Discover the rich cultural heritage of southwestern Wyoming at the Sweetwater County Historical Museum. Established in 1967 to preserve the history of Sweetwater County, the museum contains permanent and temporary exhibits, a large historical photograph collection, and local history research material.

Sweetwater County's history began long before written records. In prehistoric times the landscape was swampy and inhabited by great dinosaurs. Thousands of years later Native Americans, mostly Shoshone and Ute, claimed the land. The first white men moving through the area with any regularity were the mountain men. The first Rocky Mountain Rendezvous was held in 1825 in Sweetwater County, as was a later gathering in 1834 which is said to have been the largest rendezvous ever.

Several major emigrant trails passed through the county including the Oregon, California, Mormon, Overland, and Cherokee Trails, as well as the 1861 transcontinental telegraph line and Ben Holladay's Central Overland Express stage line. Vitally important to the history of the county was the coming of the transcontinental railroad in 1868. This was instrumental in the creation and development of Sweetwater County's two major population centers, Green River and Rock Springs. Green River was the major railroad town due to the nearness of a water supply, while Rock Springs became the coal mining center of the county.

Visit our Bookstore Online: We have maps and travel guides, historical books, coloring books, geology books, books on the old west, and Union Pacific logo items and more.

Check out our on-line coloring book for the little ones.

The mission of the Sweetwater County Historical Museum is to preserve and present the story of Sweetwater County from its early beginnings to the present, to serve as a depository for historical items and records and to serve as an educational and informational center for children and adults.