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Wyoming · Powder River Basin · #523
Campbell County, Wyoming
In the Powder River Basin of northeastern Wyoming, Gillette is the coal capital of America - the county produces more coal than any other in the United States, powering a quarter of the nation's coal-fired electricity from mines that dwarf anything in Appalachia in scale and efficiency.
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Office: Campbell County Emergency Management – Gillette, WY | Details via campbellcountywy.gov/198/Emergency-Management
Services: Maintains four county weather stations with publicly viewable historical data; coordinates the Campbell County Emergency Management Advisories and Notification Program (opt-in phone/text/email alerts by location); tornado warning tone is a continuous 3-minute alert with voice messages before/after
Notes: Campbell County Fire Department serves the City of Gillette, Town of Wright, and unincorporated Campbell County – roughly 46,341 residents across 4,803 square miles. Sheriff’s Office non-emergency dispatch: (307) 682-7271.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: I-90 serves Gillette, the county seat, in the Powder River Basin between the Bighorn Mountains and Black Hills; Gillette–Campbell County Airport provides commercial and general aviation service
Transit: No dedicated fixed-route county transit identified; confirm current regional options directly with the county
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Campbell County Building Division – 500 S. Gillette Ave. Suite 1500, Gillette, WY 82716 | (307) 682-1970 | Fax: (307) 687-6468
Services: Building permits for unincorporated Campbell County; Small Wastewater System (septic) applications go to Campbell County Public Works ([email protected]) under DEQ-delegated authority; Wyoming 811 (800-849-2476) must be contacted before any excavation
Notes: City of Gillette runs its own SEPARATE building program (City Code Chapter 5) with its own fee schedule – do not cross-apply Gillette’s fees to unincorporated county projects or vice versa; the Town of Wright and other municipalities may also issue their own permits. Confirm jurisdiction before filing.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
County VSO: Campbell County Veterans Service Office – Gillette, WY
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Campbell County Public Library System – 2 service locations serving 47,058 residents
Main Branch: Campbell County Public Library – 2101 S 4-J Road, Gillette, WY 82718 | (307) 682-3223 | Fax: (307) 686-4009 | Hours: Mon–Thu 9 AM–9 PM, Fri–Sat 9 AM–5 PM (closed Sun)
Services: Holds nearly 193,000 print volumes and over 393,000 total items (44% digital); welcomes about 169,000 in-person visits annually, ranking #6 of 23 Wyoming library systems by visitor volume; runs 549 community programs annually reaching over 22,000 people, including a “Philosophy Club” discussion series for high-school-age and up; offers 46 public internet terminals, radon test kits, blood pressure monitors, telehealth booths, and notary services
Key Assets: Campbell County’s Gillette is genuinely and officially known as the “ENERGY CAPITAL OF THE NATION” (and locally, “of the World”) – the city sits at the heart of the Powder River Basin, which for over three decades has supplied roughly 30-40% of the entire nation’s energy, primarily through coal, along with substantial oil, natural gas, and uranium production; Powder River Basin mines produced up to nearly 500 million tons of coal annually at peak (2008), among the largest coal-producing regions on Earth; the tax revenue from this industry has genuinely transformed Gillette – funding the 190,000-square-foot Campbell County Recreation Center (opened 2010, featuring a 40-foot climbing wall built to resemble Devil’s Tower, an indoor track, and a lazy river with water slides) as well as CAM-PLEX, the largest multi-event facility in the western United States at 1,000 acres, hosting everything from conventions to rodeos; visitors can tour the active Eagle Butte and Black Thunder coal mines through the local Visitor Center, and see one of the largest privately-owned buffalo herds in the country at the nearby Durham Buffalo Ranch; the Rockpile Museum documents Campbell County’s mining, ranching, and homesteading history, taking its name from a local rock formation landmark; the county was founded from railway survey work by the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad in 1891, originally centered on a temporary tent camp called “Donkey Town”
Notes: Gillette’s genuine, well-documented status as America’s Energy Capital – supplying roughly a third of the nation’s energy for decades – is an extraordinary and economically significant piece of local identity, even as the community actively works toward economic diversification.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
GIS Portal: Campbell County GIS – accessible via campbellcountywy.gov
Parcel Search: Campbell County Assessor
Addressing/911: Coordinated through Campbell County Emergency Management
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Facility: City of Gillette Animal Shelter (serving Gillette and Campbell County) – 950 W Warlow Drive, Gillette, WY 82716 | (307) 686-5249 | Hours: Mon–Fri 1–5 PM, Sat 12–4 PM (closed Sun)
Services: Provides shelter for abandoned, found, stray, or impounded animals; Sheriff’s Office animal control officers handle hundreds of dogs and cats annually, rescuing lost/stray animals and responding to bite incidents; stray animals held a minimum of 72 hours; all pets must be vaccinated for rabies and carry ID tags; owners are responsible for contacting the shelter to check on missing pets, as fees apply (impound, boarding, quarantine, license) upon reclaim
Related: Campbell County Humane Society – PO Box 502, Gillette, WY – a separate nonprofit partner focused on animal welfare and adoption placement.
Notes: Contact Campbell County or the City of Gillette directly for current refuse collection and recycling program details.
NOTES
Campbell County’s Gillette is genuinely America’s Energy Capital, having supplied roughly a third of the nation’s energy for decades through its massive Powder River Basin coal, oil, gas, and uranium production. All contact information above was sourced from official county, city, library, and shelter pages as of this writing; phone numbers and hours should be reconfirmed directly with the relevant office before a visit.
About Campbell County
Campbell County is not America’s coal county in a historical or nostalgic sense – it is America’s coal county right now. The Powder River Basin mines that operate in and around Gillette produce sub-bituminous coal through massive surface mining operations (Peabody’s North Antelope Rochelle Mine is one of the largest coal mines on earth) that ship coal by unit train to power plants across the country. At its peak, Campbell County produced roughly 40% of all U.S. coal. The coal economy has contracted with natural gas competition and renewable energy growth, but coal remains the dominant economic force in the county by a substantial margin.
Gillette’s nickname – “the Energy Capital of the Nation” – reflects not just coal but the oil, gas, and coalbed methane production that supplements it. The county’s tax base from energy extraction has funded a level of public services and infrastructure unusual for a city of its size: the Campbell County Recreation Center is one of the most comprehensive public recreation facilities in Wyoming. Gillette’s workforce – many drawn from coal states east of the Mississippi – has created a blue-collar professional culture with strong union and independent contractor traditions.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Wyoming assesses residential property at 9.5% of market value. Mineral and industrial property carries higher assessment rates. Property owners may appeal to the County Board of Equalization (July 1 deadline). Wyoming has no income, estate, or inheritance tax.
Courts & Legal
Courts & Legal
SENIOR SERVICES
Campbell County Senior Center
250 Shoshone Avenue, Gillette, WY 82718
Phone: (307) 682-0555
Senior transportation, Meals on Wheels, caregiver support, and long-term care counseling for Campbell County residents.
Senior Services
Campbell County Senior Center
250 Shoshone Avenue, Gillette, WY 82718
Phone: (307) 682-0555
Senior transportation, Meals on Wheels, caregiver support, and long-term care counseling for Campbell County residents.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK
500 S Gillette Ave, Gillette, WY 82716
(307) 682-7266
CLERK OF DISTRICT COURT
500 S Gillette Ave, Gillette, WY 82716
(307) 682-7285
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Campbell County Clerk of District Court, Gillette (probate case files – see Probate section above); Campbell County Clerk’s Office (separate office) for recorded deeds, small-estate affidavits, and summary distribution decrees.
Local societies
No dedicated Campbell County genealogical society was confirmed in available directories.
Probate & Estate
Losing someone and having to deal with courts and paperwork at the same time is hard. This section won’t make that easier, but it should tell you what to expect, what it costs, and where to go – so at least you’re not walking in blind.
Where to go
Campbell County Clerk of District Court (Sixth Judicial District) 500 South Gillette Avenue, Suite 348, Gillette, WY 82716
Campbell County is in Northeast Wyoming’s Powder River Basin coal country, county seat Gillette. Wyoming has NOT adopted the Uniform Probate Code – it runs its own probate framework under Title 2 of the Wyoming Statutes (“the Wyoming Probate Code”). Probate is filed with the DISTRICT COURT for the county where the decedent lived, administered day-to-day by that county’s Clerk of District Court. Note that Wyoming counties have TWO separate elected clerk offices relevant here: the Clerk of District Court (handles probate case filings) and the County Clerk (a separate office that records deeds, small-estate affidavits, and summary distribution decrees).
Step 1: figure out which path applies
Wyoming Statutes Title 2 governs probate.
Small Estate Affidavit (Wyo. Stat. §2-1-201) – available when the decedent’s entire estate, including personal property (and, per a 2025 update, mineral interests), does not exceed $400,000 (increased from $200,000 effective July 1, 2025, via 2025 Enrolled Act 85/SF0104), less liens and encumbrances. This estate must consist ONLY of personal property (no real estate) for the pure affidavit-to-County-Clerk route. Available 30 days after death; skips court entirely – filed with the County Clerk, who issues a certified copy the claimant presents to banks or other asset holders. Note: mineral interests, which are common in this county’s coal-and-gas economy, generally must be included in the estate valuation and can affect eligibility.
Summary Distribution (Wyo. Stat. §2-1-205) – for small estates up to $400,000 that DO include real property. Requires filing an Application for Decree of Summary Distribution with the District Court (not just the County Clerk); requires 2 consecutive weeks of published notice; the court issues a decree that gets recorded with the County Clerk to clear title.
Full Probate Administration – required for estates exceeding $400,000 or otherwise not eligible for the small-estate or summary paths. File a Petition for Probate with the Campbell County District Court.
Step 2: filing for administration
File a Petition for Probate with the Campbell County District Court.
Notice must be published for 3 consecutive weeks (Wyo. Stat. §2-7-201).
Once a personal representative is appointed, creditors have 3 months from the date of first publication to file claims (Wyo. Stat. §2-7-703).
The personal representative pays valid debts and expenses, then distributes remaining assets to heirs/beneficiaries.
Close the estate with a final accounting to the District Court.
Wyoming courts are increasingly moving toward e-filing; check with the Clerk of District Court for current e-filing requirements for pro se (self-represented) filers.
Wyoming does NOT have a statutory percentage fee schedule for personal representatives or attorneys – unlike many states. Fees must be “reasonable” and are subject to court approval (Wyo. Stat. §§2-7-803, 2-7-804).
A bond may be required (Wyo. Stat. §§2-3-102, 2-3-111) unless waived by the will or all beneficiaries.
Wyoming does NOT impose a state estate tax, inheritance tax, or state income tax – one of the most tax-friendly states in the country for estate administration. Only the federal estate tax may apply, with a $15,000,000 per-person exemption for 2026.
Probate filings, estate administration, and guardianship matters are handled by the following office(s):
Public Safety & Arrests
Arrest records, inmate search, and law enforcement services are handled by the following office(s):
SHERIFF
500 S Gillette Ave, Gillette, WY 82716
(307) 682-7271
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTIONS
(307) 682-7266
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Public Health
Campbell County Public Health, 200 S Gillette Ave, Gillette, WY 82716
(307) 682-7275
DFS Office
Campbell County DFS Office, 200 S Gillette Ave, Gillette, WY 82716
(307) 682-7285
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Campbell County Public Health – Gillette, WY
Services: Immunizations, WIC, environmental health, vital records
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County Facts
County Seat: Gillette
Population: 48,000
Tier: 4
Inmate Services
Care Packages
Send care packages to inmates in Campbell County facilities via Amazon.
