Laramie takes its name from the French-Canadian trapper Jacques LaRamie who was among the initial Europeans to visit the area and who disappeared in the Laramie Mountains in the early 1820s, never to be heard from again. The locals erected the first tent city in the 1860s in proximity to three landmarks. These landmarks are the Union Pacific portion of the first transcontinental railroad, the Overland Stage Line route, and the Fort Sanders army post. On May 4, 1868, the railways reached Laramie, and the first regular passenger service began six days later. From this point, Laramie city grew and had stores, houses, a school, and churches. Unfortunately, Laramie's fame as an iconic railway town servicing many ended in early August 1868 when a 93-mile section of track servicing Benton, six miles east of present-day Sinclair, Wyoming, took precedence. This ending brought lawlessness to the town in the form of three half-brothers, early Old West shooter "Big" Steve Long, Con Moyer, and Ace Moyer. The brothers owned the Bucket of Blood saloon and started harassing settlers, strongarming them to sign over their property deeds under threat of murder. By October 1868, Long had killed thirteen men. Fortunately, Sheriff N. K. Boswell organized a "Vigilance Committee" in response, and on October 28, 1868, the brothers were apprehended and lynched, thus ending their reign of terror. Furthermore, the Sheriff successfully established a semblance of law and order in the town from then on. In 1869, Wyoming led the way in women's rights, granting equal political rights to women in the territory. As a result, five Laramie residents became the first women in the world to serve on a jury. Similarly, Louisa Swain of Laramie also became the first U.S. woman to cast a legal vote in a general election on September 6, 1870. Laramie grew in leaps and bounds with numerous industries, from slaughterhouses to mills and manufacturing plants. Then, in 1886, the townspeople went about building a plant to produce electricity, followed by creating the Telegraph Company in 1880, the Laramie, North Park, and Western Railroad in 1901. In present-day Laramie, the mineral extraction of coal, oil, gas, and trona drive the economy. Agricultural industries are also vital to the economy in the forms of livestock, hay, barley, sugar beets, and wool. In addition, tourism is very much on the rise and is taking Laramie’s economy by storm.

Laramie is deeply rooted in its history. As such, many of the entertainment activities center around the past. Here are a few of the entertainment highlights that are worthwhile an in-depth exploration:
Laramie Mural Project: Take a walking tour in the heart of Laramie’s historic district and be amazed by the series of large-scale murals reflecting the city's cultural and social assets.
University of Wyoming Art Museum: This impressive institution is in the dramatic Centennial Complex on the university campus in Laramie. The Museum exhibits an exciting gallery environment and provides a year-round source of education and entertainment for the entire family.
Wyoming Territorial Prison State Historic Site: Take a tour of the Wyoming Territorial Prison State Historic Site, now operated as a Historic Site by the State of Wyoming. It has a vibrant history and is an absolute must to experience.