Park County, Wyoming: History
Wyoming gained separate territorial status in 1868. Before that, most of the state's area was included in either Laramie County (part of the Dakota Territory) or as unorganized territory within the Dakota Territory. Wyoming Territory was established on July 25, 1868, at which time Laramie County was assigned to this jurisdiction. The area known as Park County was established as Carter County, then Sweetwater County. In 1884 it was assigned to Fremont County; this continued until 1896, when it was assigned to Big Horn County.
Wyoming achieved statehood in 1890. The land in modern Park County continued as part of Big Horn County until 1909, when Park County was authorized. The county governing structure was put in place during 1911; a courthouse was constructed 1911–1912. An addition to the building was completed in 1983, and the complete building was restored in 1985.
The county was named for Yellowstone National Park which is mostly within the limits of Park County.
Immigrants from Ireland and Germany settled in what would become Park County in the 1870s. Immigrants from England were the largest immigrant group in Park County in the late 1800s and early 1900s. In 1911 when the county was organized the largest population group in the county were first generation English immigrants and their Wyoming-born children. Many English immigrants who had settled in Wyoming and become American citizens remained connected to England, many of the children of these English immigrants who had been born and raised in Wyoming joined the Canadian military in order to fight alongside Britain during World War I, and subsequently, when America joined the war many volunteered to join the United States military before the U.S. officially instituted a draft.
In 1913, Hot Springs County was created from portions of Park County, Big Horn County, and Fremont County. Park County also had minor boundary adjustments in 1929 and 1931, but otherwise its boundaries have remained unchanged.