 If you're from Wyoming and you hear the word Platte, you probably think of the North Platte River. Platte is a French word meaning flat or shallow. French fur traders name the river while trapping animals along its banks. Platte County in Wyoming is named after the North Platte River. Platte County was created in February 1911 out of what was then Laramie County. Much of the county is irrigated and farmers produce crops such as alfalfa, corn and sugar beets. Irrigation in the area got its start as early as 1878 when a project was initiated to divert water from the Laramie River onto the flats around present-day Wheatland. This development caused an increase in population and eventually Wheatland became an incorporated town in 1905. As progress was made, the need for more irrigation water led to the construction of Glendaux Dam and Guernsey Dam along the North Platte River and Gray Rocks Dam along the Laramie River. This allowed for increases in crop production. The Gray Rocks Dam also resulted in the development of the Laramie River Power Station, a coal-burning power plant. The mighty rivers of Platte County played a pivotal role in its establishment and still contribute to its economy today. From the University of Wyoming Extension, I'm Ashley Garles, Exploring the Nature of Wyoming.