Originally a stop along the first transcontinental railroad, Evanston was established in the 1860s with a saloon on Front Street. Over a century later, the city of roughly 11,800 has retained its cowboy culture, calling homeowners to its high desert ski slopes and Rocky Mountain forests below the vast Wyoming sky. “People come to snowboard here,” says Becci Fraughton, a lifelong resident and Broker Owner of NextHome Realty Connection. “We have snow up until May, so if you like winter activities, Evanston is the place to hang out.”
20th-century homes, equestrian properties and coal mining jobs
Evanston primarily has farmhouses and ranch-style homes, while land is also a commodity. Homes built in the early 1900s sit along gridded streets near the city center, while the outskirts have newer construction on sweeping cattle ranches and equestrian properties. Developments from the 21st century sit southwest of town in subdivisions near Yellow Creek Road. The median single-family price is about $340,000, lower than the nationwide median.
Evanston’s common industries are healthcare, social assistance, retail, education and energy. Wyoming State Hospital and Evanston Regional Hospital provide medical services to the area and employ around 600 people. The local economy is rooted in oil and gas, with the Almy mines just north of town. “After energy companies pulled out in the 1980s, Evanston rebounded nicely with school district jobs and the state hospital,” Fraughton says.
Greenways along the Bear River and skiing at Purple Sage Golf Course
Bear River State Park has over 300 acres of open space with wildlife like bison and elk. Paths enter the park through the Bear River Greenway, with 16 miles of paved and gravel trails along the river. The Evanston Recreation Center has an indoor lap pool. The Purple Sage Golf Course features well-designed fairways with distant mountain views of the desert hills. In the winter, the golf course doubles up as a ski slope with snow-covered fairways and equipment rentals. The city is also in proximity to renowned natural areas, such as Ashley National Forest and Bear Lake.
Vocational education through B-minus rated Uinta schools
Uinta County School District No. 1 serves about 2,600 students in the area and earns a B-minus grade from Niche. The district has four elementary schools, two middle schools and a high school. Its career and technical education programs include building trades and automotive services. The Lifelong Learning Center is a vocational school preparing students for careers in the oil and gas industries.
Old-fashioned railroad town with modern options and attractions
Downtown Evanston maintains the old-fashioned atmosphere of a railroad town, with brick depot-style buildings and establishments embracing its history. One of the city’s landmarks is Jody’s Diner, a retro 1950s-style restaurant. There are several places to shop, such as Maurices and Boot Barn. Residents can pick up groceries at Walmart Supercenter or Smith’s, an additional supermarket with produce and a pharmacy.
Historic architecture and wrangling at Cowboy Days
One of Evanston’s historic buildings is the Roundhouse & Railyards, a train station built in the early 1900s that the city has restored as an event venue. The Uinta County Museum, with artifacts and period displays, walks visitors through the region’s beginnings. Aspen Cinemas is the area's movie theater and, for bowling, there's Uinta Lanes. Evanston Cowboy Days is an annual tradition on Labor Day weekend with a professional rodeo and a parade on Front Street.
Lower crime rates than the U.S. average and snowy winter days
Uinta County has lower violent and property crime levels compared to the national averages. While violent crime is lower than the state average, property crimes are slightly more common in Uinta County, which encompasses several towns.
Evanston has a continental climate with warm summers and cold winters, with temperatures rarely reaching 40 degrees. The city sees more snow than much of the region due to the elevation. “It feels like we just have winter and summer,” Fraughton says. “We are in a high desert, so the elevation makes a pretty big difference. Summers don’t get over 90, but it’s a place people come to spend summers and hunt.”
The open road to Salt Lake City
Evanston has no reliable public transportation, so most residents have cars. Wyoming Route 89 heads north toward Idaho, while Interstate 80 is a direct route to Salt Lake City, about 83 miles southwest. The Salt Lake City International Airport provides flights to worldwide destinations.
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