As the Chicago and North Western built a rail line through the area west from Casper to Lander, it opened a station called Seminole by late December 1905, about 22.4 miles west of Casper by rail.[3][4] The "Seminole" name, however, started causing confusion with another Seminole located on the Union Pacific rail line in Wyoming.[5][6] Therefore, the station was renamed Bucknum in December 1907 by the railroad for Charles K. Bucknum, a Wyoming legislator and former mayor of Capser who owned land near the site.[7][8][9][10]
A post office was established in Bucknum in 1908, and remained in operation until it was discontinued in 1924.[11][12]
Bucknum's reported population was 18 in 1917 and 25 in 1924. A school was reportedly established there by 1922.[13]
As the Chicago and North Western abandoned its line, the communities in this area including Bucknum declined.[14] Rail continues to serve the area, however. A Spanish company bought the bentonite mine in the area formerly owned by U.S. Bentonite (off Bucknum Road) in 2015.[15][16][17] The Bucknum area now falls under the Casper zip code 82604.
