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Buford, Wyoming

January 08, 2024

Buford is an unincorporated community in Albany County, Wyoming, United States. It is located between Laramie and Cheyenne on Interstate 80. Its last resident, who had been the lone resident for nearly two decades, left in 2012.[1] As of the 2020 US Census, the population of the community is 0.

Buford, Wyoming
Town
Town sign for Buford as of April 2020
Buford, Wyoming
Location within the state of Wyoming
Buford, Wyoming
Buford, Wyoming (the United States)
Buford, Wyoming
Buford, Wyoming (North America)
Coordinates: 41°7′25″N 105°18′9″W / 41.12361°N 105.30250°W / 41.12361; -105.30250
CountryUnited States
StateWyoming
CountyAlbany
Founded1866
Government
 • MayorN/A
Population
 (2020)[1]
 • Total0
Time zoneUTC-7 (Mountain (MST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-6 (MDT)
ZIP codes
82052
GNIS feature ID1586078

Location edit

Buford is located in the Laramie Mountains, between the towns of Laramie and Cheyenne.[2] The town is along the eastern approach to Sherman Hill Summit, the highest point along all of the transcontinental Interstate 80, Lincoln Highway and the Overland Route.[3] Buford is also an access to reach the Ames Monument, which marks the highest point along the original routing of the First transcontinental railroad.[4]

History edit

The original town was founded in 1866.[5][circular reporting?] A Chicago Tribune article from 2012 stated that the locale began as a military outpost during the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad, but shrank when the fort moved to Laramie.[6] The town once boasted a population of 2,000.[7]

The Buford post office was established in August 1900, originally attributed as being in Laramie County but attributed to Albany County beginning in 1901. The post office suspended service on February 1, 1999, and the post office itself was discontinued on July 24, 2004, with mail service given to the post office at Cheyenne.[8] There was a school operating in Buford from 1905 to 1962.[citation needed] The railroad sold the Buford site to a private buyer in 1970.[citation needed]

Don Sammons moved to Buford from California in 1980 with his wife and son.[6][9] In 1992, he bought the parcel of land, of around 10 acres (4.0 ha), that comprises Buford, including the Buford Trading Post and its gas station.[6][10] Sammons was the officer-in-charge of the post office beginning in 1993, and postmaster from April 1994 until the post office closed.[8] Around 1995, Sammons' wife died, and around 2008, his son moved away.[9] When Sammons decided to move to be closer to his adult son, he auctioned off the site in April 2012.[6][10]

 
Promotional sign related to the years 2011 to 2017. The sign still exists as of 2020.

The town was put up for auction on April 5, 2012, with the highest bid of $900,000 having been made by two then-unidentified Vietnamese men.[10][11][12] Later, it was revealed that one of them was Pham Dinh Nguyen.[13] The new owners sold "PhinDeli" brand coffee, imported from Vietnam, in the convenience store.[14] In 2013, the new Vietnamese owner re-branded the site as "PhinDeli Town Buford".[15][16] Nguyen never lived in the town and only visited it occasionally. Sammons managed the store for months and then Albany County native Jason Hirsh took over management while his son and nephew maintained the property and lived on site. In September 2017, Hirsh resigned and the store was boarded up;[1] however, the Buford, Wyoming page on GasBuddy.com's website indicates the PhinDeli fuel station/mini-market is running and has been since at least August of 2021.[17]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b c Roddam, Rick (September 4, 2018). "Wyoming's Smallest Town Has Been Completely Abandoned". 101.9 KING FM. Cheyenne, Wyoming. Retrieved February 4, 2020.
  2. ^ Orr, Jimmy (December 30, 2022). "Buford, Wyoming, Population Zero Is About To See A Major Expansion (And Maybe A Resident)". Cowboy State Daily. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
  3. ^ Michael E. Grass (June 20, 2013). "Lincoln at the Lincoln Highway's Highest Point". Michael E. Grass. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
  4. ^ "Ames Monument Historic Site". Wyoming State Parks. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
  5. ^ Rosenfeld, Everett (July 20, 2011). "Meet the Only Resident of America's Smallest Town". Time. Retrieved April 6, 2012.
  6. ^ a b c d Zuckerman, Laura (April 5, 2012). . Chicago Tribune. Reuters. Archived from the original on November 3, 2013. Retrieved April 19, 2020.
  7. ^ "An oasis on long stretch of highway". Quad-City Times. October 24, 2004. p. 94. Retrieved November 8, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ a b "Postmaster Finder". about.usps.com. United States Postal Service. Retrieved April 19, 2020.
  9. ^ a b Chodak, Adam (January 2011). "Buford, Wyoming on 9 News". 9 News. Denver: KUSA. Archived as "Buford, Wyoming on 9 News". BufordTradingPost.com. August Moon Publishing. January 26, 2011. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
  10. ^ a b c Vecsey, Laura. . Zillow. Archived from the original on April 10, 2012. Retrieved April 19, 2020.
  11. ^ Spellman, Jim (April 5, 2012). "Vietnamese businessmen scoop up smallest U.S. town for $900,000". CNN. Retrieved April 6, 2012.
  12. ^ Doanh gia Việt Nam qua Mỹ mua trọn thị trấn giá $900,000 2012-04-09 at the Wayback Machine(in Vietnamese)
  13. ^ (in Vietnamese) Lộ danh tánh người Việt mua thị trấn Mỹ $900,000 2012-04-11 at the Wayback Machine
  14. ^ "Buford, Wyoming getting a new name - KGWN –Cheyenne, WY– Scottsbluff,…". archive.is. September 3, 2013. Archived from the original on September 3, 2013. Retrieved February 4, 2020.
  15. ^ Chilton, James (September 4, 2013). "PhinDeli Town Buford: Open for business". Wyoming Tribune Eagle. Retrieved February 4, 2020.
  16. ^ Strochlic, Nina (October 17, 2013). . The Daily Beast. Archived from the original on January 29, 2017. Retrieved April 19, 2020.
  17. ^ "GasBuddy indicates Buford, Wyoming PhinDeli fuel station/mini mart is open and in business as of August of 2021". Retrieved May 15, 2023.

External links edit

  • Buford Wyoming: Dan Sammons, Author Buford One — official site of Buford owner in 1990s and 2000s, including information about a book Sammons wrote about Buford
  • 2010 video interview from CNN
  • NPR profile 2017

January 08, 2024
buford, wyoming, buford, unincorporated, community, albany, county, wyoming, united, states, located, between, laramie, cheyenne, interstate, last, resident, been, lone, resident, nearly, decades, left, 2012, 2020, census, population, community, towntown, sign. Buford is an unincorporated community in Albany County Wyoming United States It is located between Laramie and Cheyenne on Interstate 80 Its last resident who had been the lone resident for nearly two decades left in 2012 1 As of the 2020 US Census the population of the community is 0 Buford WyomingTownTown sign for Buford as of April 2020Buford WyomingLocation within the state of WyomingShow map of WyomingBuford WyomingBuford Wyoming the United States Show map of the United StatesBuford WyomingBuford Wyoming North America Show map of North AmericaCoordinates 41 7 25 N 105 18 9 W 41 12361 N 105 30250 W 41 12361 105 30250CountryUnited StatesStateWyomingCountyAlbanyFounded1866Government MayorN APopulation 2020 1 Total0Time zoneUTC 7 Mountain MST Summer DST UTC 6 MDT ZIP codes82052GNIS feature ID1586078 Contents 1 Location 2 History 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksLocation editBuford is located in the Laramie Mountains between the towns of Laramie and Cheyenne 2 The town is along the eastern approach to Sherman Hill Summit the highest point along all of the transcontinental Interstate 80 Lincoln Highway and the Overland Route 3 Buford is also an access to reach the Ames Monument which marks the highest point along the original routing of the First transcontinental railroad 4 History editThe original town was founded in 1866 5 circular reporting A Chicago Tribune article from 2012 stated that the locale began as a military outpost during the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad but shrank when the fort moved to Laramie 6 The town once boasted a population of 2 000 7 The Buford post office was established in August 1900 originally attributed as being in Laramie County but attributed to Albany County beginning in 1901 The post office suspended service on February 1 1999 and the post office itself was discontinued on July 24 2004 with mail service given to the post office at Cheyenne 8 There was a school operating in Buford from 1905 to 1962 citation needed The railroad sold the Buford site to a private buyer in 1970 citation needed Don Sammons moved to Buford from California in 1980 with his wife and son 6 9 In 1992 he bought the parcel of land of around 10 acres 4 0 ha that comprises Buford including the Buford Trading Post and its gas station 6 10 Sammons was the officer in charge of the post office beginning in 1993 and postmaster from April 1994 until the post office closed 8 Around 1995 Sammons wife died and around 2008 his son moved away 9 When Sammons decided to move to be closer to his adult son he auctioned off the site in April 2012 6 10 nbsp Promotional sign related to the years 2011 to 2017 The sign still exists as of 2020 The town was put up for auction on April 5 2012 with the highest bid of 900 000 having been made by two then unidentified Vietnamese men 10 11 12 Later it was revealed that one of them was Pham Dinh Nguyen 13 The new owners sold PhinDeli brand coffee imported from Vietnam in the convenience store 14 In 2013 the new Vietnamese owner re branded the site as PhinDeli Town Buford 15 16 Nguyen never lived in the town and only visited it occasionally Sammons managed the store for months and then Albany County native Jason Hirsh took over management while his son and nephew maintained the property and lived on site In September 2017 Hirsh resigned and the store was boarded up 1 however the Buford Wyoming page on GasBuddy com s website indicates the PhinDeli fuel station mini market is running and has been since at least August of 2021 17 See also editFort Sanders Wyoming sometimes associated with Buford Monowi Nebraska The only incorporated village with only 1 personReferences edit a b c Roddam Rick September 4 2018 Wyoming s Smallest Town Has Been Completely Abandoned 101 9 KING FM Cheyenne Wyoming Retrieved February 4 2020 Orr Jimmy December 30 2022 Buford Wyoming Population Zero Is About To See A Major Expansion And Maybe A Resident Cowboy State Daily Retrieved January 6 2023 Michael E Grass June 20 2013 Lincoln at the Lincoln Highway s Highest Point Michael E Grass Retrieved July 25 2020 Ames Monument Historic Site Wyoming State Parks Retrieved July 25 2020 Rosenfeld Everett July 20 2011 Meet the Only Resident of America s Smallest Town Time Retrieved April 6 2012 a b c d Zuckerman Laura April 5 2012 UPDATE 1 Wyoming town population 1 sells for 900 000 to Vietnamese buyer Chicago Tribune Reuters Archived from the original on November 3 2013 Retrieved April 19 2020 An oasis on long stretch of highway Quad City Times October 24 2004 p 94 Retrieved November 8 2020 via Newspapers com a b Postmaster Finder about usps com United States Postal Service Retrieved April 19 2020 a b Chodak Adam January 2011 Buford Wyoming on 9 News 9 News Denver KUSA Archived as Buford Wyoming on 9 News BufordTradingPost com August Moon Publishing January 26 2011 Retrieved April 20 2020 a b c Vecsey Laura America s tiniest town commands a big price Zillow Archived from the original on April 10 2012 Retrieved April 19 2020 Spellman Jim April 5 2012 Vietnamese businessmen scoop up smallest U S town for 900 000 CNN Retrieved April 6 2012 Doanh gia Việt Nam qua Mỹ mua trọn thị trấn gia 900 000 Archived 2012 04 09 at the Wayback Machine in Vietnamese in Vietnamese Lộ danh tanh người Việt mua thị trấn Mỹ 900 000 Archived 2012 04 11 at the Wayback Machine Buford Wyoming getting a new name KGWN Cheyenne WY Scottsbluff archive is September 3 2013 Archived from the original on September 3 2013 Retrieved February 4 2020 Chilton James September 4 2013 PhinDeli Town Buford Open for business Wyoming Tribune Eagle Retrieved February 4 2020 Strochlic Nina October 17 2013 America s Tiniest Town Is Sold And Renamed PhinDeli Town Buford Wyoming The Daily Beast Archived from the original on January 29 2017 Retrieved April 19 2020 GasBuddy indicates Buford Wyoming PhinDeli fuel station mini mart is open and in business as of August of 2021 Retrieved May 15 2023 External links editBuford Wyoming Dan Sammons Author Buford One official site of Buford owner in 1990s and 2000s including information about a book Sammons wrote about Buford 2010 video interview from CNN NPR profile 2017 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Buford Wyoming amp oldid 1193865066, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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