Star Valley is located in the United States between the

Salt River Range The Salt River Range is a mountain range in western Wyoming. The 56 mile long range forms the eastern boundary of Star Valley Star Valley is located in the United States between the Salt River Range in western Wyoming and the Webster Range of ...

in western Wyoming and the Webster Range of eastern

Idaho Idaho ( ) is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. To the north, it shares a small portion of the Canada–United States border with the province of British Columbia. It borders the states of Montana and Wyomi ...

. The altitude of the valley ranges from to . Three major Wyoming rivers, the Salt River, the

Greys River The Greys River is a tributary of the Snake River, flowing through western Wyoming in the United States. The river is about long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map , accessed May 4, ...

and the Snake River meet near Alpine Junction at Palisades Reservoir. Numerous towns are located in the valley, including Afton, Thayne,

Bedford Bedford is a market town in Bedfordshire, England. At the 2011 Census, the population of the Bedford built-up area (including Biddenham and Kempston) was 106,940, making it the second-largest settlement in Bedfordshire, behind Luton, whilst t ...

, Etna, Smoot, Fairview, Osmond,

Freedom Freedom is understood as either having the ability to act or change without constraint or to possess the power and resources to fulfill one's purposes unhindered. Freedom is often associated with liberty and autonomy in the sense of "giving on ...

Grover Grover is a blue Muppet character on the popular PBS/HBO children's television show ''Sesame Street''. Self-described as lovable, cute and furry, he is a blue monster who rarely uses contractions when he speaks or sings. Grover was originally ...

, Auburn,

Alpine Alpine may refer to any mountainous region. It may also refer to: Places Europe * Alps, a European mountain range ** Alpine states, which overlap with the European range Australia * Alpine, New South Wales, a Northern Village * Alpine National P ...

, Nordic, Turnerville and Star Valley Ranch. Star Valley was settled in the late 1870s by Mormon pioneers. Primary sources indicate Star Valley was proclaimed the "Star of All Valleys" for its natural beauty by a general authority of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). The name was later shortened to Star Valley. Another less supported theory about the origin of the name comes from Starvation (Starve) Valley, a name the area gained during bitter winters in the late 1880s.

History

Star Valley was inhabited mainly by Shoshone Indians in the summer and fall months until the early 19th century. The natives were drawn to the valley for its abundant game and the pure salt deposits found near the present town of Auburn and also to the south of

Afton, Wyoming Afton is a town in Lincoln County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 1,911 at the 2010 census. Afton is home to the world's largest arch made of elk antlers. Spanning across the four lanes of U.S. Highway 89, the arch consists of 3,0 ...

there are more renowned salt deposits. American explorers are known to have traveled through the area as early as 1812, seeking new routes to the West Coast. Canadian and American trappers followed, frequenting the area through the 1840s. The 1850s and 1860s saw many emigrants passing through the upper Star Valley area via the Lander Road on the Oregon Trail. White settlement of the area did not begin in earnest, though, until the late 1870s when LDS Apostles

Moses Thatcher Moses Thatcher (February 2, 1842 – August 21, 1909) was an apostle and a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). He was one of only a few members of the Quorum of the Twelve to ...

and Brigham Young, Jr. chose the valley for colonization.

Archibald Gardner Archibald Gardner (September 2, 1814 – February 8, 1902) was a 19th-century pioneer and businessman who, with his knowledge of lumber- and grist mills, helped establish communities in Alvinston, Ontario; West Jordan, Utah; and Star Valley ...

and members of his extended family arrived in 1889, building and operating five mills of various types in the valley. On October 1, 2011,

Thomas S. Monson Thomas Spencer Monson (August 21, 1927 – January 2, 2018) was an American religious leader, author, and the 16th President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). As president, he was considered by adherents of the rel ...

, president of the LDS Church, announced in General Conference that the Star Valley Wyoming Temple would be built in the valley. The location was announced on May 25, 2012, to be just east of U.S. Highway 89 on the Haderlie Farm property just south of Afton. The temple was completed and dedicated on October 30, 2016, by LDS Apostle David A. Bednar, the 154th dedicated temple in operation.ChurchofJesusChristTemples.org
Star Valley Wyoming Temple
accessed 28 October 2021

Communities

* Afton *

* Auburn *

* Etna *

* Thayne * Smoot * Star Valley Ranch

Notes

External links

Star Valley Wyoming Community Website

Lincoln County Govt Website
{{coord, 42, 50, 52, N, 110, 56, 35, W, format=dms, display=title, type:adm1st_region:US-WY Landforms of Lincoln County, Wyoming Rocky Mountains Valleys of Wyoming

History

Communities

See also

Notes

External links