The county seat (1882, 3,516 feet), located in the valley of the north fork of the Republican River, has a more sheltered and moister climate than the surrounding high plains. Limestone cliffs to the south and sand dunes to the north frame a tree-shaded oasis. The town began as a Burlington railroad stop named for James Thomas Wray, cattle foreman on the nearby I. P. Olive Ranch. Unlike most plains towns, Wray has maintained a steady population of around 2,000 in an unusually progressive community with a notable new consolidated school. The Wray Museum, 205 East 3rd Street, houses a fine collection of artifacts, including the famed Yuma points. The town's grand old “mansion,” Quiggle Mansion (1903), is at the southeast corner of 4th and Ash streets. The sandstone Yuma County Courthouse (1903), 310 Ash Street, has many brick additions. The Bank of Wray (1887), southwest corner of 3rd and Main streets, is a single-story brick building with arched windows and corner doorway and egg and dart terracotta trim.
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