Clay Spur Bentonite Plant & Camp, Scale House, Clay Spur Siding on Burlington Northern Railroad, Osage, Weston County, WY

Significance: The Clay Spur Bentonite Plant and Camp is associated with the early 20th century bentonite mining industry in Wyoming and the United States. The Clay Spur Bentonite District was the center of the pioneer Wyoming bentonite industry and remained the premier Wyoming producing district until reserves began to dwindle in the 1950s. The plant embodies the distinctive engineering technology of the bentonite industry. The camp also reflects early twentieth century company town architecture with simple buildings and floor plans that could be quickly and cheaply constructed and adapted to many different uses. The scale house is located southeast of the mill, along the main access road. It is a small one-story wood frame building (9.5 feet northwest-southeast by 6.5 feet southwest-northeast) with a gable roof. The roof and exterior walls are covered with corrugated tin sheeting. There is a door on the northwest elevation and three four-light windows in the remaining elevations. The interior retains a 10-ton commercial motor truck scale, manufactured by the Howe Scale Company of Rutland, Vermont. The scale was installed sometime prior to 1940. There is a wooden weighing platform set in a concrete foundation just off the southeast elevation of the building.
Survey number: HAER WY-23-P