 Do you know what the oldest surviving incorporated town in Wyoming is? Would you have guessed Hartville? If you did, you would be correct. Copper was the precious metal that brought miners to the area in 1881, when an abandoned copper mine was discovered. By 1884, the town of Hartville arose. You may be wondering about the name Hartville and think that its name comes from the beating organ in our bodies. However, Hartville was named after Major Verling K. Hart, who located copper deposits in the area. One difficulty for mining in Hartville was the absence of a railroad. 10 ore wagons and 60 horses were used to haul ore from Hartville to Badger, while discussions of a railroad construction were occurring. In 1900, the railroads arrived in Hartville. It was then incorporated as a municipality. The mines and sunrise closed in 1980, and since then Hartville has lost population. As of the 2000 census, Hartville had a population of 76 people, which also makes it the smallest town in Platt County. From the University of Wyoming extension, this has been May Smith, standing on a piece of history here in Hartville, Wyoming, and exploring the nature of Wyoming.