The cities of Wyoming don’t have as much history as an East Coast metropolis like New York or Washington, D.C., but the state capital, Cheyenne, has seen its share of interesting events. After all, settlers had to work hard to make a life for themselves in this part of Wyoming, and the founders of Cheyenne had to work even harder to develop a city that now holds around 100,000 people. In the days of the wild west, Cheyenne was the gateway to the wild frontier. Here are just a few of the more interesting things that have happened over the years.
The Case of Tom Horn
A century ago, the town of Cheyenne was buzzing about the murder of a 14-year-old boy and the man who supposedly shot her, Tom Horn. Horn started his career as a U.S. Army scout in Arizona but later became a bounty hunter for the Pinkerton Agency. When he came to Wyoming, he was a range detective, a man who made sure cattle didn’t wander off from their ranches or get stolen by greedy neighbors.
In 1901, someone shot and killed Willie Nickell. The Nickells were one of two feuding rancher families in Cheyenne, and Tom Horn happened to be working for the other side. A marshal questioned a drunk Horn and supposedly got a confession out of him, but the wealthy families pushed to get him convicted and move attention away from their feud. Thus, the court convicted Horn and sentenced him to death. To this day, it’s not clear whether Horn shot the boy, but it’s almost certain that he killed other victims.
Over 100 Years of Frontier Days
The Wild West period was hardly over when Cheyenne put together the first Frontier Day. Cheyenne gave birth to the first formal Rodeo in 1872, just a few years after the Civil War, and in 1897, the local newspaper editor put together the first all-day rodeo festival, Frontier Day. Since then, the festival has expanded to fill an entire weekend and includes both a major rodeo competition and a celebration of Cheyenne’s heyday.
Women’s Suffrage Support
Today, Wyoming has a reputation as a conservative state, but back in the 19th century, the Wyoming Territory was ahead of the curve. The first Wyoming congress met in Cheyenne in 1869 and gave women the right to vote during its first session, 51 years before the United States would do the same with the 19th Amendment. In fact, Wyoming had to petition for statehood seven times before being accepted partly because they gave full voting rights to women.
Cheyenne and the state of Wyoming have had some interesting times. Over the years, the state has seen the growth of big cattle ranches, the birth of Yellowstone National Park, the failed hunt for gold and silver deposits, and the successful hunt for coal, oil, and copper. Cheyenne may be small as cities go, but do a little digging, and you’ll find a deep history.
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