Rock Springs, Wyoming | |
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City | |
Old Village Hall, Downtown Rock Springs
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Location of Rock Springs, Wyoming |
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Location in the United States | |
Coordinates: 41°35′27″N 109°13′21″W / 41.59083°N 109.22250°WCoordinates: 41°35′27″N 109°13′21″W / 41.59083°N 109.22250°W | |
Country | United States |
State | Wyoming |
County | Sweetwater |
Rock Springs | 1888 |
Government | |
• Mayor | Carl Demshar |
• State House | JoAnn Dayton (D), Mark Baker (R), Stan Blake (D) |
• State Senate | Bernadine Craft (D) |
Area | |
• Total | 19.34 sq mi (50.09 km2) |
• Land | 19.34 sq mi (50.09 km2) |
• Water | 0 sq mi (0 km2) |
Elevation | 6,388 ft (1,947 m) |
Population (2010) | |
• Total | 23,036 |
• Estimate (2012) | 24,047 |
• Density | 1,191.1/sq mi (459.9/km2) |
Time zone | Mountain (MST) (UTC-7) |
• Summer (DST) | MDT (UTC-6) |
ZIP codes | 82901, 82902, 82942 |
Area code(s) | 307 |
FIPS code | 56-67235 |
GNIS feature ID | 1593588 |
Website | rswy.net |
Rock Springs is a city in Sweetwater County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 23,036 at the 2010 census. Rock Springs is the principal city of the Rock Springs micropolitan statistical area, which has a population of 37,975. Rock Springs is known as the Home of 56 Nationalities because of the influx of immigrants from all over the world who came to work in the coal mines that supplied the fuel to power the steam engines of the Union Pacific Railroad. The city's rich cultural heritage is celebrated each summer on International Day, a festival where the foods, costumes, and traditions of residents' ancestors are recreated and enjoyed at Bunning Park in downtown Rock Springs.
Rock Springs is the site of Western Wyoming Community College and Wyoming's Big Show, a yearly event with a carnival and concerts which is held at the Sweetwater County Events Complex.
Rock Springs is located in an energy-rich region with many oil and natural gas wells.
One of the worst incidents of anti-immigrant violence in American history, known as the Rock Springs Massacre, occurred among miners working near Rock Springs on September 2, 1885. There are still remains of the old coal mining towns outside of Rock Springs.
Rock Springs was featured on 60 Minutes in 1977 due to corruption within the Police Department and City Government. The Grand Jury was called into session. The Sheriff, James Stark of Sweetwater County testified and no wrongdoing was ever found. A follow up was filmed 20 years later for the show City Confidential. The episode was named "Rock Springs: Deadly Draw in the Wild West".
Rock Springs is located at 41°35′6.38″N 109°13′17.01″W / 41.5851056°N 109.2213917°W (41.585106, -109.221392). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 19.34 square miles (50.09 km2), all of it land.