Cheyenne WY

Cheyenne is the Capitol of Wyoming and has a population of about 53,000 people. The city was founded when the railroad was constructed from the east to the west coast. We took this visit to Wyoming to learn more about the state itself. We took in the state's museum, Capitol Building, Historical Governors' Mansion, Frontier Park/Old West Museum, Depot Museum and Cheyenne's Frontiers Day Exhibit. Wyoming is known for its ranching, mining and oil fields. During the Cold War there were many nuclear sites in Wyoming. After spending time in Wyoming, especially at Yellowstone National Park and at the Grand Tetons National Park, it has become obvious to us that we enjoy the friendly people here, wide open spaces and the big skies. Cheyenne Frontiers Day has been going on since 1897 and includes the largest rodeo in the world. We have come to appreciate the life of a rancher, including that of true cowboys and cowgirls which very much still a lifestyle in this area. In speaking with a few old time ranchers who never complain about their lifestyle in the past you realize how difficult it was to develop a working ranch. One old timer indicated that the only meat that they ate was wild game since the sheep and cattle were needed to raise money. Most of the ranches here have been in their respective families for generations. There are still many small ranches in Wyoming. In the future we will definitely be spending more time in this fine state.