Casper (pop. 59,038; met. area pop. 79,955) is the second largest city in Wyoming. Only Cheyenne has more people. Casper serves as a production center for oil and gas companies and as a supply center for mining equipment. Many tourists visit Casper to enjoy camping, fishing, hunting, and winter sports and to see the city’s historic sites. Casper lies on the North Platte River in east-central Wyoming.
Casper began as a river-crossing point on the Mormon and Oregon trails. In 1858, a military post called Platte Bridge Station was established to guard the bridge and ferry crossings. In 1865, the name was changed to Caspar to honor Caspar W. Collins, a soldier who died there fighting Cheyenne and other native peoples. A clerical error probably caused the spelling change to Casper. In 1889, oil was discovered about 30 miles (50 kilometers) north of Casper. The city grew as oil wells developed in the area. Casper has a council-manager government and is the seat of Natrona County.
