Top 10 True Western Towns of 2009
By: 01/01/2009
AND NUMBER ONE:
CHEYENNE, WYOMING
The city's slogan, "Cheyenne—Live the Legend," has never held more true than it does today. In fact, this town of 55,314 citizens inspires legends.
Just as one historic district—its sixth, Moore Haven Heights, with 495 properties—has been approved by the Wyoming Preservation Office and is pending national district approval as of press date, Cheyenne is already at work on applying for its seventh district: the Round Top Water Treatment Plant Area, which was built in 1906 as the first sand settlement filtration plant west of the Mississippi River.
Wow. These folks don’t even stop to catch their breaths.
It’s almost hard to keep up with them. Around this time last year, Cheyenne had just finalized the fifth historic district. And much of what they were in the midst of developing in 2007 was open and fully operational by 2008. That includes the downtown livery stable (already expanded with an outside corral because of high usage) and the cell phone audio tour system for the city’s eight museums that had 4,100 individuals calling in during its first 16 months of operation.
Here’s what’s next on the list to save. The Wyoming Capitol is undergoing a $1.2 million skylight restoration project. Three owners of 1880s homes, originally from Fort D.A. Russell, are preserving these homes instead of demolishing them to put in a parking lot. (Joni Mitchell is smiling somewhere above these saviors.)
The city’s “Tracking Trains” tour already has visitors checking out iron horse sites such as the former Union Pacific Depot and the state’s oldest locomotive built in 1890. In 2008, the city finished a survey of the old Burlington Northern Railroad route. Most likely, the results of that survey will add to what is already an impressive adventure for train buffs.
The city’s proudest moment was undoubtedly when elders from the Northern Arapaho tribe visited Belvoir Ranch in May 2008; tribal members have not been on the land since settlers pushed them off it in the 1860s. The community being developed here will incorporate teepee rings, bison kill sites, ancient rock shelters and the Denver to Fort Laramie stage route. Now that the Arapaho are on board, the city is beginning a dialogue with Shoshoni and Northern Cheyenne tribal elders for their input on the site.
Given all that Cheyenne has accomplished, it was no surprise to us that in 2008 the city hosted not just one, but two, preservation conferences: Preserve Wyoming and the 14 State Western Planners Association conferences. When you’re a legend, everyone wants to come and check you out.
With all the rich historic sites to see in Cheyenne, now is the time for you to jump on the bandwagon too and check them out for yourself.
Comments (2)
The city should make the downtown historic district more western all year long, that is what the tourists want to come and enjoy, just like Jackson Hole area. Wood sidewalks, old storefronts renewed, take down the horrible siding on all those old building and make it historic and western as much as possible. Pull all the businesses together and make a true western downtown. You don't have to all sell western items, just make the buildings western. You have a GREAT start with the Train Depot and surrounding areas!! Keep up the PLAN!! or MAKE A PLAN!! Cheyenne could be a truly great small city and as the State Capital SHOULD have a GREAT DOWNTOWN!!
Sir:
My Son is coming home from Iraq in, about one year. BUT in early July he is coming on leave to look your area over for a possible place to live, get married and raise a family. We will be in WYOMING in the 1st few days of July. Have you got any info that might help him
He has been Special Forces and, I suppose Police work is what he wants.
I am in California but I am not a
"Californian". 707-259-0949 or
wes.mac@comcast.net or P O Box 294.
Yountville, California 94599. WES MAC
Mc Girr
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