Fossil, WY
Fossil was founded in 1889 by my great grandfather Richard H. Lewis. He was a cattle rancher. Other families followed.
The first town consisted of the Depot, the section house, a saloon, a store, and houses of settlers. My great grandma Cook opened a restaurant to feed the workers of the railroad. Because Fossil was built on a hilly area(and trains had trouble stopping), it was moved to it's next location in front of the Butte. New Fossil was founded in 1939 by E.J. Waters and John W. Twiggs.
The prospect of oil brought many new settlers to Fossil, the town peaked at a population of 150. But when engines started to go diesel, the town dwindled.
All that is left today is the depot, the section house, the saloon, and an old barn. The saloon is owned by the Ulrich's. And everything else is owned by my family, the Lewis Ranch. They use the land to graze cattle on. The last Fossil resident, my grandmother Gertrude Lewis, died last year March 4.
Fossil Butte National Monument brings many visitors by the old town. The Ulrich's have a fossil gallery, and hopefully soon I plan to rebuild the old depot hole into a gift shop and a museum Fossil town.
The weather is perfect Wyoming weather. Snowy, when it should be. And sunny and warm in the summers.
---Bridget Larson, 29 March 1998
Earnest Family, 1899, Fossil, Wyoming