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Live the Legend of Cheyenne
Like many western towns, Cheyenne sprang tup in the path of the transcontinental railroad in 1867. Nicknamed Hell on Wheels, the rowdy town of railroad workers and soldiers from nearby Fort D.A. Russell was teeming with numerous saloons and burlesque theaters.
Cheyenne did not remain a wild town for long, as a booming livestock industry attracted investment from eastern and foreign cattle barons. In the 1880s, Cheyenne was the wealthiest per capita city in the world.
Today, Cheyenne boasts many attractions that hearken back to its early days. Victorian mansions and historic buildings like the Capitol and Governor's Mansion dominate downtown. The grand Union Pacific Depot is home to a Visitors Center, restaurant, and the Cheyenne Depot Museum.
During the summer, the Cheyenne Gunslingers (800-426-5009) perform free western skits and gunfights at 6:00 p.m. each weeknight. Cheyenne's Holliday Park is also home to one of the few surviving Big Boys, the largest steam locomotive ever made.
Cheyenne also has a Museum Loop Tour that includes the Cheyenne Frontier Days(TM) Old West Museum (307-778-7290), the Nelson Museum of the West (307-635-7670), the F.E. Warren ICBM and Heritage Museum (307-773-2980), Cheyenne Botanic Gardens (307-637-6458), and the Wyoming State Museum (307-777-7022).
Cheyenne Frontier Days (TM) (800-227-6336), begun in 1897, has grown into the largest outdoor rodeo and western celebration in the world. The celebration includes daily rodeos, nightly concerts, an Indian Village, parades, art shows, pancake breakfasts, a carnival, and more. The 113th Frontier Days takes place July 17-26, 2009.
Phone: 800-664-6431
Website: www.Cheyenne.org
