Cowley, Wyoming
Encyclopedia
Cowley is a town in Big Horn County, Wyoming
, United States
. The population was 560 at the 2000 census
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 0.7 square miles (1.8 km²), all of it land.
, there were 560 people, 200 households and 160 families residing in the town. The population density
was 796.5 per square mile (308.9/km²). There were 223 housing units at an average density of 317.2 per square mile (123.0/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.32% White, 0.18% Asian, 2.14% from other races
, and 0.36% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.39% of the population.
There were 200 households of which 41.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.0% were married couples
living together, 7.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.0% were non-families. 18.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.80 and the average family size was 3.19.
31.1% of the population were under the age of 18, 9.3% from 18 to 24, 24.5% from 25 to 44, 22.1% from 45 to 64, and 13.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 97.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.9 males.
The median household income
was $38,750 and the median family income was $39,722. Males had a median income of $31,848 versus $20,000 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $14,964. About 3.8% of families and 7.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.3% of those under age 18 and 7.8% of those age 65 or over.
their founder, one of the Apostles of the LDS Church at the time. The first company of pioneers arrived in the area on May 2, 1900, and began the construction of the Sidon Canal to bring water to the town from the Shoshone River. The canal was over 30 miles long and was not completed until 1904.
By winter 1900, there were approximately 18 log houses built in the area. Those original homes were built by Robert Baird, John Black, John Burke, Hyrum Cook, John Dickson, Robert Fraser, William Graham, David Lewis, Gilbert Marchant, Alfred Nebeker, William Partridge, William Simmons, George Taggart, Henry Tucker, Franklin Turnbow, Lemuel Willis, W. W. Willis and George Harston.
The first school was opened in a log house in January 1901, and the first teacher was Eliza R. Black. There were about 24-30 students.
On September 26, 1910, the Big Horn Academy was opened in Cowley, as the first High School. The first class to graduate from the Big Horn Academy was the class of 1912, consisting of 13 students. The first four-year graduating class was in 1915.
A new stone building was erected to house the Big Horn Academy in 1916. In 1925, the name was changed to the Cowley High School. The school's mascot was the Jaguars. The Cowley High School remained in the Big Horn Academy building until 1983, when the last class was graduated. There were only six students in the class of 1983, John Barnes, Ernesto Campos (a visiting student from Mexico), Gilbert Fisher, Greg Marchant, Randy Marchant and Bart Stevens. Due to the declining enrollment, the school in Cowley was closed.
Beginning in 1984, the town's students began attending the consolidated Rocky Mountain High School in Byron, Wyoming
, with students from Byron, Deaver and Frannie.
(Information for the History section was taken primarily from With Book And Plow, by Mark N. Partridge, published 2003 by Family History Publishers, Bountiful, Utah, Copyright Cowley Pioneer Museum History Center.)
. High School students attend Rocky Mountain High School in Cowley. Middle School students attend Rocky Mountain Middle School also here in Cowley and Elementary students attend Rocky Mountain Elementary School in Cowley.
The Big Horn Academy Building
, built in 1916, is located in Cowley. The building was home to Cowley High School from 1925-1983.
Wyoming
Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 560 at the 2000 census
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
.
Geography
Cowley is located at 44°52′58"N 108°28′5"W (44.882684, -108.468193).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 0.7 square miles (1.8 km²), all of it land.
Demographics
At the 2000 censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
, there were 560 people, 200 households and 160 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 796.5 per square mile (308.9/km²). There were 223 housing units at an average density of 317.2 per square mile (123.0/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.32% White, 0.18% Asian, 2.14% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.36% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.39% of the population.
There were 200 households of which 41.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.0% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 7.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.0% were non-families. 18.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.80 and the average family size was 3.19.
31.1% of the population were under the age of 18, 9.3% from 18 to 24, 24.5% from 25 to 44, 22.1% from 45 to 64, and 13.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 97.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.9 males.
The median household income
Median household income
The median household income is commonly used to generate data about geographic areas and divides households into two equal segments with the first half of households earning less than the median household income and the other half earning more...
was $38,750 and the median family income was $39,722. Males had a median income of $31,848 versus $20,000 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $14,964. About 3.8% of families and 7.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.3% of those under age 18 and 7.8% of those age 65 or over.
Government
The current mayor is local businessman Joel Peterson. Council members are David Banks, Dexter Woodis, Diane Badget and Dennis Woodward.History
The town of Cowley was settled by a group of Mormon pioneers called to settle Wyoming's Big Horn Basin. The town was named in honor of Matthias F. CowleyMatthias F. Cowley
Matthias Foss Cowley , born in Salt Lake City, Utah Territory, was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1897 until 1905. The town of Cowley in Wyoming is named after him. He was the father of Apostle Matthew Cowley by Abbie Hyde. ...
their founder, one of the Apostles of the LDS Church at the time. The first company of pioneers arrived in the area on May 2, 1900, and began the construction of the Sidon Canal to bring water to the town from the Shoshone River. The canal was over 30 miles long and was not completed until 1904.
By winter 1900, there were approximately 18 log houses built in the area. Those original homes were built by Robert Baird, John Black, John Burke, Hyrum Cook, John Dickson, Robert Fraser, William Graham, David Lewis, Gilbert Marchant, Alfred Nebeker, William Partridge, William Simmons, George Taggart, Henry Tucker, Franklin Turnbow, Lemuel Willis, W. W. Willis and George Harston.
The first school was opened in a log house in January 1901, and the first teacher was Eliza R. Black. There were about 24-30 students.
On September 26, 1910, the Big Horn Academy was opened in Cowley, as the first High School. The first class to graduate from the Big Horn Academy was the class of 1912, consisting of 13 students. The first four-year graduating class was in 1915.
A new stone building was erected to house the Big Horn Academy in 1916. In 1925, the name was changed to the Cowley High School. The school's mascot was the Jaguars. The Cowley High School remained in the Big Horn Academy building until 1983, when the last class was graduated. There were only six students in the class of 1983, John Barnes, Ernesto Campos (a visiting student from Mexico), Gilbert Fisher, Greg Marchant, Randy Marchant and Bart Stevens. Due to the declining enrollment, the school in Cowley was closed.
Beginning in 1984, the town's students began attending the consolidated Rocky Mountain High School in Byron, Wyoming
Byron, Wyoming
Byron is a town in Big Horn County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 557 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.9 square miles , of which, 0.8 square miles of it is land and 0.1 square miles of it is...
, with students from Byron, Deaver and Frannie.
(Information for the History section was taken primarily from With Book And Plow, by Mark N. Partridge, published 2003 by Family History Publishers, Bountiful, Utah, Copyright Cowley Pioneer Museum History Center.)
Education
Public education in the town of Cowley is provided by Big Horn County School District #1Big Horn County School District Number 1
Big Horn County School District #1 is a public school district based in Cowley, Wyoming, United States. The Superintendent is Shon Hocker.-Geography:...
. High School students attend Rocky Mountain High School in Cowley. Middle School students attend Rocky Mountain Middle School also here in Cowley and Elementary students attend Rocky Mountain Elementary School in Cowley.
The Big Horn Academy Building
Big Horn Academy Building
The Big Horn Academy Building was built in 1916. It is located in Cowley, Wyoming, United States. It served as a high school and junior college for the students who lived in the Bighorn Basin....
, built in 1916, is located in Cowley. The building was home to Cowley High School from 1925-1983.