LARAMIE, a co. in e. Wyoming, separated from Dakotah by the state line and the Black Hills, and from Nebraska by its frontier, the two constituting its e. boundary. The territory of Montana lies at the n., and Colorado on the s.; about 14,000 sq.m.; pop. '70, 2.937-1898 of American birth. It is intersected in the s. portion by the Union Pacific railroad with branches to Denver. It is watered by the Cheyenne river, an affluent of the Missouri. the North Fork and the South Fork, the Little Powder river, and numerous creeks and small rivers in the n., and in the s. the Niobrara river, the North Platte, Laramie, and their affluents. The n.w. portion is occupied by the Sioux Indian reservation, and the Black Hills belonging to the Ogallalla Sioux. In the a. is the old trading post of fort Laramie, and near the s. border fort Russell at Cheyenne. A considerable portion of the elevated surface of the county spreads out into what are called the Laramie plains; in other sections rising abruptly into buttes, or stretching away into the long ranges of the Laramie mountains. The soil of the bench-land, and
in some localities along the river bottoms, has every element of fertility, and the table lands are adapted to stock-raising; It had in '70, 10 manufacturing establishments employing 133 hands; capital, $226,000; annual product, $226,173; engaged in the manufacture of lumber, railroad ties, boots and shoes, clothing, tip, copper, and sheet7 iron ware. It has several machine-shops, including the repair shops of the Union Pacific railroad. Since 1874 it has been rapidly settled by miners and prospecting arties; the Black Hills having developed mines Of gold, carboniferous limestone, lead, and other minerals. The gold is found in connection with quartz. Ramey peak rises to an alti tude of 7,403 ft. above the level of the sea. The verdant valleys in this region furnish excellent pasturage, and are famous fo? their good water. The hills are covered with evergreen trees of fir and pine, with willows along the water-courses.