Within two years, the stage coach route between Cheyenne, Wyoming, and Deadwood, South Dakota, delivered freight, including salt pork and whiskey.
Initially residing in Cleveland, Ohio, he moved to Denver, Colorado in 1876 and built the Western Live Stock Company under a partnership agreement and established a ranch east of Greeley.
In 1877, Lusk traveled to the Wyoming Territory for the first time on personal business and left highly impressed with the people and the area.
[citation needed] In 1879, eastern Colorado had grown to the point that Lusk, along with his partners began exploring options outside of the area.
A year later, he bought some land about 3 miles (5 km) outside of Lusk, which included the Running Water Stage Station.
In response, one of the partners in the Gilmer and Salisbury Express Stage told Lusk that he should set up a post office at the ranch, which would provide for delivery of the mail, rather than requiring him to make the ride to Rawhide Buttes.
[9][10] In 1886, the Fremont, Elkhorn and Missouri Valley Railroad wanted to extend their line west from Nebraska toward Casper, Wyoming, in order to transport coal.
In order to meet the requirements allow construction and ownership, the Wyoming Central Railway was established as a dummy corporation.
[9][10] While Lusk was the only post office in Wyoming on the entire (proposed) line and was named as the place of business of the company in its incorporation papers, it wasn't officially established until July of that year, when railroad engineers laid the first plat for the town.
That same year, the towns of Douglas, and Casper were officially established in the same manner by Lusk, on behalf of the Wyoming Central Railway.
Silver was discovered in the hills surrounding Lusk, which brought a steady stream of miners to the area.
By the 1950s, growth in the area stabilized when cattle ranching usurped mining as the primary industry of the town.
[7] In 1952, the Lusk Baptist Church sent letters to Representative William Henry Harrison III and Senators Joseph C. O'Mahoney and Lester C. Hunt protesting the creation of diplomatic relations with Vatican City through the appointment of Mark W.
[13] The town is 20 miles (32 km) west of the Nebraska border and sits at 5,000 feet (1,500 m) above sea level, surrounded by the southeastern extension of the Black Hills National Forest.
[24] The municipal government of Lusk encompass a mayor and four council members, representing some citizens area wide.
Open public meetings are held on a monthly basis to receive feedback from citizens, address concerns, express collective decisions, and vote on motions, proposals, resolutions, and orders.
[26] The center was initially operated by the Wyoming Board of Charities and Reform, until it was dissolved as a result of a State Constitutional Amendment passed in November 1990.
[32] The Department of Public Works operates and maintains the Lusk Municipal Airport, 3 miles (5 km) east of town.
[33] Niobrara Senior Center provides basic paratransit services for both Lusk and Niobara County[34] The Department of Public Works maintains and delivers utility services within the town including water, electricity, streets, sewer, sanitation, landfill, and recycling.