Wyoming’s Capital Offers More Than Frontier Days

Cheyenne, Wyoming, is not just for those who love the rodeo. While tens of thousands of visitors arrive each July to take part in the festivities of Cheyenne Frontier Days, many fabulous historical venues can be enjoyed by travelers throughout the year. This city of over 53,000 residents sits at the southeastern corner of Wyoming. Cheyenne has evolved from the 600 hard drinking and hard partying Hell on Wheels crowd of 1867, when it was founded as a tent city for those building the first Transcontinental Railroad.

Here’s a sampling of what to see in Cheyenne when the cowboys aren’t in town wrestling steer or being bucked off broncos:

For the railroading enthusiast, the CHEYENNE DEPOT MUSEUM is a must-see. It’s here where the history of locomotives and of the brave souls who built the rail networks along the Western Frontier is showcased. The museum is located in the restored Union Pacific Depot Station, which was built in 1886. Several blocks east of The Depot, in Holliday Park, resides the famous, but long-retired, BIG BOY LOCOMOTIVE, the world’s largest ever built.

The history and interpretations of being a Wyomingite are elegantly featured at the WYOMING STATE MUSEUM, which includes galleries like “The Wild Bunch”. This gallery focuses on the various species of wildlife that can be found in the state. The “Swamped With Coal” gallery features the geological history of Wyoming and how the state’s vast mineral resources have shaped it. The HISTORIC GOVERNOR’S MANSION served as home to 19 Wyoming governors from 1905-1976, and is now open again to the public after extensive remodeling. Its first floor drawing room offers a great ambiance, highlighted by some very beautiful furniture bought from Chicago in 1937. All three floors of this restored Colonial Revival house display notable antique furniture pieces.

For the Cold War junkie, the WARREN ICBM AND HERITAGE MUSEUM showcases the history of the US Air Force’s Intercontinental Ballistic Missile System and of the people who have lived and worked at Warren Air Force Base itself. The base’s origins go back to being a military outpost called Fort D.A. Russell, which protected those working on the Transcontinental Railroad from Indian attacks, and was once the largest cavalry post in the United States. At the NELSON MUSEUM OF THE WEST, visitors can feast their eyes on over 3,700 artifacts dealing with cowboys, Native American history, and view a variety of Western art.

For those who want to leave the driving to others, the CHEYENNE STREET RAILWAY TROLLEY offers fully-narrated historical tours of the city, and even conducts Ghost and Christmas Light Tours during the appropriate seasons.

Come to Cheyenne, and witness the history of Wyoming come alive! No cowboy hats required!

Contact Information for above venues of interest:

Big Boy Locomotive: Resides on the southeastern grounds of Holliday Park. 19th at Morrie Ave. Open daily. Admission: free to the public park.

Cheyenne Depot Museum: 121 W. 15th St. 307-632-3905. Admission charge. www.cheyennedepotmuseum.org.

Cheyenne Street Railway Trolley: 121 W. 15th St. 307-778-3133 or 800-426-5009. Charge for tours. Historical tours: May through September. Ghost Tours: October. Christmas Light Tours: December.

Historic Governor’s Mansion: 300 E. 21st St. 307-777-7878. http://wyoparks.state.wy.us/HGMslide.htm. Admission: free.

Nelson Museum of the West: 1714 Carey Ave. 307-635-7670. www.nelsonmuseum.com. Admission Charge. Open May-October.

Warren ICBM & Heritage Museum: Warren Air Force Base, 7405 Marne Loop, Bldg. 210. 307-773-2980. Admission: free. www.pawnee.com/fewmuseum.

Wyoming State Museum: Barrett Building, 2301 Central Ave. 307-777-7022. Admission: free. Tours, lectures, and education programs are also free of charge. http://wyomuseum.state.wy.us.

Contact the Cheyenne Visitors’ Bureau at www.cheyenne.org, to make the most of your visit to Cheyenne, Wyoming.