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CQA Four Mile BridgeCQA Four Mile Bridge · Photo: Clayton B. Fraser · Public domain
–Not graded
History · East Thermopolis

East Thermopolis was first counted by the census in 1950

Most of East Thermopolis was built recently: 2% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1974. Below: maps from 1960 on and the census since 1950.

1950first census
0on the National Register
2%homes built before 1940
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Quick answers

How East Thermopolis began

When was East Thermopolis founded?

1950

East Thermopolis first appears in the census in 1950.

First census: 246 in 19502020 census: 22976 years
Founding year: the first census.The full story ↓

What stands out about East Thermopolis’ past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of East Thermopolis are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.Boom and bustPeaked at 359 in 1980; 229 people lived here in 2020.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start East Thermopolis’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how East Thermopolis’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
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People over time

East Thermopolis, census by census

01002003004001960198020002020Peak: 359

Peaked at 359 in 1980; 229 people lived here in 2020.

8 censuses, 1950–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on East Thermopolis’ Wikipedia page.

The story

How East Thermopolis came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of East Thermopolis.

Read it all →

The town of Thermopolis to the west became a town in 1899. It mainly grew on the west side of the river. The east side of the river did have a store, two saloons and an eating house but significantly fewer people. At one time it was known as Andersonville. Before the bridge was built, people had to cross the river by using a rope ferry.

East Thermopolis became its own town when it incorporated in 1948.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

By decade

No old photos in the archives yet

Weddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.

Be the first to add onePhotograph a print flat, in daylight, no flash.
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On the map

East Thermopolis on the map, 1960 to 1981

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of East Thermopolis. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

East Thermopolis on the 1960 USGS mapEast Thermopolis on the 1981 USGS map1960Thermopolis sheet · 1:24,000

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of East Thermopolis.

Famous people

Famous people close to East Thermopolis

Nobody well known was born in East Thermopolis itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.

See all →
Dave FreudenthalAmerican politician · b. 1950
Isabel JewellActress · b. 1907
Aaron HueyAmerican photojournalist · b. 1975
D
Debbie HammonsAmerican politician · b. 1950
Gail CogdillAmerican football player · b. 1937
G
George Carr FrisonAmerican archaeologist · b. 1924
Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

Thermopolis5 historic placesB+

Questions about East Thermopolis’ history

What year was East Thermopolis founded?

The East Thermopolis post office opened in 1950, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
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Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021). How TownRatings grades history →

From Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.