Welcome to the Wild West!
Howdy, partner! Welcome to Cheyenne, the capital city of Wyoming! Cheyenne is called the "Magic City of the Plains" because it grew so fast - it went from an empty prairie to a bustling city in just a few weeks! Back in 1867, when the railroad came through, people rushed to Cheyenne, and the city seemed to appear like magic.
Today, Cheyenne is famous for keeping the Wild West spirit alive. Every summer, cowboys and cowgirls from all over the world come here for the biggest outdoor rodeo on Earth! With a population of about 65,000 people, Cheyenne is Wyoming's biggest city AND its capital.
Fun Fact: Cheyenne's motto is "Live the Legend" because it's a real-life Wild West town where cowboys still ride horses down the street!
The Golden Dome Capitol
The Wyoming State Capitol is one of the most beautiful capitol buildings in America! Built between 1886 and 1890, it has a gorgeous golden dome that shines in the sunshine. The dome is covered in real 24-carat gold leaf - the same kind of gold used to make jewelry! When the sun hits it, you can see it sparkling from miles away.
The dome stands 146 feet high - that's about as tall as a 15-story building! Only ten states in America have gold-covered domes on their capitols, and Wyoming is one of them. The gold is so thin and delicate that it would turn to dust if you touched it with your bare hands. The dome has been re-covered in gold five times, with the first time being way back in 1900.
Capitol Fact: The building is made from 43 different types of stone from six countries and eight states. It's like a puzzle made of rocks from around the world!
The Daddy of 'em All
Every year in late July, Cheyenne hosts the world's largest outdoor rodeo - Cheyenne Frontier Days! This amazing celebration has been happening since 1897, which means it's been going on for more than 125 years! People call it "The Daddy of 'em All" because it was one of the first big rodeos ever created.
For ten whole days, Cheyenne becomes the most exciting place on Earth! Nearly 200,000 visitors come to watch brave cowboys and cowgirls ride bucking broncos, rope cattle, and show off their skills. The prize money is huge - over $1 million! That's why the best rodeo stars from all over the world come to compete.
But Frontier Days isn't just about rodeo! The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds - the coolest jet pilots in America - fly their super-fast jets in amazing air shows. They've been performing at Frontier Days since 1953! There are also parades with horses and wagons, carnival rides, concerts with country music stars, and even an Indian Village where you can learn about Native American culture.
Yummy Fact: Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday during Frontier Days, the Kiwanis club serves FREE pancake breakfasts! They flip over 100,000 pancakes and serve more than 3,000 pounds of ham in one week. In 1996, a record 39,111 people came to one breakfast!
The World's Biggest Steam Engine
Cheyenne is home to one of the most amazing machines ever built - the Big Boy locomotive! These giant steam engines are the largest steam locomotives ever made. How big is Big Boy? It's 132 feet long - three school buses could fit inside! It's 16 feet tall and weighs more than 1.2 MILLION pounds!
The Union Pacific Railroad built 25 Big Boy locomotives in the 1940s to pull heavy trains over the steep Rocky Mountains. These powerful engines could pull trains weighing 3,600 tons without any help! Today, only eight Big Boys are left, and you can see one right here in Cheyenne at Holliday Park.
Even cooler? Big Boy #4014 still runs! It's the only working Big Boy in the world. Sometimes it goes on tour, chugging across America, and when it comes back to Cheyenne, thousands of people line up to see this amazing piece of history. When Big Boy's whistle blows, you can hear it for miles!
Train Fact: Big Boy burned coal to make steam that powered its huge 6-foot-tall wheels. It was so powerful it could climb mountains while pulling trains heavier than 600 elephants!
Cowboys, Trains, and the Wild West
Cheyenne has some of the most exciting Wild West history in America! The city was born on July 4, 1867 - Independence Day - when the Union Pacific Railroad arrived. Within just four weeks, 4,000 people had moved to Cheyenne! The city grew so fast that people called it "Hell on Wheels."
Cowboys would drive huge herds of cattle to Cheyenne to load them onto trains headed east. The city had saloons, dance halls, and was so wild that the army had to help keep order! Famous lawmen like Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane spent time in Cheyenne during the Wild West days.
Today, Cheyenne keeps that Old West feeling alive. You can visit the Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum to see real cowboy gear, stagecoaches, and learn about the people who built the West. During special events, you might even see cowboys riding horses down the streets, just like in the old days!
History Fact: Cheyenne has a special law that all downtown buildings must look like they're from the Wild West! That's why walking through downtown Cheyenne feels like stepping back in time to the 1800s.
Amazing Cheyenne Facts
Mile High City
Cheyenne sits 6,062 feet above sea level - more than a mile high! The air is thinner here, which makes running harder but sunsets more beautiful!
Cowgirl Capital
Wyoming was the first state to give women the right to vote in 1869! Cheyenne celebrates strong cowgirls and pioneering women.
Named for a Tribe
Cheyenne is named after the Cheyenne Native American tribe who lived on these Great Plains for centuries.
Boot Hill Cemetery
Cheyenne has a cemetery where famous outlaws and cowboys from the Wild West are buried. It's called "Lakeview Cemetery" and has graves from the 1860s!
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