WAMSUTTER - Wamsutter's rapid development from a sheep-grazing railroad town a century ago to the more permanent community of today has been spearheaded by various partnerships with government and private entities over the years.

One of the town's strongest financial and technical supporters has been BP Exploration and Production, Co.

Massive deposits of "tight sands" natural gas in the Wamsutter gas fields prompted the company to commit $2.2 billion to drill some 2,000 new wells over the next approximately 20 years.

In 2006, the energy giant unveiled the company's $10 million, state-of-the-art operations center just north of Wamsutter. The facility operates as the hub of the company's energy development in the fields, located south of the town of Wamsutter.

The company also contributed $400,000 to build a child care center.

On Wednesday, company officials announced their donation of two more permanent investments - a $500,000 gift to establish the Wamsutter community sustainability endowment fund and a $1 million endowment in support of the town's new "Little Ranch Hands Childcare Center."

The checks were presented to Mayor Ken Waldner and Shannon Cash, chair of the newly established nonprofit Wamsutter Community, Inc., during a community celebration Wednesday at a packed town hall.

"We hope these endowments help you continue the tradition of the hospitality you've shown us," said BP Wamsutter operations manager Jerry Austin.

"We're committed to help Wamsutter develop and grow," he said. "We're putting our money where our mouth is … and we're committed to help keeping these programs running through the long term."

Since it began exploring the area's potential for natural gas development several years ago, Austin said BP has donated more than $4 million to provide various services to the area, including housing for workers, more law enforcement, and infrastructure projects.

Plenty of change

The tiny town tucked into Sweetwater County's eastern border was founded in 1868 to service the transcontinental railroad, according to town historical records.

The settlement along the Union Pacific Railroad had originally been called Washakie, until confusion with Fort Washakie to the north forced officials to name the town after a UP bridge engineer in 1884.

Formally incorporated in 1914, Wamsutter has served as headquarters for numerous sheep operations, roundups of wild horses, uranium exploration, oil production and most recently the development of world-class natural gas reserves.

Lifelong resident Mayor Ken Waldner said things have changed in Wamsutter since he was a kid during the 1970s, but the town still retains its unique character. He noted his 87-year-old grandmother still lives in Wamsutter.

"Wamsutter has changed a lot since I grew up … but the small-town character remains," the mayor said.

"I remember floating railroad ties on the pond in town … of course, the only pond in town was the sewer lagoon," Waldner said to laughter.

"If that doesn't show you the need for youth activities, I don't know what does," he continued. "But we're still growing and we're still moving forward and this is still a very special place for me."

Contact southwest Wyoming bureau reporter Jeff Gearino at (307) 875-5359 or gearino@tribcsp.com