Gillette

Gillette's History

This information came from an interview of R. H. Durley, of Potosi,Wisconsin, as reported in The Gillette News-Record on Friday, January 21, 1938). Gillette is one of the youngest towns in the state of Wyoming. Thisis because it is in a sparsely populated range and grazing area. Today the citizensof the town would be living in Donkey Town instead of Gillette if it had notbeen for a surveyor of the Burlington and Missouri Railroad. The original roadbed turned south of the Wyodak coal mine, followed Donkey Creek to the divideand then down Hay Creek and Wildhorse. Donkey Town was started on the divide and it was a tent town. In fact,the original grade is on the Charles Cook place southwest of town.The rade shows for some distance today, a remarkable thing when in fact it was madewith mule teams and scrapers, very light in weight considering dirt moving equipmenttoday. Edward Gillette, a surveyor, found a shorter route which saved 30 bridges and came by the present site of Gillette. For this service,the town of Gillette was named in honor of him. Frank Murrey, Robert and George Durley, brothers, and Charles T. Weir,four young and sturdy boy of pioneer stock arrived, employed by the railroadcompany, filed pre-emption rights each on 160 acres of land, entering in RockPile draw, up which the Burlington survey had been made and in which the townof Gillett now stands. The law required a house should be built thereon; having resided on these filings for six months and having paid thegovernment $1.25 an acre they acquired the title to the land. Their patents tothese lands were issued July 25,1891, signed by Benjamin Harrison, president. In July 189 I, the city was platted and lots were sold. The railroadreached the town August 10 of the same year. Within three months from the saleof lots, Gillette was a thriving little city with a perfect organization froma mayor to the justice of the peace. Judge Alden was the first justice of thepeace. The Gillette News was published by Judge Alden, assisted by John Taylor. The city was represented by all branches of business. Kilpatrick Brothersand Collins, the railroad contractors, were the proprietors of a largecommissary. Hunter Bowen was the manager and Mr. Jordon was head bookkeeper. T.Schriener was the proprietor of a large general store. His store was locatedon the east side of Main Street. Daly Brothers had a general store on the westside of the street and Adams Brothers were the proprietors of a large grocery store. Harry Chassell was manager of the Adams Store which was on the eastside of the street. Preston Brothers conducted a large general store with A. Payneas assistant manager. The store was located on the corner of the firstblock south on the west side of Main. August Kettleson and Co. operated a hardwarestore. John Westinghouse ran a "gent's" furnishing goods store on the westside of the street. The drug store was in charge of Elmer Miller and was located on thewest side of Main Street. Willis Ridgeway was manager of the wholesale liquor houseand was also on the west side of the street. Melvin Hatfield was the proprietorof a confectionery and ice cream parlor. A.T. Spencer ran a grocery store.Gillette had two meat markets. Mr. Brown ran one and E. C. Hall's shop was the one near the post office on the street west of Main Street (whichwas in the west part of the present Edelman Block in a log house). The bank and store were on the west side of Main Street. John Larimorwas cashier and Rod Stone, clerk and assistant cashier. (John Larimor wasan ex-contractor. He had done some of the grade at Rozet for Kilpatrick& Collins, who had the contract for the building of the railroad. The late HarryChassell said he was a scalper as he charged 10 per cent on every check he cashed, however, no one else cashed checks. The bank was nothing fancy, andin the store he carried a few groceries.) Mrs. Livingston was the postmistress.The post office was located on the street running east and west (Second Street),west of the bank and on the south side of the street. Miss Bea Livingston was the clerk. The first boarding house was located on the street facing the railroad,east of the corner of Main Street. Mr. and Mrs. Stafford were the proprietors.Later, Mr. Parks opened a restaurant on the east side of Main Street (notrelated to W. P. Parks). Frank Kies, a Chinese, had a restaurant in the Durley andMurrey building on the west side of the street. Gillette was well represented with refreshment stands and dance halls.There were seven saloons and three dance halls. Ed Fitch, father of GlennFitch, ran a dance hall and saloon on the street facing the depot, west of MainStreet. Tom Christian had a dance hall and saloon on the west side of Main Street.Shorty Hartman and Jack Marley's saloon was on the southeast corner of MainStreet. The Ditto Brothers' place, and Charley Blackwell's place and a dance halland saloon owned by Olsen and Fields also Dave Lee's place were all located onthe east side of the street. Dave Lee was known as "Scrub Peeler." The drug store owned by Mr. Higley was on the east side of the street,while Mr. Hill kept a boarding house on the street running east and west fromMain Street. The Hatfield Brothers owned and operated a large livery stable on theopposite side of the street from the post office. The laundry was run by SamLee, Forest and Jimmy Hart were the photographers. Baumen and Fitzsimmons werethe barbers. There was a blacksmith shop around the corner from Daly's store, anda small place between the Daly and Murrey building, which was occupied by alunch counter. Charley Sharp was the hotel man. The Hotel Windsor was on the east sideof Main in the second block south. Mr. Cartwright was the shoe cobbler; andwas located south of the Daly store. Gillette's water supply came from Donkey Springs (believe this was fromthe old I Bar U now owned by Moran's east of Wyodak) and the water sold for$1.00 a barrel. Ice was packed in coal slack and sold for two cents a pound.Hackney Brothers were the water, ice and coal haulers. Gillette's milk supplywas furnished by Mike Shay. His dairy was located east of the city. This ends the first part of Mr. Murrey's story. In interviews with Harry Chassell, many of the facts in this interview agree. It seemed Gillettewas a thriving place. The country was sparsely settled but the building ofthe railroad brought many people. The May 14 issue of the Sheridan Post in 1889 carried the followingarticle: "The B & M (Burlington and Missouri R. R. as the road was known)has a force of 4,000 men at work on its extension which is just nearing the edge ofCrook County. Additional forces are constantly going to the front." Thiswas the phrase used to signify the place where the rails had reached. After the railroad was extended beyond Gillette and the commissary moved, Gillette declined. A fire destroyed many buildings and many were torndown. In 1894, there were only two saloons, two stores and a restaurant remaining. [scanning and ocr done by SuzanneLeonard] 

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