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Services: A genuine historic CARNEGIE LIBRARY, one of only sixteen ever built in Wyoming (1899-1917) and one of just five still in active use as a public library today (built 1918-1919 by architect Elmer H. Ranck, with a 1998-1999 addition for handicapped access); the first Lusk library was established in 1913, the same year Niobrara County was formally organized, funded through a Civic Improvement Club campaign tapping into the Carnegie Corporation’s library grant program; offers mobile hotspot devices, blood pressure monitors, and youth enrichment programs
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Niobrara County is genuinely and officially the LEAST POPULOUS COUNTY IN WYOMING – itself the least populous U.S. state – with a population around 2,341-2,467 residents spread across 2,628 square miles (fewer than one person per square mile); despite its tiny size, the county holds remarkably deep history: the Cheyenne-Black Hills Stage Route, a critical stagecoach line in use from 1876-1887 connecting Cheyenne and Deadwood during the Black Hills Gold Rush, passed directly through the county near the Rawhide Buttes and Running Water stage stations, both listed on the National Register of Historic Places; the town of Lusk itself was founded in 1886 by rancher Frank S. Lusk on the site of the earlier short-lived silver-mining boomtown of Silver Cliff; each summer, Lusk hosts the “Legend of Rawhide,” a real historical pageant reenacting a dramatic 19th-century pioneer-and-Native American encounter near Rawhide Buttes, performed annually since 1946; the Lusk Water Tower (1886) is Wyoming’s ONLY REMAINING RAILROAD WATER STOP TOWER, also NRHP-listed; the county is home to the C and H Refinery Historic District, a remarkably preserved early-20th-century independent oil refinery with 27 contributing structures; the Stagecoach Museum in Lusk, staffed by dedicated local volunteers, documents this rich frontier and mining history, including the story of James Nathaniel Edwards, reputedly the richest Black cattle baron in the American West, who had running hot and cold water before almost anyone else in the region
Notes: Niobrara County’s genuine status as Wyoming’s (and by extension, one of the emptiest parts of) the least populous state’s least populous county – paired with its surprisingly rich, well-documented frontier history – is a distinctive and verifiable combination.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
GIS Portal: Niobrara County GIS – accessible via niobraracounty.org
Parcel Search: Niobrara County Assessor
Addressing/911: Coordinated through Niobrara County Emergency Management
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Facility: Lusk Animal Control (Town of Lusk) – Lusk Police Department, (307) 334-4055 | Dispatch: (307) 334-2212 | Town of Lusk: (307) 334-3612
Services: Handles stray dog/cat/animal pickup and impoundment within Lusk town limits; all dogs and cats over six months of age must be licensed with the Town Clerk; owners reclaiming pets from the shelter must contact the Lusk Police Department directly, with applicable fees; pet owners relinquishing animals for adoption may be charged a fee (recently set up to $750, reflecting the increased cost of caring for relinquished pets, per Town Council resolution)
Notes: No dedicated county-wide animal shelter facility is confirmed to exist outside Lusk town limits – confirm current arrangements directly for rural Niobrara County properties, as coverage may rely on neighboring county resources.
Notes: Contact Niobrara County or the Town of Lusk directly for current refuse collection and recycling program details.
NOTES
Niobrara County is genuinely Wyoming’s least populous county – itself the least populous state – yet holds surprisingly rich, well-documented frontier history along the historic Cheyenne-Black Hills Stage Route, preserved today at the Stagecoach Museum and a genuine, still-active Carnegie library. 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 Niobrara County County
Niobrara County is Wyoming’s least populous county and the Cheyenne-Deadwood Stage Road’s Wyoming passage – the historic stagecoach route that carried Black Hills gold through the open prairie and the distinctive Rawhide Buttes landmark define a remote northeast Wyoming county where Lusk serves the surrounding ranching communities in some of the state’s emptiest and most authentically frontier landscape.
Lusk (the county seat, population ~1,500) is Niobrara County’s governmental hub, a small northeast Wyoming plains town whose Texas Trail Museum, Cheyenne-Deadwood heritage, and cattle ranching economy anchor its community identity.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Niobrara County Assessor at 424 Sundance Street, Lusk, WY 82225, phone 307-334-2736. WY assessed at 9.5% of market value.
Courts & Legal
Niobrara County District Court at 424 Sundance Street, Lusk, WY 82225, phone 307-334-2211, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK
424 S Main St, Lusk, WY 82225
(307) 334-2211
CLERK OF DISTRICT COURT
424 S Main St, Lusk, WY 82225
(307) 334-2211
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Niobrara County Clerk of District Court, Lusk (probate case files – see Probate section above); Niobrara County Clerk’s Office (separate office) for recorded deeds, small-estate affidavits, and summary distribution decrees.
Local societies
No dedicated Niobrara 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
Niobrara County Clerk of District Court (Eighth Judicial District) 424 South Elm Street, PO Box 1318, Lusk, WY 82225 (307) 334-2736
Niobrara County is in East Central Wyoming, the least populous county in Wyoming, county seat Lusk. 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.
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 Niobrara County District Court.
Step 2: filing for administration
File a Petition for Probate with the Niobrara 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
424 S Main St, Lusk, WY 82225
(307) 334-2245
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTIONS
(307) 334-2211
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Public Health
Niobrara County Public Health, 921 Poplar St, Lusk, WY 82225
(307) 334-2807
DFS Office
Niobrara County DFS Office, 921 Poplar St, Lusk, WY 82225
(307) 334-2211
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Niobrara County Public Health – Lusk, WY; Niobrara Community Hospital provides 24-hour emergency care with a Level IV trauma center certification, four acute-care beds, and long-term swing beds; the associated Rawhide Rural Health Clinic offers primary care
Services: Immunizations, WIC, environmental health, vital records; advanced specialty care requires transfer to regional hospitals in Douglas or Casper
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Lusk
Population: 2,400
Public Records
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