The capital of the U.S. state of Wyoming, Cheyenne takes pride in its Old West heritage. The city sits on high prairie in the southeastern corner of the state, next to the Francis E. Warren Air Force Base. The base grew from a U.S. Army fort that was founded at the same time as the city.

Places of interest

The state Capitol is a Cheyenne showplace. The old Governor's Mansion, in downtown Cheyenne, has been made into a museum. The Wyoming State Museum preserves historical documents and relics. The city also has a botanic garden.

Every July the city holds its Frontier Days celebration, featuring parades, carnivals, and a famous rodeo. The Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum and the Nelson Museum of the West also honor the city's Western heritage.

Economy

The Cheyenne economy depends heavily upon jobs provided by local, state, and federal government. The Warren Air Force Base is the leading federal employer. The city also has oil refineries and chemical plants. Many people have jobs providing services to the community in such areas as health care, banking, and tourism.

History

For thousands of years, Native Americans have wandered on the high prairies of what is now southeast Wyoming. One of the groups that lived in the area when outsiders arrived was the Cheyenne.

The city of Cheyenne was founded in 1867. Many of the original residents were men who had come to work on the first railroad to cross the continent. Hundreds of other settlers gathered on the site before the tracks were even laid. These people created an instant boom town of shacks, tents, and sod houses. For the protection of the railroad and its workers, the U.S. Army built Fort Russell nearby.

In 1869 Wyoming was organized as a territory, and Cheyenne was made the capital. With the coming of statehood in 1890, the city became the state capital. All the time, Cheyenne was very much an outpost of the Wild West. Cowboys drove their cattle north from Texas to Cheyenne, where the railroad's cattle cars awaited the animals. Cattle were also raised on nearby ranches. Starting in 1874, Cheyenne was a base for miners who were attracted to a gold rush in the Black Hills to the northeast. Gunfighters, gamblers, and other colorful characters roamed the city streets.

The fort at Cheyenne grew with the city and became one of the most important military bases in the West. It was renamed Fort Francis E. Warren in 1930. During World War II, as many as 20,000 soldiers were housed there. In the late 1940s, the fort became an Air Force base. The base later became a control center for missiles that were designed to carry nuclear explosives. Cheyenne grew in the 20th century but is still one of the smaller state capitals. Population (2000 census), 53,011.