The History of the Town of Ulm

Ulm, Wyoming, started as a railroad town, and was a thriving community for many years. The name Ulm was chosen by a lottery and a German railroad worker submitted the name of his hometown in Germay. Loosely translated the name means ‘wide spot in the road.’

Here is the story of Ulm, Wyoming.

The site of Ulm was first homesteaded in December of 1895 by Charles and Anna Hollenbeck. In Feb of 1896 they were awarded a patent for 160 acres of land. Later, they sold the land to a M.L. Parrotte and moved to Montana.

From The Sheridan Post, February 11, 1897

Robert Prusak, Ulm rancher, who now owns the old town site of Ulm, talked about some of the history of the town. He said that his grandfather Andrew worked on the railroad and raised his family in an old box car that they renovated into a house. The rail bed was graded with horse drawn graders before the ties and rails could be laid.

He said that the town had a two-story section house, which housed the track supervisors and their families. He added that the railroad buildings had tin roofs, to prevent a fire from the hot cinders from the locomotives.

There were several businesses in Ulm from 1900 through the 1950s. Vickerie Lumber company did business there, a two story dance hall and pool hall, a post office and a general mercantile story.

The Ulm school existed for 60 years, and in 1919 there were 31 students. Prusak went to grade school in Ulm until the school consolidated with Clearmont in 1968. His teacher was Marjorie Richardson. The school only went to 8th grade, and until the consolidation, anyone who wanted to continue their education would ride the train into Sheridan for high school.

Baseball was a major sport in the early 1900s throughout Wyoming. Ulm had a baseball team, some sources say they were called the Ulm Sluggers, and one newspaper article calls the team the Ulm Heights.

The Ulm News in The Sheridan Post June 30, 1911 talked about the baseball team as well as other note-worthy events during that week. Ulm – The Ulm baseball team went to Clearmont, Sunday, and got trimmed to the tune of 6 to 5. The game was interesting at every stage and large crowd was present. Return game will be played at Ulm, Sunday. July 2nd. The Ulm team expects to have walk-away on their own grounds.

The Ulm shearing plant finished shearing last week, after very good run. Niles Coleman and W. C. Hoffman have contracted to put up the Big Red ranch crop on shares. Mrs. J. P. Meehan and children made Sheridan visit, Tuesday.

E. B. Williams left for the mountains with band of sheep on Monday. A big celebration will be held at Piney, on the Todd ranch, July 4th. Ulm and Piney will play ball. In the forenoon and there will be broncho busting in the afternoon. big dance will occur In the evening. Everybody is invited.

The Piney boys displayed little broncho busting at Ulm, Sunday, and had about everything cleaned up when one of the dry farmers came in with what he called very gentle horse. Frank Hall took to the dust after few seconds in the saddle. Then Jimmie Culver, who is noted as broncho buster, was thrown. Jimmie says he will conquer this horse on the Fourth, maybe.

Walter Granger is breaking several head of ponies and making many improvements on his ranch near Ulm. The dry farm crops were never in better condition than they are this year, and everything indicates bumper crops. The ground Is still moist for several inches down, and all that is necessary before harvest is another good rain.

Mr. Watson, agricultural superintendent from Cheyenne, was in the neighborhood last week and took several pictures of the dry farms. He says we have the best farming country in the state and that all we need is courage. Mr. Watson visited over twenty-five dry ranches and was surprised to see such fine crops. Jesse Coop visited Sheridan on business Monday. Jesse will run refreshment stand at Piney on the Fourth.

Clyde Blair shipped two cars of fine fat sheep to the Omaha market last week. He reports top price. Arley Coleman left for the mountains last week, to visit his sheep camp and look after few other things. Wm. Debevouise visited Sheridan Monday and Tuesday on business. Ulm is in need of drug store and doctor, and there is good opening for the right sort of man.

Frank McCully, second trick operator at Ulm, Is making big success in the sheep business, he expects to increase his band in the near future. Frank has three head, mostly bums, and gives them bath three times week and feeds them peach brandy for lunch. Mrs. “Mac” does the herding.

Sam Wilson, better known as “Shorty,” third trick operator at Ulm, received card from his home down in North Carolina the other day and it made him homesick. He is now under a doctor’s care.

More news from The Sheridan Post August 4, 1911: Ulm – The Farmers’ institute of Ulm will have a dance at the Ulm hall, Saturday evening, August 5th. They will hold a meeting at 7 p. m. before the dance. Everybody is invited. Good music has been engaged for the occasion, and a fine time is assured.

The Ulm baseball team took the Piney team into camp last Sunday, defeating them by a score of 30 to 8. Over fifty people at this place are arranging to attend the Ringling Bros, circus.

It has been raining in and around Ulm for the last three days, and everything is looking fine. All the water holes are flowing over and the grass is looking fine E. H Williams was about Ulm onTuesday, telling fish stories. He said he bagged over six hundred trout in the mountains We took his word for it.

And again, in The Sheridan Post, June 6, 1911, talking about the businesses in Ulm – The town of Ulm is rapidly coming to the front. It lies in a basin on the top of the Clear Creek divide, surrounded by fertile farming country; and number of prosperous tillers of the soil declare that their section is the best dry farming country to be found. The town boasts of grocery store which the proprietor contemplates enlarging and making general merchandise establishment; dance hall, freight depot, post offlce, hotel, section house, Western Union office, sheep shearing plant, besides all of the facilities for the handling of the sheep industry.

Today, most ranchers around Ulm raise cattle, but sheep were a big industry in the early days. There was a lot going on in the small community in the early 1900s. And a lot of rivalry between the baseball teams in the area.

This from The Sheridan Post, June 16, 1911: Ulm – The Ulm Heights ball team will cross bats with the Piney team, Sunday, June 18th, at Ulm. The game will start at 2 p.m. Both teams are in fine shape and an interesting game is anticipated.

Mr. Quick of Buffalo has been making several trips from Ulm to Buffalo in his auto and says the road between Ulm and Buffalo is the best county road he has seen in Sheridan or Johnson counties. Mr. Quick claims he can make the trip from Buffalo to Ulm in an hour and three quarters.

The residents of Ulm are making strong effort to have the railroad company stop Nos. 41 and 42 at Ulm. The company has refused several limes and it is presumed they will do so again, as 41 und 42 are fast trains and it would likely make hitch in the schedule.

A big Fourth of July celebration will be held at the Todd Bros. ranch, four miles from Ulm, and great time is assured all who attend. The Ulm Heights and the Pineys will play ball in the forenoon. Broncho busting, rope throwing and other sports will follow in the afternoon, and fireworks will take place in the evening. It. P. Bandy and P. J. Vaughn made trip to Sheridan last week on business.

Today, some of the buildings still exist. The section house was moved to another location, but still stands. The Ulm school building still stands as well, as a few other scattered houses. These old buildings and memories are all that is left of a once thriving town.

There is a book, Ulm, Wyoming Horses, Steam and Diesel published by the Clearmont Historical Group gives more details about the town of Ulm.