Cheyenne: Historical prairie town; modern city

A sign in a 1908 photograph of the capital's First National Bank building reflects societal changes between the infant railroad city of Cheyenne over the last century. Shot by frontier photographer, J. E. Stimson, the sign in the window reads, "Souvenirs and Post Cards."
A 1990 photo of the bank shows another sign in the same location that advertises, "Naughty Greeting Cards."

Today, Cheyenne is no longer a frontier cowtown, but a bustling, modern capital city. It is also the home of "The Daddy of 'Em All," the Cheyenne Frontier Days which annually draws rodeo fans and curious visitors from all over the world.

Built in 1867 to be near the railroad, Cheyenne was the first real town in Wyoming. Army forts and trading posts like Fort Laramie and Fort Bridger existed before Cheyenne, but the founding of Cheyenne signaled the beginning of people coming to Wyoming to live.
Within a decade after its founding, wealthy ranchers built a series of houses along what is now Carey Avenue. Many of the historic homes still exist along what became known as "Millionaire Row. The same group of affluent men, some from the eastern U. S. and Europe established the Cheyenne Club, so they could socialize, discuss the cattle business and enjoy one another's company.
The building, known briefly as "The Cactus Club" was built in 1882. History records it as the site of the infamous decision-making that resulted in the Johnson County Invasion of 1892. After the livestock business suffered economically, the building was the home of the Cheyenne Chamber of Commerce until it was razed in 1936. The club was immortalized in a number of Hollywood films. A cornerstone marks the site at the confluence of Warren Avenue and 17th street.

The role of the railroad in Cheyenne's development is brought to mind at Holliday Park. There stands the "Big Boy" locomotive, the world's largest steam locomotive. Built in 1941, the engine was designed especially for use by the Union Pacific Railroad on its rugged Cheyenne to Ogden, Utah, run.
Cheyenne has been home to people of all nationalities, not the least of which are people of Scottish blood. A monument in a triangular park, bounded by Pioneer Avenue, Randall Avenue and 26th Street, was erected in 1928 and honors Scotland's national poet, Robert Burns.
Visitors, looking for a taste of the Old West, may want to visit the historic Hitching Post Inn, of which has been said, "The west meets the rest of the world."