National Register of Historic Places

Virginian Hotel

Medicine Bow, Carbon County, Wyoming
Listed
May 21, 1978
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
78002818

About this property

The Virginian Hotel is a historic hotel in Medicine Bow, Wyoming, United States. Construction on the hotel began in 1901 and was completed in 1911. It was built by August Grimm, the first mayor of Medicine Bow, and his partner George Plummer. The hotel is thought to be named for the famous novel written in Medicine Bow, The Virginian by Owen Wister. Although it provided a place for cowboys and railroad workers to stay while they were in town, the hotel was actually built to serve a much broader clientele. It became a headquarters for all to meet and eat as well as a setting for many business dealings. The significance of the hotel rests upon its architecture and its history. The building is massive in size for a town the size of Medicine Bow, which has 284 residents. The hotel has served as a landmark for the town of Medicine Bow as well as a Historic Landmark for the state of Wyoming for nearly 100 years.

Location

Medicine Bow, Carbon County, Wyoming
41.89599, -106.20038

Categories

COMMERCETRANSPORTATIONEXPLORATION/SETTLEMENTARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Overview
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The Land
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Geology
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LiDAR Terrain
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Conflict & War
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The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
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Historical Maps
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Finds & Access
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Literature
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Nearby Historic Sites

Medicine Bow Union Pacific Depot
Industrial
0.1 mi
Site 32 SL-O Intermediate Field Historic District
Listed
1 mi
Como Bluff
Listed
6.8 mi
Fossil Cabin, The
Civil War
6.9 mi
Carbon Cemetery
Civil War
9.6 mi

Questions about this property

When was Virginian Hotel listed on the National Register?

Virginian Hotel was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 21, 1978.

What type of historic resource is Virginian Hotel?

Virginian Hotel is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Virginian Hotel?

The period of significance for Virginian Hotel is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Virginian Hotel?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Virginian Hotel will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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