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Services: Operates PlatteAlert, an emergency notification system delivering alerts via text, email, pager, or voice mail (sign up at PlatteAlert.MyFreeAlerts.com, via the AlertSense/myAlerts app, or by calling (307) 322-1335 for assistance)
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: I-25 and US-26 serve Wheatland, the county seat, between the Laramie River and Chugwater Creek; the county maintains 650 miles of paved and gravel roads
Transit: No dedicated fixed-route county transit identified; confirm current regional options directly with the county
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Platte County Planning & Zoning – (307) 322-2962
Services: Building Certificate applications (required unless a limited set of exceptions apply – call the Planner to confirm); septic system permits are issued separately by Wyoming DEQ’s Water Quality Division, and well permits by the Wyoming State Engineer’s Office – both must be obtained BEFORE applying for a Building Certificate; completed applications go before the Platte County Commissioners for final approval
Notes: Confirm whether your property falls under county or a specific municipal jurisdiction. Road encroachment permits for County Roads go through the Road and Bridge office.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
County VSO: Platte County Veterans Service Office – Wheatland, WY
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Platte County Public Library – main branch in Wheatland plus branches in Guernsey, Glendo, and Chugwater
Main Branch: Platte County Public Library – 904 9th St., Wheatland, WY 82201 | (307) 322-2689 | Fax: (307) 322-3540 | Director: Julie Henion | Hours: Mon–Thu 10 AM–8 PM, Fri 10 AM–5 PM, Sat 10 AM–2 PM (closed Sun)
Services: A genuine Carnegie library – funded in part by a 1917 contribution from Andrew Carnegie, with the cornerstone laid in May and the building opened to the public on November 28, 1917, at a total cost of $13,500; the library’s earliest roots trace to a small volunteer-run collection kept at a local doctor’s residence before Governor Carey donated a corner lot for its first building in 1899
Key Assets: Platte County is genuinely home to the WHEATLAND IRRIGATION DISTRICT, delivering water to 55,000 acres of formerly dry, unproductive land, making it the LARGEST AND ONLY PRIVATELY HELD IRRIGATION DISTRICT IN THE UNITED STATES; the district’s roots trace to 1882-1883, when the Wyoming Development Company (organized by future Governor Joseph M. Carey and other investors including Francis E. Warren) began major irrigation surveys and construction on what became known as the “Wheatland Colony” – one of the largest early irrigation colonization efforts in Wyoming, ultimately providing water rights across roughly 500,000 acres; the county’s cattle producers today provide a year’s supply of beef for an estimated 850,000 people despite the county’s small population; the SWAN LAND AND CATTLE COMPANY HEADQUARTERS, near Chugwater, is a genuine National Historic Landmark (designated 1964) – organized in Scotland in 1883, the Swan Company was one of the largest ranching operations in the entire nation during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, managing more than one million acres at its peak; the surviving headquarters complex includes a 1913 general store, an 1876 manager’s residence with fine Stick-style detailing, and cottonwood trees planted by the company in 1888; Platte County also contains Lake Guernsey State Park, the Oregon Trail Ruts, and Register Cliff – genuine, physically visible wagon-wheel ruts and pioneer signatures carved along the historic Oregon Trail – among its 13 National Register of Historic Places sites
Notes: The Wheatland Irrigation District’s genuine status as America’s only privately held irrigation district of its kind, alongside the real National Historic Landmark Swan Land and Cattle Company ranch, make Platte County a distinctive piece of Western agricultural and ranching history.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
GIS Portal: Platte County GIS – accessible via plattecountywyoming.com
Parcel Search: Platte County Assessor
Addressing/911: Coordinated through Platte County Emergency Management
Notes: Contact Platte County or the Town of Wheatland directly for current refuse collection and recycling program details.
NOTES
Platte County genuinely holds the nation’s only privately held irrigation district and the National Historic Landmark headquarters of the once-enormous Swan Land and Cattle Company – distinctive pieces of authentic Western agricultural history. 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 Platte County County
Platte County is Wyoming’s Oregon Trail ruts and Guernsey State Park county – the deepest surviving wagon ruts of the great westward migration and the extraordinary CCC stonework of Guernsey State Park define a southeast Wyoming county whose historical assets are among the most significant and most underappreciated in the entire state.
Wheatland (the county seat, population ~3,500) is Platte County’s governmental hub on I-25, a southeast Wyoming agricultural and ranching city whose Laramie Peak backdrop and Oregon Trail proximity anchor its community identity.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Platte County Assessor at 800 9th Street, Wheatland, WY 82201, phone 307-322-2858. WY assessed at 9.5% of market value.
Courts & Legal
Platte County District Court at 800 9th Street, Wheatland, WY 82201, phone 307-322-3555, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK
800 9th St, Wheatland, WY 82201
(307) 322-2315
CLERK OF DISTRICT COURT
800 9th St, Wheatland, WY 82201
(307) 322-2315
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Platte County Clerk of District Court, Wheatland (probate case files – see Probate section above); Platte County Clerk’s Office (separate office) for recorded deeds, small-estate affidavits, and summary distribution decrees. The Platte County Courthouse (1917-18, Classical Revival, designed by the Baerresen Brothers) is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Local societies
No dedicated Platte 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
Platte County Clerk of District Court (Eighth Judicial District) Platte County Courthouse, 800 9th Street, PO Box 158, Wheatland, WY 82201 (307) 322-3857
Platte County was authorized February 21, 1911 and organized in 1913, named for the North Platte River, county seat Wheatland. 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, who also handles child support distribution and accepts passport applications. 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, and for civil matters over $50,000 generally. File a Petition for Probate with the Platte County District Court.
Step 2: filing for administration
File a Petition for Probate with the Platte 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
800 9th St, Wheatland, WY 82201
(307) 322-2320
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTIONS
(307) 322-2315
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Public Health
Platte County Public Health, 826 16th St, Wheatland, WY 82201
(307) 322-2540
DFS Office
Platte County DFS Office, 826 16th St, Wheatland, WY 82201
(307) 322-2315
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Platte County Public Health – Wheatland, WY
Services: Immunizations, WIC, environmental health, vital records
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Wheatland
Population: 8,700
Public Records
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