Gillette

Gillette is a city in Campbell County, northeastern Wyoming, spread across the Powder River Basin between the Bighorn Mountains and the Black Hills. Buildings sit along wide streets, and the surrounding terrain shifts between flat plains and rolling hills.

The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad built a station here in 1892 and named it after surveyor Edward Gillette. Over the following decades, the settlement grew from a railroad stop into a center for coal mining.

The city name honors Edward Gillette, a railroad surveyor who mapped the first routes through this region. Today, massive mining equipment forms part of the everyday landscape, and residents frequently see haul trucks moving through town, a reminder of the industry that shapes daily life.

The regional airport northeast of town connects with larger travel hubs, and an intercity bus service provides regular routes through the region. Due to the elevation and dry air, carry plenty of water and allow time to adjust to the conditions.

The surrounding coal mines supply more than one third of all coal produced in the United States. This output shapes the townscape so strongly that visitors often spot massive conveyor belts and spoil heaps on the horizon.

Location: Campbell County

Inception: 1892

Elevation above the sea: 1,388 m

Address: Gillette, WY, USA

Website: https://gillettewy.gov

GPS coordinates: 44.28278,-105.50528

Latest update: December 13, 2025 16:08