Centennial Depot

Constructed in 1907, the Centennial depot is the oldest surviving depot of a unique Rocky Mountain railroad. The Laramie, Hahn's Peak and Pacific Railway Company, formed in 1901, provided valuable rail service to a remote area of Wyoming, and was integral to the economic life of the Centennial Valley and the Medicine Bow Mountains. Ranching, lumbering, and mining interests all relied heavily on the 111 mile line. Originally planned in anticipation of a gold strike which never materialized, the railroad instead transported the more profitable products of the Centennial area: cattle, lumber, and coal. The Laramie, Hahn's Peak and Pacific was unique in that, unlike most of its contemporaries in the West, it survived both financial woes and severe Rocky Mountain winters. Known since 1951 as the Coalmont Branch of the Union Pacific Railroad, the line continues to serve the Centennial Valley. The Centennial depot symbolizes the role the railroad has played in the settlement of the region. In its 75-year history, the building has often served as a center of community activity. At one time, the U.S. Post Office was located in the waiting room; a small grocery store was once operated in a corner of the structure. Saved from destruction in 1974 by a group of area residents, the depot continues in the tradition of serving the community; the building now houses the Nici Self Museum, named for a long-time Centennial resident, and contains various exhibits relating to the history of the Centennial area. The Centennial depot is not only a well-preserved example of the classic western train station; it also serves as a symbol of community spirit in the settlement of the Rocky Mountain West.

In honor of the nation's 1876 Centennial, a rich vein of gold discovered in 1875 in Wyoming's Medicine Bow Mountains was named "the Centennial Mine." The tiny community which grew up nearby was also named Centennial, as was the surrounding valley. Within a few years, however, the gold was gone. Centennial should have become a ghost town, like so many other Rocky Mountain mining towns, but the community clung to life. Prospectors still roamed the area, and soon other industries, notably ranching, timbering and coal mining, discovered the riches of the Centennial Valley.

Around the turn of the century, a Boston financier, Issac Van Horn, became convinced that gold would be rediscovered in the Centennial area. Van Horn's plans revitalized the small town: streets were platted, lots were sold, and soon Centennial boasted a newspaper, bank, hotel, several saloons, even a country club. In all, over a dozen corporations were formed to promote the village. Issac Van Horn's most ambitious plan was put into effect in February, 1901, when the Laramie, Hahn's peak and Pacific Railway Company was incorporated in Cheyenne, Wyoming, with Van Horn as president and Fred A. Miller named vice-president. The railroad was formed to transport the expected windfall of gold.

Years of financial difficulties followed. Locals began to refer to the L, HP and PRR as the "Lord, Help Push and Pull Railroad." The Van Horn syndicate needed six years to lay tracks from Laramie to Centennial, a distance of forty miles. When the rails did reach Centennial, it was clear that the predicted gold discoveries would not occur; the railroad then turned south to transport the more profitable coal, cattle and lumber products which the area continued to produce.