The corner of Midwest and Center St. in downtown Casper hasn’t seen much change in its history. Images at Casper College’s Western History Center show a late 1800s-era wood hotel building standing until the late 1940s, when it was replaced by a brick office building that still stands. The building, referred to as the Townsend Building in the library’s photo information, is currently undergoing a remodel.
To the office building’s left are the Kistler and Tripeny buildings. The Kistler, which was last occupied by a newspaper and magazine newsstand, has been vacant since the early 2000s. The Tripeny building was most recently a Sandford’s Grub & Pub restaurant and is now owned by Tony and Cole Cercy, who are currently renovating the Wonder Bar and other Casper properties. There are no current plans for the Tripeny.
Natrona Hotel – Begun as DeWentworth, and serving as Natrona Hotel with J. P. Smith as owner for many years, pictured shortly before it was razed to make way for the Nicolaysen building at Center and Midwest. The Kistler building can be seen at the far left of image. (Courtesy Frances Seely Webb Collection, Casper College Western History Center)
The Natrona Hotel on the corner of Midwest and Center St. in downtown Casper. The photo is likely from the late 1930s. The Kistler Building and Tripeny Building can be seen to the left of the hotel. Further down is where the downtown parking garage now stands. (Courtesy David Memorial Collection, Casper College Western History Center)
A brick office building sits on the corner of Midwest and Center St. in downtown Casper on Thursday, June 15. The building was constructed in the late 1940s and replaced the wood Natrona Hotel building. (Dan Cepeda, Oil City)
