Atlantic City

Wyoming's ghost towns were mostly Union Pacific coal camps, built by the railroad and unbuilt when diesel arrived.

Atlantic City is a census-designated place (CDP) in Fremont County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 37 at the 2010 census. The community is a small mining settlement in a gulch near South Pass in southwestern Wyoming. It was founded in 1868 as a mining camp following the 1867 gold rush in the region. The "Atlantic" name refers to its location on the eastern side of the nearby Continental Divide. The town declined following the end of the placer gold rush in the early 1870s, but continued to exist as advances in mining technology allowed further extraction of gold.

Calling it Atlantic City was either optimism or a very good joke — boomtowns were never modest about their ambitions.

Atlantic City never fully emptied out — it's a living historic town where a small community still tends the old buildings. Be a considerate guest: patronize local businesses, keep noise down, and remember people live here.

Public access makes Atlantic City one of the easier ghost towns to actually stand in — though "public" in ghost-town country can still mean miles of dirt road, so check recent trip reports first.

Atlantic City is publicly accessible — but give the word "accessible" some respect. Out here it can still mean miles of unmaintained dirt road. Check recent trip reports, carry extra water and a spare tire, download offline maps, and let someone know your route. The mapped point for Atlantic City is roughly 42.4900, -108.7300 — use it as a starting point and cross-reference a current topographic map before leaving pavement.

Ghost-town etiquette is simple: take only photographs. Removing artifacts is illegal on public lands and disrespectful everywhere else — and on federal land it can be a serious offense.

The ground itself demands respect: open mine shafts, collapsing floors, and old wells hide in tall grass, cell service is often nonexistent, and help can be hours away. Tell someone your plans, pack more water than you think you'll need — and save the early morning or late afternoon light for your camera.

Want the full story? The Wikipedia article on "Atlantic City, Wyoming" covers Atlantic City in more depth — find the link in Sources below. County archives, historic newspaper collections, and the state historical society are the next stops after that: plat maps, census rolls, and old photographs fill in what a short visit can't. If you make the trip, consider sharing your photos and notes — firsthand reports are how the record of Atlantic City gets better.