Back in 1957, at the height of the Cold War, a uranium mine was discovered in Wyoming. It brought thousands of people to the area, many looking for high income jobs at the mine.

Jeffrey City started to boom.

Businesses thrived. Residents went to church and sent their kids to school. Workers mined the valuable mineral. Times were so optimistic that a large high school was built, complete with an olympic-size swimming pool. Houses, motels, cafes, garages and a park all lined the streets of the city.

But by the late 1970s, demand for uranium plummeted. The market went bust. In 1982, the mine shut down, along with the only reason for residents to remain. By 1986, 95 percent of the town’s population had left. Jeffrey City was virtually a ghost town.

Today, about 106 people remain, according to the 2000 U.S. Census. Most of the houses and businesses are boarded up. No children play in the park; only a weather-beaten swing set remains. There’s still a small cafe, but the pool tables in the back collect more dust than quarters.

But, there’s still friendly conversation to be had with those who remain…