August 12

1868 The Union Pacific Railroad was being built across Wyoming in 1868. By August 12, passenger service was available from Omaha to Benton. Benton was two or three miles west of Fort Steele in Carbon County. It was another railroad tent town that sprang into being because of the railroad.

1909 The Worland Grit of August 12, 1909 announced a new town being laid out by the Lincoln Townsite Company for the Burlington Railroad Extension near the mouth of Owl Creek north of Thermopolis. It was to be called Dempsey after local settler, Tom Dempsey. The town eventually was named Lucerne, another name for the plant alfalfa, which was grown there.