company restarts Natrona County bentonite operations, Casper Star-Tribune
  16. ^ (30 September 2015). Spanish company restarts Wyoming county bentonite operations, Billings Gazette
  17. ^ Dixon, Tom (21 December 2013). Casper bentonite company tries to rebound from bankruptcy, layoffs, Casper Star Tribune