Big Piney is the oldest settlement in Sublette County and was named by Dan B. Budd for the Piney creeks. In 1879 Daniel B. Budd and his partner in the cattle business, Hugh McKay, brought one thousand head of cattle from Nevada to ship at Point of Rocks. Winter came early that year in the Green River Valley and the following year Dan Budd moved his family to Big Piney and many settlers followed hoping to fulfill the dream of owning land in the west. Cattle did well here and ranch lands were established. Ranching remained the main source of economics in the community, until the oil and gas industry was developed in the 1920’s. Tourism and recreation followed quickly with the open spaces, numerous mountain ranges and rivers running through the valleys. The Mormon Emigrant trail, The Oregon Trail and the Lander Cutoff are preserved in the area and many historical areas pertaining to the settler history are in close proximity to Big Piney. Big Piney boasts being the “Ice Box of the Nation” when it was made a weather station in the 1930’s and had the coldest year round average temperature of any place in the nation.

Big Piney’s population at the 2000 census was 408 with many diversified people living in the community and was incorporated on July 5, 1913. Many descendants of the original families that settled the valley are still continuing with the business of raising cattle on the homesteads their ancestors settled in this harsh but beautiful country. Oil and gad comprise a large amount of work in the area and small business owners contribute to the economy of the area.

Big Piney has two beautiful established town parks, a new modern library, and the Green River Valley Museum which depicts the entire history of Sublette County. The Wardell Buffalo trap is located 5 miles out of Marbleton has been studied and recognized nationally and is now is the process of being designated as a National Historic Interpretive Site. An original pioneer cabin along with a 1900’s post office and school house have been restored to preserve the history of the area, along with an extensive oil and gas display and many, many items of local history. An impressive high school was built in the 1980’s and new businesses and homes being established on a steady basis have made Big Piney a thriving community.

Marbleton and Big Piney are one mile apart. Marbleton has its own post office and town government. The summer of 2006 saw a beautiful new town hall built with extensive meeting rooms and attractive grounds with trees, grass and a gazebo. When Big Piney was established there were drainage problems and Charles Budd, eldest son of Dan Budd, thought building the town on the bench would help the problem, but Big Piney stayed put. Charles did continue with establishing Marbleton as a town and the two towns have been separate ever since. Marbleton has seen growth with many new businesses, new homes and the newly remodeled Southwest Sublette County Pioneers Senior Center is an added asset to this growing community. Professional buildings such as the Big Piney-Marbleton Clinic, and a thriving dental practice are in Marbleton also. Marbleton’s population at the 2000 census count was 720.