VISIT HISTORIC OSAGE
Present day Osage, Wyoming, began as a stop along the Burlington Railroad, known as Apostol Depot. In 1910, John Nefsy discovered oil on nearby Poison Creek. By 1913, Nefsy and others located it as a claim. That same year, Nefsy bought land where much of the town of Osage was established.
Located in the Osage Oil Field in northeastern Wyoming is the historical field known as the “Waldo,” which was first drilled in 1919. These three pump jacks, now on display at the Anna Miller Museum, are the last remnants from the Waldo field. In remarkable condition considering their age, these pump jacks are an example of the old-style “Oklahoma Jacks,” which were powered by a central unit that was connected by a rod system.
In March 1920, a well was drilled in the Osage Oil Field and it was a gusher. From that point forward, people started moving into the Osage area. There were three town sites located next to the Apostol Depot: Sparks to the south; Osage to the north; and Nefsy in the middle.
In April, the Nefsy brothers petitioned the postmaster general in Washington, D.C. to have the three towns collectively renamed Nefsy for the purposes of establishing a post office. The Nefsy’s petition was successful, but Mr. Higgins, the postmaster, did not like this. In the middle of the night, he moved the post office to the Osage town site.
In November, a new petition was sent to the postmaster general and the town’s legal name was once again changed, this time to Osage. The little town boomed, soon boasting three hotels, a lumber company, a feed store, grocery stores, cafes, a drug store, a bath house, a bank and a newspaper.
The oil rush did not last long once larger oil reserves were found in the southern part of the state. By 1924, the population of Osage decreased as businesses closed and people moved to find other employment
In 1928, the Clay Spur bentonite plant was constructed a few miles west of Osage. Bentonite is volcanic clay, and Wyoming contains some of the largest deposits in the world. Also known as the “clay of a thousand uses,” bentonite was used extensively in the oilfield. The mud made from the bentonite acts as a lubricant and aids in removing debris in the oil well. Bentonite is also used to line dams and reservoirs, manufacture kitty litter, and produce cosmetics. The bentonite plant eventually closed in the 1970s due to the low quality of the remaining reserves of clay at the site.
During World War II, the population growth in the Black Hills area and the increased demand for electricity made it necessary for Black Hills Power and Light to increase its production. Osage was chosen as the site for a new coal-fired power plant, as it was close to an old abandoned artesian well and close to the railroad tracks. The plant opened in 1948 and was in operation for 62 years. It closed in October 2010 due to a slow economic recovery that impacted demand for electricity.
Today, Osage remains a quiet little community with a population of about 150 people.
A gusher on the Osage Oil Field.