Riverton area?

[Dr. Alan]

Howdy folks. Last summer the family and I took a trip from Fort Smith, Arkansas to Yellowstone. We passed thru a town called Riverton. I haven't noticed much, if any, discussion on this town in the Forum. Are there any FSWers that live there? It's not too far north of Lander I believe. Anyway seemed like a nice place and it had a College just outside of the city. Any information ya'll can share is appreciated.

Shalom, Dr. Alan

[ThomasK]

All I know is that it is in the middle of the Indian reservation and is mostly drill rig work.  As you drive through it gives the impression of being larger than it really is.

Tom

[Paul W. Allen]

  Hello Dr. Alan, I guess I am the closest thing to FSW in Riverton. As mentioned Riverton is indeed located within the Wind River Indian Reservation but hardly in the middle of it. The entire region is known as the Wind River Basin and is one of Wyoming's little Banana belts. The area is still largely agricultural, ranching and farming families that mostly date back to when Wyoming was still a territory. One local farm has won the title of best quality alfalfa in the nation for the past few years I do believe It is also located within close proximity to 4 sizable natural gas fields. The corporate headquarters for Brunton Sporting Goods are also in Riverton. If you enjoy the outdoors then Riverton is a decent place. Twenty minutes will get you to the Wind River mountains and the Shoshone National Forest or to Boysen Reservoir. Head farther up the valley and you hit Dubois up in the high country. Riverton is also home to Central Wyoming College as you noted. The wind still blows here but is markedly less than you would find out on the plains. The area does have its disadvantages as does any area in Wyoming. Shopping is largely comprised of a Walmart, a Kmart, and numerous local owned shops. The closest mall is 120 miles away in Casper. I've lived in the area for a long time and prefer to live on deeded ground in an area know as Missouri Valley which is one of several rural agricultural areas within 15 minutes of town. It's not a large town thank goodness, I believe the population is around 11,000 not counting the surrounding areas but it is growing along with the rest of the state. There is an Indian owned Casino in town and a new complex is under construction unfortunately. We definately have our issues, but who doesn't. There is a reason Ol' Chief Washakie of the Shoshone brokered the deal for the Wind River Basin in exchange for being good little citizens. He got a wonderful chunk of realestate which includes a great deal of NW Fremont county. We prefer to keep it as our lil' secret. Hope this helps. Paul Allen

[wyomiles]

So Countrymech, How does land ownership work over there. I mean can you buy land on the reservation ? Do  you have to be a member of the tribes ? Or is there plenty of land outside the reservation ?   Miles

[Brandy]

If this reservation is the same--which I have no reason to believe otherwise.  Absolutely no person or entity can purchase the land.  On the Navajo reservation families can do a homesite lease that is $1 for 100(it may be 50) years but they do not own it.  That is why there are not alot of private stick built homes--banks can't finance just the house and the repossession/foreclosure process on the reservation is a joke.  He!!, on the Navajo reservation you are not supposed to live their unless you are married to a Navajo or have atleast a quarter Navajo in you.

[Paul W. Allen]

There is alot of land that is deeded ground, on and off the Reservation. I wouldn't advise buying land from the tribes. They'll take your money and let you live there but when you die it reverts back to the tribe. But there is plenty of deeded ground available for purchase. That is the kicker I eluded to in my first post, deeded ground. Heck, we even got the mineral rights with ours. The one thing that does make this area appealing though is the availability of water. Thanx to the Wind River, the Popo Agie, and numerous other water ways fed by the mountains. Like I said, it isn't free of problems but it does have numerous offerings. Just curious, as I understand it, the Navajo Reservation is a pretty poor and desolate place isn't it?

[Paul Bonneau]

The times I've been through Riverton I liked it. It has a nice, solid working-class feel to it, unlike the yuppified Lander down the road from it. It has that mountain man Rendezvous which is interesting. I like the area around there too.

Ben Irvin, on the Montana list has told me about that reservation (he's a Crow Indian). It actually holds two tribes that were deadly enemies, the Plains Shoshone and the Northern Arapaho (I believe the US Govt did that on purpose, more than once too, the bastards). So it is almost like two reservations, with no mixing between the two. Apparently every year the Shoshone petition the US govt. to evict the Arapaho from their reservation (which was on Shoshone land, I believe).

I have been wondering how to pronounce "Popo Agie". 

[Paul W. Allen]

  That was the true genius behind Chief Washakie's master plan. He used the Arapahoe to get the land on his terms. He offered to allow the Arapahoe to live on the Reservation with the Shoshone if the government would give him the land that he asked for. The rest is history as they say. He made one heck of a deal, but there are still cultural differences and issues to this day. For example, the tribes make royalties off of the mineral rights for any resources found on Reservation land. I think the Shoshone share of the take is almost double what the Arapahoe get. I am by no means an authority on these matters, but around here its just part of the routine. By the way, Paul, its pronounced
"PA-po-Ja", don't know why.