Platte

Formed February 21, 1911 (20^th county)

Platte County (8,603), Wheatland (3,586)

The tan brick Classical Revival facility was constructed in 1917.  The courthouse is on 9^th Street at Maple Street.  9^th Street is United States Highway 87 Business in this part of the town.  Baerreson Brothers Architects provided the designs.  The courthouse features columns and veteran memorials on the grounds.  The county was created on February 21, 1911 from Laramie County as the 20^th county with Wheatland as the only county seat.  Platte County is named for the Platte River which is French for “flat.”  The county seat is named for the local crops.  Platte County is the birthplace of 1 Wyoming Governor, James E. Geringer. 

Platte County government consists of a sheriff and 3 Commissioners.  Two District Court Judges and Four Circuit Court Judges serve Platte, Converse, Goshen, and Niobrara counties.  Platte County is in southeast Wyoming.  Cheyenne, Wyoming is south and Casper, Wyoming is northwest of the county.  The county center is 8.2 miles Northeast of Wheatland nearer Uva.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Niobrara, Goshen, Laramie, Albany, and Converse counties. 

The area of the county is 2085 square miles.  It is 21 out of 23 in the state.  It ranks 17 out of 23 in population in the state.  It has a density of 4.1 persons per square mile making it 12 out of 23 in the state.  Platte County has 60.3% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 25 crosses north to south through the county from Converse County to Laramie County.  United States Highway 26 enters from the east, Goshen County, and joins Interstate Highway 25 into Converse County.  United States Highway 87 is joined with Interstate Highway 25 from Converse to Laramie counties.  The county is a rectangle.  Wheatland is located in the southern third of the county.  Wheatland is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 41.7% of the county population.  The county is pronounced PLAT.