Cheyenne, Wyoming

Cheyenne, the capital of Wyoming, has a reputation as a laid-back city known for its pioneer spirit. Voted the number one "True Western Town" by True West magazine, Cheyenne has held fast to its Old West roots while evolving into a thriving metropolis. The city's slogan, "Live the Legend," reflects the importance of the city's history and background to the town and its people, from Cheyenne's early beginnings in 1867 as a gritty and colorful frontier town to its modern role as the host of the biggest annual rodeo in the world.

Landscape

Tucked away in the southwest corner of the state of Wyoming, Cheyenne is situated on the northern tip of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. The city is small for a state capital, spanning 21.2 square miles. Cheyenne rests on a high plateau, 6,062 feet above sea level, and is located at the intersection of Interstates 80 and 25 between the North and South Platte Rivers.

Like much of the state, Cheyenne's climate is semi-arid. The city has four distinct seasons, with cold winters and warm summers. Winter weather is usually sunny and cold, with temperatures averaging in the mid-20s. Spring and fall are comfortable, with precipitation in the form of rain. Summers are warm, with highs in the low 80s and cool temperatures at night. Thunderstorms are common during summer evenings. The state has warmed by up to 3 degrees Fahrenheit due to climate change. Snowpack has been decreasing since the 1950s.

Cheyenne's location on the top of a wind-swept plateau gives it the dubious honor of being one of the windiest cities in America and a center for wind energy development. The city harnessed the wind through the placement of wind turbines, and Laramie County Community College, which is located in Cheyenne, has one of the top-rated wind energy technician programs in the country.

People

Cheyenne is Wyoming's largest city, with an estimated 2024 population of 65,698, according to the US Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS). Approximately 71.5 percent of the population is White. Hispanics or Latinos are the next largest group at about 21 percent, followed by Black or African Americans (2 percent) and Asians (1 percent) and American Indians and Alaska Natives (0.1 percent).

Historically, Cheyenne's culture was defined equally by the railroad, military, and ranching. In modern times, the city is a blend of Old West traditions and modern life. The city's Western heritage is strong, as evidenced by the great number of Western-themed shops, restaurants, businesses, and annual festivals.

The largest festival in Cheyenne is the Frontier Days celebration, which began in 1897 and spans ten days in late July. The festival, which is a celebration of all things Western, includes the largest rodeo in the world, often called "The Grand Daddy" locally. The festival also features parades, an arts and crafts show, a carnival, and numerous concerts.

Cheyenne honors the large Irish population of the city by holding the annual Cheyenne Celtic Festival. The heritage festival featured musical groups, as well as traditional Irish crafts and games. The festival has also expanded to honor Scottish and Welsh traditions.

Economy

The city of Cheyenne has maintained a strong economy throughout its history. It was not dependent on mining, as many other western towns were, and bolstered its economic strength through ties with the military and the Union Pacific Railroad. In fact, Cheyenne grew and prospered so quickly after it was founded in 1867 that it was nicknamed the "Magic City of the Plains."

The city still maintains a close relationship with nearby F.E. Warren Air Force Base, which is Cheyenne's largest employer. The second largest employers are the federal and state governments. The city's government-based economy provides stability and the lack of an income tax and low sales tax (2 percent) act as incentives for businesses.

Education also drives the city's economy. Cheyenne is located less than 60 miles from three major universities: the University of Wyoming, Colorado State University, and the University of Northern Colorado. It is also home to the University of Wyoming's education center.

Unlike other cities, Cheyenne's growth was successful in part because of careful planning. In the past, the city purchased land specifically to build two large business centers, one that was over 900 acres and one that was over 600 acres. The latter is the location of Walmart's regional distribution center and houses the National Center for Atmospheric Research's (NCAR) supercomputers.

In fact, in 2007, the city was awarded the Daniel Burnham Award, which is given to cities that comprehensively plan for the future. The award was in response to PlanCheyenne, the city's blueprint for developing a community that is diverse, economically stable, and offers a wide variety of activities, open spaces, and housing and employment opportunities.

Landmarks

There are many famous landmarks located within a one-day drive of Cheyenne, including Wyoming's Devils Tower, Yellowstone National Park, and Mt. Rushmore in South Dakota. Cheyenne offers its own unique and interesting landmarks as well.

Cheyenne began as a railroad town and the city's first inhabitants were those who worked on the railroad. The history of the railroad can be seen in several different city attractions, including the Cheyenne Depot, known as one of the most beautiful railroad stations in the world. The Cheyenne Depot, which is a National Historic Landmark, includes a museum, visitor's center and restaurant.

The city is also home to the largest steam engine in the world, "Big Boy." The engine, which weighs over 1 million pounds and is about 132 feet long, was designed to pull over 3,000 tons. The famous engine now sits on display in Holliday Park. Families also enjoy riding the Cheyenne Street Railway Trolley, which offers a guided historical tour of the city.

The Wyoming State Capitol building and Historic Governor's Mansion are both important historical buildings in the city. Built in 1887 and 1905, respectively, they both dominate the downtown area of Cheyenne and are open to tours. The Wyoming State Museum is also close to the capital building and houses exhibits that tell the history of Cheyenne and Wyoming.

Popular outdoor landmarks include the Cheyenne Botanical Gardens, various city parks, and the University of Wyoming Archaeological Dig Site, also known as the High Plains Archaeology Site. Located near the city in Pine Bluffs, the archaeological site features historic artifacts that date back 10,000 years. The dig site is preserved for visitors to walk through. Just to the west of Cheyenne lies "Wyoming West," a series of hiking trails that wind around ancient formations of rock and clay.

History

Cheyenne got its start when it was surveyed in 1867 during the western expansion of the Union Pacific Railroad. General Grenville M. Dodge and his crew decided that the area where the railroad crossed over Crow Creek would make a good site for a town. At the same time, the US Army selected a nearby site to build Fort D.A. Russell, which is now known as F. E. Warren Air Force Base. The town was named for the Cheyenne Indians who roamed the plains.

The city's first residents were railroad workers charged with expanding the Union Pacific Railroad. Most of these men moved on as the railroad expanded. Those that stayed behind ran saloons and variety theaters, quickly transforming Cheyenne into a rough and rowdy frontier town. Soon, other settlers, many of them highly educated men from the East Coast, tried their hand at ranching or farming, quickly building the cattle industry into one of the most lucrative businesses the area had to offer. By 1875, the city had grown from 600 railroad workers to around 5,000 cultured homesteaders, earning it the nickname "Magic City of the Plains."

An opera house built in 1882 lured many famous entertainers out West. The upscale Cheyenne Club, which was formed by local cattle barons, followed. The club was also the meeting place of the Wyoming Stock Growers Association, which ran the huge cattle drives that went through the area. Some of the members would monopolize huge areas of land with their cattle, preventing any settlers from establishing their own ranches. This led to many range wars, including the famous Johnson County War in the spring of 1892.

The Johnson County War was a standoff between small ranchers and the larger cattle barons over land in the Powder River Country that culminated in an extended shootout. The war finally ended when the US Cavalry, on orders from President Benjamin Harrison, intervened. The range war continues to exert a significant influence on American popular culture.

The city continued to grow and thrive during the 1900s, mostly due to the large number of federal and state government agencies and the steady stream of workers and residents supplied by the nearby military base. Cheyenne continues to thrive in the early twenty-first century, thanks to a steady economy, a revitalized downtown area, several designated historical districts, and other strong efforts by the city to plan for the future and preserve the past. In the 2020s, many of Cheyenne's business were owned by locals.

Trivia:

• There are nineteen 8-foot tall "big boots" scattered throughout the city. The boots are sculptures of cowboy boots, painted to depict the history of the city. Finding all of the boots is a popular tourist activity.
• The first Yellow Pages were produced by the Wyoming Telephone Company in 1881; the company used yellow paper after it had run out of white paper.
• If you spend more than $100,000 building a commercial building in Cheyenne (and anywhere in Wyoming), you must spend at least 1 percent of the final cost of the building on artwork to be displayed on, inside, or around the building.

Bibliography

"ACS Demographic and Housing Estimates." US Census Bureau, American Community Survey, ACS 1-Year Estimates Data Profiles, Table DP05, 2024, data.census.gov/table/ACSDP1Y2024.DP05?q=Cheyenne+city,+Wyoming. Accessed on 25 Nov 2025.

"Cheyenne, WY." US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Aug. 2025, www.bls.gov/eag/eag.wy_cheyenne_msa.htm. Accessed 25 Nov. 2025.

"NOWData - NOAA Online Weather Data." National Weather Service, NOAA, www.weather.gov/wrh/Climate?wfo=cys. Accessed 25 Nov. 2025.

"What Climate Change Means for Wyoming." US Environmental Protection Agency, Aug. 2016, 19january2017snapshot.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016-09/documents/climate-change-wy.pdf. Accessed 25 Nov. 2025.