About Cheyenne Wyoming

Cheyenne was founded on the banks of Crow Creek in July 1867. The town, named by Army General Grenville Dodge after the Indians who inhabited the area, took on many nicknames over the years. Cheyenne originally was referred to as "Hell on Wheels" because the first businesses to arrive at the new railhead were ones that traveled along with the Union Pacific as it broke ground westward across the Great Plains. These businesses were set up in tents with false store fronts. Most were drinking and gambling establishments that catered to the rough and tumble life of transient cowboys, local ranch hands, and the soldiers at nearby Fort D.A. Russell.

Within 15 years Cheyenne became known as the "Magic City of the Plains" and gained status as the "richest city of its size in the world." Wealthy cattle barons from the East and abroad invested in the booming cattle industry and built huge, elaborate mansions in Cheyenne. Many of these historic landmarks are still standing today, including the Governor's Mansion which is open to the public year-round.

Today, Cheyenne's economic base is supported mostly by government, wholesale and retail trade, and tourism. Cheyenne still serves as a major crossroad in the West for the Union Pacific and the Burlington Northern Railroads, as well as Interstates 80 and 25.

Gone are the numerous saloons and the vigilante days, but their spirit still comes to life each year during Cheyenne Frontier Days.