In Laramie’s early days, fires always posed a serious threat. Without a fire department, the best one could hope for was that a fire did not spread and cause too much damage. In time, a volunteer fire department was formed and a “bucket brigade” was put into place. The Laramie Fire Department formally organized in August … Continue reading Laramie Fire Brigade →

Fires were a hazard everywhere, but in the early days of Laramie, the best one could do was let things burn and hope they did not spread. Eventually, a volunteer Fire Department was formed and a bucket brigade was put into place to alleviate spreading disaster. After fires in 1871 and a fire at the … Continue reading Laramie Fire Department →

Fires were a hazard everywhere, but in the early days of Laramie, the best one could do was let things burn and hope they did not spread. Eventually, a volunteer fire department was formed and a bucket brigade was put into place to alleviate spreading disaster. After fires in 1871 and a fire at the … Continue reading Laramie Fire Department →

Remains of the Holliday Fire   On April 14, 1948, a fast-spreading fire began in an elevator shaft at the W.H. Holliday Building, raged through the structure and burned out of control for 15 hours. According to the Wyoming Almanac, flames could be seen for 40 miles and destroyed seven buildings and some 30 businesses. There … Continue reading Remains of the Holliday Fire →

The Union Pacific Rolling Mill was constructed in 1875 to “re-roll” old railroad rails and other metals. The mill employed approximately 100 people, and its presence might have been the springboard for further industrial development in Albany County until it burned down in 1910. The Boomerang reported that a spark from a westbound locomotive caused the fire, while … Continue reading The Rolling Mill Fire →

Remains from the Rolling Mills Fire. What was supposed to transform Laramie into the “Pittsburgh of the West” went up in smoke and was never rebuilt. The Union Pacific Rolling Mill was constructed in 1875 to “re-roll” old railroad rails and other metals. The mill employed approximately 100 people, and its presence might have been the springboard for further … Continue reading Remains of the Rolling Mill Fire →