The historic communities of South Pass City and Atlantic City in Wyoming are locations that are intrinsically linked to the 1867 South Pass Gold Rush. According to WyoHistory.org, for years, rumors of gold in the area dominated the local discourse, but to no avail, as the rumored treasure had not yet been discovered. Until the late 1860’s there was only mica (more commonly known as fool’s gold) to be uncovered.

Although small quantities of gold and silver were found in 1855, not enough was discovered to inspire a rush. However, in 1864, officers and men of the 11th Ohio Cavalry believed there to be a surplus of gold in the upper Sweetwater area. Prospectors began surveying the mineral prospects of South Pass and the region’s first mining district was soon open. In June of 1867, three men brought 40 ounces of gold dust to Salt Lake City, and the treasure was refined into a gold bar valued at $740.06, with a fineness of 934 ½. A Utah newspaper reported that the mines were “200 miles from here and are rich”. Not long after, citizens from Salt Lake City swarmed the area, and the gold rush began.

Centuries after this gold rush, remnants of the past still stand, reminding us of the frenzy that once took this land by storm. Nestled within the region’s expansive, rugged, and historic terrain is Gillespie Place, a structure that has stood frozen in time. Located about 45 minutes southeast of both Atlantic City, Wyoming and the Miner’s Delight Saloon, Gillespie Place is a historic site established around 1910 by Sarah F. Gillespie.

A remarkable figure, Gillespie was a homesteader, entrepreneur, stagecoach driver, single mother, and prospector, earning the nickname “Copper Queen of Wyoming.” She constructed a hotel and stable at the site, which she ambitiously named “Copper City,” aiming to develop a copper mining district east of Lewiston. Despite her efforts, the envisioned mining boom didn’t materialize beyond a small camp that existed between 1912 and 1925. Gillespie continued to reside at her homestead until at least 1947 and passed away in 1956, with her final resting place in Lander.

Gillespie Place is one of several publicly accessible historic sites managed by the Bureau of Land Management’s Lander Field Office. Volunteers will be working on the original hotel, offering a tangible connection to early 20th-century homesteading and mining endeavors in the region. We’re excited to see you at Gillespie Place this season, for what is sure to be another classic Wyoming HistoriCorps volunteer opportunity!