The region around Story was part of the history of the American Frontier and the Old West, and of the conflicts between early settlers and the Plains Indians. The historic Bozeman Trail passed nearby in the mid-1860s, and Fort Phil Kearny, now a State Historic Site, lies just 5 miles south of town. Fort Sheridan was just to the north, near what is now the city of Sheridan.
With the advent of the automobile in the early 1900s, the area around Story became, and has remained, a popular destination in Wyoming for tourists, Boy Scout troops and others for camping, fishing, and other outdoor recreational activities.[citation needed]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the census-designated place has a total area of 7.1 square miles (18.46 km2), all land.[8]
Wildlife
White-tailed deer thrive and flourish and groups of them often stroll down the streets or lounge on people’s lawn. There are also lots of turkeys. Mountain lions and black bears exist in the areas surrounding the community.[9]
As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 887 people, 420 households, and 272 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 64.6 people per square mile (24.9/km2). There were 667 housing units at an average density of 48.6/sq mi (18.7/km2). The racial makeup of the CDP was 98.87% White, 0.11% African American, 0.34% Native American, 0.23% Asian, 0.23% from other races, and 0.23% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.35% of the population.
There were 420 households, out of which 20.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.1% were married couples living together, 4.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.2% were non-families. 30.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.11 and the average family size was 2.56.
In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 17.4% under the age of 18, 4.2% from 18 to 24, 21.2% from 25 to 44, 34.9% from 45 to 64, and 22.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48 years. For every 100 females, there were 109.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.0 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $33,125, and the median income for a family was $45,000. Males had a median income of $29,028 versus $23,958 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $20,053. About 12.1% of families and 15.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.6% of those under age 18 and 11.5% of those age 65 or over.
Story Elementary School is located in the community and serves students in grades K-5. Secondary school students attend Sheridan Junior High School (grades 6-8) and Sheridan High School (grades 9-12), which are located in nearby Sheridan.[12]
Story has a public library, a branch of the Sheridan County Public Library System.[14]
Fire and rescue
The Story Volunteer Fire Rescue Department provides fire suppression and rescue services for the heavily forested community of Story and the surrounding area,[15] which is designated as by the State of Wyoming as the Story Fire Protection District.[15][16]
In the late 1990s, a section of US 87 between Buffalo and Sheridan near Pilot Hill was closed due to recurring landslides, and State Route 193 began being used as an alternate route. The State of Wyoming petitioned the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) to officially reroute US 87 over Highway 193, but AASHTO denied the petition. Since then, an officially designated detour for US 87 has followed Highway 193 through Story, and it appears unlikely US 87 will be reconstructed in the foreseeable future due to additional, and recurring landslides in the area, as well as the potential costs.[18]
Airports
The Sheridan County Airport is 14 miles north of Story, just south of Sheridan, with direct passenger flights available daily to Denver. The other two nearest airports are Worland Muni Airport and Gillette-Campbell County Airport.
