Fremont

Formed March 5, 1884 (8^th county)

Fremont County (40,123), Lander (7,549), Riverton (10,685)                

The Modern red brick courthouse was built in 1956.  It is sited on 2^nd Street between Eugene and Amoretti streets.  United States Highway 287 passes six blocks south of the site.  Robert Wehrli provided the designs.  The building was enlarged in 1974.  Veterans memorials and canons are in front of the building.  A supporting courthouse is located in Dubois.  The county was formed on March 5, 1884 from part of Sweetwater County as the 8^th county and Lander has always been the county seat.  There was an 1886 courthouse previously.  Fremont County is named for explorer John C. Fremont.  The county seat was named for explorer F. W. Lander. 

Fremont County government consists of a sheriff and 5 Commissioners.  Three District Court Judges and Four Circuit Court Judges serve Fremont, Sublette, and Teton counties.  The county is in western Wyoming.  The geographical center of Wyoming is 58 miles east-northeast of Lander in the county.  Casper, Wyoming is east and Cheyenne, Wyoming is southeast of the county.  The Continental Divide crosses through the county.  The county center is 23.4 miles North of Lander nearer Ethete.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Hot Springs, Washakie, Natrona, Carbon, Sweetwater, Sublette, Teton, and Park counties. 

The area of the county is 9183 square miles.  It is 2 out of 23 in the state.  It ranks 5 out of 23 in population in the state.  It has a density of 4.3 persons per square mile making it 10 out of 23 in the state.  Fremont County has 51.7% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 20 comes into the county from the east, Natrona County, and goes north into Hot Springs County.  United States Highway 26 is joined with United States Highway 20 from Natrona County, splits and continues northwest into Teton County.  United States Highway 287 enters from Carbon County, southeast, and joins United States Highway 26 into Teton County.  The highest point is Wyoming, Gannett Peak, is in the county.  The county resembles a large watering can.  Lander is located in the southern third of the county.  Riverton is northeast of Lander.  Lander is the county seat and Riverton is the largest city.  Lander is 19.2% of the county population while Riverton is 27.2% of the county population.  This county is in the Riverton Micropolitan Statistical Area.