Independence Rock (Wyoming)

Independence Rock
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. National Historic Landmark
Independence Rock
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Location	60 mi. SW of Casper on WYO 220, Natrona County, Wyoming, USA
Coordinates	42°29′38″N 107°07′59″W / 42.494°N 107.133°W / 42.494; -107.133Coordinates: 42°29′38″N 107°07′59″W / 42.494°N 107.133°W / 42.494; -107.133
Area	170 acres (69 ha)
NRHP Reference #	66000757
Significant dates
Added to NRHP	October 15, 1966
Designated NHL	January 20, 1961

Independence Rock is a large granite rock, approximately 130 feet (40 m) high, 1,900 feet (580 m) long and 850 feet (260 m) wide, in southwestern Natrona County, Wyoming, along Wyoming Highway 220. During the middle of the 19th century, the rock was a prominent and well-known landmark on the Oregon, Mormon, and California emigrant trails. Many of these emigrants carved their names on the rock, and it was described by early missionary and explorer Father Pierre-Jean De Smet in 1840 as the Register of the Desert. The site was designated a National Historic Landmark on January 20, 1961. It is now part of Independence Rock State Historic Site, owned and operated by the state of Wyoming.

The rock is a large rounded monolith of Archean granite typical of the surrounding region and is an isolated peak at the southeast end of the Granite Mountains. Its appearance is somewhat like the rounded Enchanted Rock of Texas or Uluru in Australia (formerly known as Ayers Rock), although smaller in size. It is located in the high plateau region of central Wyoming, north of the Sentinel Rocks ridge and adjacent to the Sweetwater River. It is accessible from a rest area on Wyoming Highway 220, approximately 20 miles (32 km) northeast of Muddy Gap and 60 miles (97 km) south-west of Casper.

There have been several theories regarding how the rock was carved. One explanation that comes from The History Channel states that several stonecarvers set up shop on the rock and charged a small fee to carve names. This would explain the fact that some names appear to be from the same hand and are professional looking as well.