Cheyenne ( or ) is the capital and most populous city of the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...

Wyoming Wyoming () is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho to the west, Utah to the southwest, and Colorado to the s ...

, as well as the

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...

of Laramie County, with 65,132 residents, per the 2020 US Census. It is the principal city of the Cheyenne metropolitan statistical area which encompasses all of Laramie County and had 100,512 residents as of the 2020 census. Local residents named the town for the

Cheyenne The Cheyenne ( ) are an Indigenous people of the Great Plains. Their Cheyenne language belongs to the Algonquian language family. Today, the Cheyenne people are split into two federally recognized nations: the Southern Cheyenne, who are enr ...

Native American people Native Americans, also known as American Indians, First Americans, Indigenous Americans, and other terms, are the Indigenous peoples of the mainland United States (Indigenous peoples of Hawaii, Alaska and territories of the United States are ...

in 1867 when it was founded in the

Dakota Territory The Territory of Dakota was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 2, 1861, until November 2, 1889, when the final extent of the reduced territory was split and admitted to the Union as the states of N ...

. Cheyenne is the northern terminus of the extensive Southern Rocky Mountain Front, which extends southward to

Albuquerque Albuquerque ( ; ), ; kee, Arawageeki; tow, Vakêêke; zun, Alo:ke:k'ya; apj, Gołgéeki'yé. abbreviated ABQ, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Mexico. Its nicknames, The Duke City and Burque, both reference its founding in ...

New Mexico ) , population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano) , seat = Santa Fe , LargestCity = Albuquerque , LargestMetro = Tiguex , OfficialLang = None , Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ke ...

, and includes the fast-growing Front Range Urban Corridor. Cheyenne is situated on Crow Creek and Dry Creek.

History

At a celebration on July 4, 1867, Grenville M. Dodge of the

Union Pacific Railroad The Union Pacific Railroad , legally Union Pacific Railroad Company and often called simply Union Pacific, is a freight-hauling railroad that operates 8,300 locomotives over routes in 23 U.S. states west of Chicago and New Orleans. Union Paci ...

announced the selection of a townsite for its mountain region headquarters adjacent to the bridge the railroad planned to build across Crow Creek in the Territory of Dakota. At the same celebration,

Major General Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of ...

Christopher C. Augur announced the selection of a site three miles (5 km) west of Crow Creek Crossing for a

U.S. Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cl ...

fort to protect the railroad. The

platted its Crow Creek Crossing townsite on July 5, 1867. Residents named the town Cheyenne for the

. On August 8, 1867, the Town of Cheyenne, Dakota Territory was incorporated, and on August 10, 1867, H. M. Hook was elected as Cheyenne's first mayor. The tracks of the Union Pacific Railroad reached Cheyenne on November 13, 1867, and the first train arrived the following day. Cheyenne grew so quickly it gained the nickname of "Magic City of the Plains". On September 8, 1867, the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land warfare, land military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight Uniformed services of the United States, U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army o ...

established Fort D.A. Russell in honor of

Brigadier General Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

David Allen Russell. Initially a cavalry

encampment Camp may refer to: Outdoor accommodation and recreation * Campsite or campground, a recreational outdoor sleeping and eating site * a temporary settlement for nomads * Camp, a term used in New England, Northern Ontario and New Brunswick to descri ...

, construction of the fort began the following month. The fort was renamed Fort Francis E. Warren in 1930 in honor of the first Governor of the State of Wyoming, Francis E. Warren. The fort was transferred to the new

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Aerial warfare, air military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part ...

and was renamed Francis E. Warren Air Force Base in October 1949. On July 25, 1868, the United States organized the

Territory of Wyoming The Territory of Wyoming was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 25, 1868, until July 10, 1890, when it was admitted to the Union as the State of Wyoming. Cheyenne was the territorial capital. The bo ...

. Territorial Governor John Allen Campbell arrived in Cheyenne on May 7, 1869, and named Cheyenne the temporary territorial capital. Cheyenne has remained the only capital of Wyoming. On December 10, 1869, the first session of the Wyoming Territorial Legislature met in Cheyenne. That day, the legislature passed and Territorial Governor Campbell signed an act to re-incorporate the Town of Cheyenne, Wyoming Territory, and an act granting

white White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...

women the right to vote, the first

territory A territory is an area of land, sea, or space, particularly belonging or connected to a country, person, or animal. In international politics, a territory is usually either the total area from which a state may extract power resources or a ...

to grant suffrage to women. On July 10, 1890, the Territory of Wyoming was admitted to the

Union Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''Un ...

as the State of Wyoming. The

Wyoming State Capitol The Wyoming State Capitol is the state capitol and seat of government of the U.S. state of Wyoming. Built between 1886 and 1890, the capitol is located in Cheyenne and contains the chambers of the Wyoming State Legislature as well as the office ...

was constructed between 1886 and 1890, with further improvements being completed in 1917. The Cheyenne Regional Airport was opened in 1920, initially serving as a stop for

airmail Airmail (or air mail) is a mail transport service branded and sold on the basis of at least one leg of its journey being by air. Airmail items typically arrive more quickly than surface mail, and usually cost more to send. Airmail may be t ...

. It soon developed into a civil-military airport, serving

DC-3 The Douglas DC-3 is a propeller-driven airliner manufactured by Douglas Aircraft Company, which had a lasting effect on the airline industry in the 1930s to 1940s and World War II. It was developed as a larger, improved 14-bed sleeper version ...

s and various military craft. During World War II, hundreds of B-17s, B-24s, and PBYs were outfitted and upgraded at the airfield. Today, it serves a number of military functions, and as a high-altitude testbed for civilian craft.

Geography

Lying near the southeast corner of the state, Cheyenne is one of the least centrally located state capitals in the nation (together with cities such as Carson City, Nevada; Juneau, Alaska;

Tallahassee, Florida Tallahassee ( ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat and only incorporated municipality in Leon County. Tallahassee became the capital of Florida, then the Florida Territory, in 1824. In 2020, the populatio ...

; and

Topeka, Kansas Topeka ( ; Kansa: ; iow, Dópikˀe, script=Latn or ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the seat of Shawnee County. It is along the Kansas River in the central part of Shawnee County, in northeast Kansas, in the Central U ...

). According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of t ...

, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water.

Climate

Cheyenne, like much of Wyoming, has a

cold semi-arid climate A semi-arid climate, semi-desert climate, or steppe climate is a dry climate sub-type. It is located on regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not as low as a desert climate. There are different kinds of semi-ar ...

(

Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (born 1951), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author and ...

''BSk'') and is part of USDA Hardiness zone 5b, with the suburbs falling in zone 5a. Winters are cold and moderately long, but relatively dry with highs often above freezing, having a normal mean temperature of , highs that fail to breach freezing for 35 days per year, and lows that dip to the mark on 9.2 mornings. However, the cold is often interrupted, with

chinook wind Chinook winds, or simply Chinooks, are two types of prevailing warm, generally westerly winds in western North America: Coastal Chinooks and interior Chinooks. The coastal Chinooks are persistent seasonal, wet, southwesterly winds blowing in from ...

s blowing downslope from the Rockies that can bring warm conditions, bringing the high above on twenty days from December to February. While December is the coldest month, snowfall is greatest in March and April, seasonally averaging , historically ranging from between July 1965 and June 1966 up to between July 1979 and June 1980, yet thick snow cover rarely stays. Summers are warm, with a high diurnal temperature range; July averages , and highs reach on average for twelve afternoons annually. Spring and autumn are quick transitions, with the average window for freezing temperatures being September 29 thru May 14, allowing a growing season of 106 days. Official record temperatures range from on January 9, 1875, up to on June 23, 1954, the last of four occurrences; the record cold daily maximum is on January 11, 1963, while, conversely, the record warm daily minimum is on July 31, 1960. The annual precipitation of tends to be concentrated from May to August and is low during fall and winter; it has historically ranged from in 1876 to in 1942. The city averages below 60% daily relative humidity in each month and receives an average hours (~67% of the possible total) of sunshine annually. On July 16, 1979, an F3

tornado A tornado is a violently rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the Earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. It is often referred to as a twister, whirlwind or cyclone, altho ...

struck Cheyenne, causing one death and 40 injuries. It was the most destructive tornado in Wyoming history.

Demographics

In 2020, Cheyenne had a total population of 65,132. As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses in ...

of 2010, there were 59,467 people, 25,558 households, and 15,270 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 27,284 housing units at an average density of . As of the census of 2000, there were 53,011 people, 22,324 households, 14,175 families living in the city, and 81,607 people living in the metropolitan statistical area making it the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Wyoming. The population density was 2,511.4 inhabitants per square mile (969.6/km²). There were 23,782 housing units at an average density of 1,126.7 per square mile (435.0/km²). At the 2019 American Community Survey, the city had an owner-occupied housing rate of 65.9% with a median value at $214,300. There were 27,344 households from 2015 to 2019, and an average of 2.20 persons per household. Residents of Cheyenne had a median household income of $64,598 and per capita of $35,637. An estimated 10.4% lived at or below the poverty line. In 2010, there were 25,558 households, of which 30.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.1% were married couples living together, 12.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 40.3% were non-families. 33.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.92. In 2000, there were 22,324 households, out of which 30.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.2% were married couples living together, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.5% were non-families. 31.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.93. The median age in the city was 36.5 years at the 2010 census. Twenty-four percent of residents were under the age of 18; 9.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26.9% were from 25 to 44; 26.2% were from 45 to 64; and 13.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.3% male and 50.7% female. In 2000, 24.9% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 29.7% from 25 to 44, 22.8% from 45 to 64, and 13.8% 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.7 males. The median income for a household in the city was $38,856, and the median income for a family was $46,771. Males had a median income of $32,286 versus $24,529 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,809. About 6.3% of families and 8.8% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 11.1% of those under age 18 and 5.8% of those age 65 or over.

Ethnicity

The U.S. Census Bureau estimated the racial and ethnic makeup of the city was 77.1% non-Hispanic white, 1.7% Black or African American, 0.6% American Indian or Alaska Native, 1.5% Asian, 0.2% Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, 6.7% two or more races, and 15.9% Hispanic or Latin American of any race, in 2020. In 2010, the racial makeup of the city was 87.44%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...

, 2.88%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.96% Native American, 1.24% Asian, 0.20%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, 4.0% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 3.28% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties forme ...

or Latino of any race were 14.45% of the population. At the 2005–2007 American Community Survey 3-Year Estimates, the city's population was 87.2% White (79.3% non-Hispanic White alone), 12.7% Hispanic or Latino (of any race), 4.5% Black or African American, 2.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.1% Asian and 6.4% from some other race. In 2000, the racial makeup of the city was 88.1% White, 2.8% Black or African American, 0.8% Native American, 1.1% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 4.4% from other races, and 2.7% from two or more races. 12.5% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Arts and culture

Bulldogging a steer, Cheyenne Frontier Days cph

Cheyenne Frontier Days Cheyenne Frontier Days is an outdoor rodeo and western celebration in the United States, held annually since 1897 in Cheyenne, Wyoming. It bills itself as the "World's Largest Outdoor Rodeo and Western Celebration." The event, claimed to be one ...

, which is held over ten days centered around the last full week in July, is the largest outdoor rodeo in the US. The events include professional bull riding, calf roping, barrel racing, steer wrestling, team roping, bronc riding, steer roping, bareback riding, and many others. During this week there are many parades and other events. Additionally there is a carnival with numerous rides, games, and shops.The festival has been held since 1897.

Landmarks

Tivoli Building (Cheyenne, Wyoming) The Tivoli Building is a historic building at 301 West Lincolnway (301 West 16th Street) in downtown Cheyenne, Wyoming, and a part of the Downtown Cheyenne Historic District. The three-story Victorian architecture, Victorian building was built in ...

* William Sturgis House *

* F.E. Warren Air Force Base, one of the United States's oldest, continuously active installations (originally U.S. Army Fort D.A. Russell). *

Nagle Warren Mansion Nagle Warren Mansion, also known as Cheyenne YWCA Building, is former residence and YWCA with three buildings located in Cheyenne, Laramie County, Wyoming. The mansion is on the edge of Cheyenne's historic downtown section on Cattle Barons’ Row ...

National Register of Historic Places

Over fifty different locations in Cheyenne are listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

, including: * The Historic Plains Hotel (added 1978) * Atlas Theatre (added 1973) * Union Pacific Depot (Cheyenne Depot Museum) (1973) * the Governor's Mansion (1969) * Nagle-Warren Mansion (1976) * First Presbyterian Church (1869) * First United Methodist Church (1975) * St. Mark's Episcopal Church (1970) * St. Mary's Catholic Cathedral (1974) * Cheyenne High School (2005) * High Plains Horticulture Research Station a.k.a. High Plains Arboretum (1930–1974) * Storey Gymnasium (2005) * Park Addition School (1970) * Big Boy Steam Engine (1956) * Botanic Gardens Rotary Century Plaza & Steam Locomotive (1921) Several districts in the city are also listed, including: *

Downtown Cheyenne Historic District The Downtown Cheyenne Historic District in Cheyenne, Wyoming is a historic district (United States), historic district that was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. It is an area of about seven blocks, in the core of the o ...

(1978, with boundary increase in 1980, 1988, 1996. Encompasses and 67 buildings) * Lakeview Historic District (1996, 350 acres and 109 buildings) * Rainsford Historic District (1984, 1980 acres and 288 buildings) * Capitol North Historic District (1980, 204 acres and 112 buildings) * Fort David A. Russell (1969, 6,300 acres and 19 buildings) * Union Pacific Roundhouse, Turntable and Machine Shop (1992, 113 acres and 2 buildings) * South Side Historic District (2006)

Sports

Sports venues in Cheyenne include the

Cheyenne Ice and Events Center Cheyenne Ice and Events Center, formerly known as Taco John's Events Center and Ikon Center, is a 2,000-seat multipurpose venue. Located in Cheyenne, Wyoming, it opened in August 2000. The Ice and Events Center is home to the Cheyenne Capitals yo ...

, Pioneer Park, Powers Field, Bison Stadium and Okie-Blanchard Stadium. The Cheyenne Warriors were founded as an American Professional Football League team in 2012. After playing a season in the APFL, they announced a move to the

Indoor Football League The Indoor Football League (IFL) is a professional indoor American football league created in 2008 out of the merger between the Intense Football League and United Indoor Football. It has one of the largest number of currently active teams am ...

. Shortly after the owner of the team died in December 2012, the Warriors announced that they were forming the new Developmental Football League. After playing several games in this new league, the team folded in May 2013.

Parks and recreation

The Cheyenne Community Recreation and Events Department operates an Ice and Events center, swimming pool, spray park, skateboard park, two golf courses, Cheyenne Botanic Gardens (including the Paul Smith Children's Village at the Gardens), paddle boat rentals in Lions Park (summers only), cemeteries, forestry operations, community house, Youth Activity Center and a miniature golf park. The Cheyenne Parks and Recreation Department also operates a ) Greater Cheyenne Greenway system. The greenway connects parks and neighborhoods of greater Cheyenne. It includes many bridges and underpasses where travelers can avoid high traffic roads and travel above waterways and drainages. It is known that the famous bicycler, Cheyenne Otero, spent many weekends there training for marathons. sp In 1996, as a result of the greenway, Cheyenne was named a "Trail Town USA" by the

National Park service The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government within the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages all national parks, most national monuments, and other natural, historical, and recreational propert ...

and the

American Hiking Society The American Hiking Society is a Maryland-based non-profit dedicated to preserving trails, the areas that surround them and the hiking experience. It was founded in 1976. Programs The American Hiking Society has three main avenues of action: *V ...

Government

Cheyenne's government consists of a mayor and a city council, elected on a non-partisan basis. The mayor is elected in a citywide vote. The current Mayor, Patrick Collins, a bicycle shop owner, took office on January 4, 2021 with a term ending January 6, 2025. The city council has nine members each of whom are elected from one of three wards. Each ward elects three members. The mayor's office is responsible for managing the various city departments which consist of Police, Fire Rescue, Planning and Development, Engineering, Public Works, Treasury, Attorney’s Office, Human Resources, and Municipal Court. The Cheyenne Board of Public Utilities is owned by the city but is semi-autonomous.

Education

Public education in the city of Cheyenne is provided by Laramie County School District #1. The district is served by four high schools, Central High on the northwest side, East High on the east side, South High on the south side, and Triumph High, also on the south side. Cheyenne is home to the Laramie County Community College (LCCC), one of seven constituent campuses managed by the Wyoming Community College Commission. Cheyenne has a public library, a branch of the Laramie County Library System.

Media

* ''

Wyoming Tribune Eagle The ''Wyoming Tribune Eagle'' is a daily newspaper published in Cheyenne and distributed primarily in Laramie County, Wyoming. It is the state's second largest newspaper in terms of circulation, behind the '' Casper Star Tribune''. The ''Tribune E ...

'' newspaper * The ''Cheyenne Herald'' () was written and published by Dave Featherly from 2002 to 2012. * KGWN

Infrastructure

Transportation

Major highways

* – North–South Interstate running from

intersects I-80 southwest of Cheyenne. * – East-West Interstate running from California to

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...

. Intersects I-25 southwest of Cheyenne. * – Bypass Interstate that runs concurrent with US 85 from I-80 to US 30. * – East–west route through Cheyenne * – North–South route through Cheyenne * – North–South through Cheyenne that runs concurrent with I-25 through Cheyenne * – East–west route from I-25/US 87 (Exit 10) west out of Cheyenne towards Laramie * – Runs northwest out of Cheyenne to Horse Creek. * – North–South route that forms a beltway around Cheyenne. From I-25 (Exit 7) to

WYO 219 Wyoming Highway 219 (WYO 219), also known as Yellowstone Road, is a north–south state highway in central Laramie County, Wyoming, United States, that forms an eastern loop off of U.S. Route 85 (US 85). Route description WYO 219 run ...

* – North–South route from US 85 in Cheyenne near the Cheyenne Airport north out of the city * – East–west route from US 85 east to WYO 212 in Cheyenne * – North–South route from WYO 225 just southeast of Cheyenne and travels north to F.E. Warren Air Force Base and continues on its north route east of the city to WYO 221 * – East–west route from I-80/US 30 southwest of Cheyenne west

Public transit

Cheyenne provides local hourly bus service from 6:00a.m. – 7:00p.m. Monday to Friday and 10:00a.m. – 5:00p.m. on Saturday. There is no Sunday service.

Airports

Cheyenne Regional Airport features daily, nonstop airline service on

United Express United Express is the brand name for the regional branch of United Airlines, under which six individually owned regional airlines operate short- and medium-haul feeder flights. On October 1, 2010, UAL Corporation and Continental Airlines merged t ...

to Denver International Airport.

Railroads

The

Union Pacific The Union Pacific Railroad , legally Union Pacific Railroad Company and often called simply Union Pacific, is a freight-hauling railroad that operates 8,300 locomotives over routes in 23 U.S. states west of Chicago and New Orleans. Union Pac ...

and

BNSF BNSF Railway is one of the largest freight railroads in North America. One of seven North American Class I railroads, BNSF has 35,000 employees, of track in 28 states, and nearly 8,000 locomotives. It has three transcontinental routes that ...

railroads intersect in Cheyenne. The city is home to a BNSF railyard, as well as the Union Pacific's roundhouse that hosts their steam program. UP's operational steam locomotives 844 and 4014 reside in the steam shop, along with Challenger #3985 and DDA40X #6936.

Notable people

Rink Babka Richard Aldrich Babka (September 23, 1936 – January 15, 2022) was an American discus thrower. A former world record holder, Babka also won a silver medal in the discus event at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome. He starred in football, basket ...

(1936–2022),

discus throw The discus throw (), also known as disc throw, is a track and field event in which an athlete throws a heavy disc—called a discus—in an attempt to mark a farther distance than their competitors. It is an ancient sport, as demonstrated by th ...

er, silver medalist at 1960 Rome Olympics and former world record holder * Vernon Baker (1919–2010),

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valo ...

recipient * James E. Barrett (1922–2011),

U.S. federal judge In the United States, federal judges are judges who serve on courts established under Article Three of the U.S. Constitution. They include the chief justice and the associate justices of the U.S. Supreme Court, the circuit judges of the U.S. ...

* Bryant B. Brooks (1861–1944), seventh governor of Wyoming 1905–1911 * Harriet Elizabeth Byrd (1926–2015), first African-American to serve in Wyoming Legislature * Joseph M. Carey (1845–1924), mayor of Cheyenne, ninth governor of Wyoming (1911–15) * Mark T. Cox IV (born 1942), former

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

alternate executive director of the

World Bank The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans and grants to the governments of low- and middle-income countries for the purpose of pursuing capital projects. The World Bank is the collective name for the Inte ...

* Rich Crandall (born 1967), member of

Arizona State Senate The Arizona State Senate is part of the Arizona Legislature, the state legislature of the US state of Arizona. The Senate consists of 30 members each representing an average of 219,859 constituents (2009 figures). Members serve two-year terms wi ...

* Neil Diamond (born 1941), singer, lived in Cheyenne during his father's military service in World War II era * David R. Edwards (1938–2013), late state representative from Converse County; born in Cheyenne in 1938 * Floyd Esquibel (born 1938), member of

Wyoming Senate The Wyoming Senate is the upper house of the Wyoming State Legislature. There are 30 Senators in the Senate, representing an equal number of constituencies across Wyoming, each with a population of at least 17,000. The Senate meets at the Wyom ...

and former member of

Wyoming House of Representatives The Wyoming House of Representatives is the lower house of the Wyoming State Legislature. There are 60 Representatives in the House, representing an equal number of single-member constituent districts across the state, each with a population of ...

Bill Garnaas Wilford Benjamin Garnaas (October 8, 1921 – May 9, 2002) was an American football player who played three seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He attended Marshall High School in Minneapolis, Minnesota and ...

(1921–2002), NFL player for Pittsburgh Steelers, 1946–48 * John Godina (born 1972), shot putter, silver medalist at 1996 Atlanta Olympics and a bronze medal at the 2000 Sydney games *

Mark Gordon Mark Gordon (born March 14, 1957) is an American politician who has served as the 33rd governor of Wyoming since January 7, 2019. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as state treasurer; then-governor Matt Mead appointed him ...

(born 1957), 33rd governor of Wyoming *

Curt Gowdy Curtis Edward Gowdy (July 31, 1919 – February 20, 2006) was an American sportscaster. He called Boston Red Sox games on radio and TV for 15 years, and then covered many nationally televised sporting events, primarily for NBC Sports and ABC S ...

(1919–2006), sportscaster, member of American Sportscasters Association Hall of Fame, recipient of Spink Award from baseball's Hall of Fame * Robert Mills Grant (1926–2012), rancher, expert in branding law, state representative; born and died in Cheyenne but spent his life in Platte County *

Mildred Harris Mildred Harris (April 18, 1901 – July 20, 1944) was an American stage, film, and vaudeville actress during the early part of the 20th century. Harris began her career in the film industry as a child actress when she was 10 years old. She was a ...

(c. 1903–1944), actress; first wife of actor Charlie Chaplin * Cecilia Hart (1948–2016), actress; second wife of actor

James Earl Jones James Earl Jones (born January 17, 1931) is an American actor. He has been described as "one of America's most distinguished and versatile" actors for his performances in film, television, and theater, and "one of the greatest actors in America ...

* William Jefferson Hardin (c. 1831–1889), first black member of the Wyoming House of Representatives *

Wild Bill Hickok James Butler Hickok (May 27, 1837August 2, 1876), better known as "Wild Bill" Hickok, was a folk hero of the American Old West known for his life on the frontier as a soldier, scout, lawman, gambler, showman, and actor, and for his involvement ...

(1837–1876), iconic gunfighter and lawman * Robert Holding (1926–2013), founder of Grand America Hotels & Resorts *

Tom Horn Thomas Horn Jr., (November 21, 1860 – November 20, 1903) was an American scout, cowboy, soldier, range detective, and Pinkerton agent in the 19th-century and early 20th-century American Old West. Believed to have committed 17 killings as a ...

(1860–1903), American Old West lawman, scout, soldier, hired gunman, detective, outlaw, assassin * Jeremy Horst (born 1985), MLB pitcher with Cincinnati Reds (2011) and Philadelphia Phillies (2012–2013) *

George Clayton Johnson George Clayton Johnson (July 10, 1929 – December 25, 2015) was an American science fiction writer, best known for co-writing with William F. Nolan the novel '' Logan's Run'', the basis for the MGM 1976 film. He was also known for his televisi ...

(1929–2015), fiction writer *

James Johnson James Johnson may refer to: Artists, actors, authors, and musicians *James Austin Johnson (born 1989), American comedian & actor, ''Saturday Night Live'' cast member *James B. Johnson (born 1944), author of science nonfiction novels *James P. John ...

(born 1987), professional basketball player with the NBA's

Chicago Bulls The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago. The Bulls compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division. The team was founded on January ...

Toronto Raptors The Toronto Raptors are a Canadian professional basketball team based in Toronto. The Raptors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Atlantic Division. They play their home games a ...

Sacramento Kings The Sacramento Kings are an American professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California. The Kings compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Western Conference Pacific Division. The Kings are the oldest ...

Memphis Grizzlies The Memphis Grizzlies (referred to locally as the Grizz) are an American professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee. The Grizzlies compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference ...

, and

Miami Heat The Miami Heat are an American professional basketball team based in Miami. The Heat compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Southeast Division. The club plays its home games at FT ...

* Raymond A. Johnson (1912–1984), aviation pioneer * Wayne Harold Johnson (1942–2020), Republican member of both houses, respectively, of the Wyoming State Legislature from 1993 to 2016; resident of Cheyenne *

Daniel Junge Daniel Junge (born ) is an American documentary filmmaker. On February 26, 2012, he won the Academy Award for Best Documentary (Short Subject) for the film '' Saving Face'', which he co-directed along with Pakistani filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chin ...

, documentary filmmaker, Academy Award winner for '' Saving Face'' * Chris LeDoux (1948–2005), rodeo champion, country music legend; graduate of Cheyenne Central High *

Phil Ligrani Phillip Meredith Ligrani is an American mechanical engineer. As of 2022, he is eminent scholar in propulsion and professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at the University of Alabama in Huntsville. Career Ligrani was born in Cheyenne, ...

, professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at the

University of Alabama in Huntsville The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) is a public research university in Huntsville, Alabama. The university is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and comprises nine colleges: arts, humanities & social scienc ...

LaChance, Diana (February 17, 2015)
"Professor's illustrious career leads to research innovations and broadened horizons for students"
. University of Alabama in Huntsville *

Cynthia Lummis Cynthia Marie Lummis Wiederspahn ( ; born September 10, 1954) is an American attorney and politician serving as the junior United States senator from Wyoming since 2021. A member of the Republican Party, Lummis served as the U.S representative ...

(born 1954),

US senator The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and powe ...

, former state treasurer and former member of

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

* Edgar Warner Mann (1851–1904), Wyoming territorial legislator, lawyer *

Marlin McKeever Marlin Thomas McKeever (January 1, 1940 – October 27, 2006) was an American football defensive end, fullback and punter at the University of Southern California (USC) and a tight end and linebacker during his 13-year National Football League ...

(1940–2006), defensive end for USC and NFL's Los Angeles Rams,

Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. Founded in 1960 as an expansi ...

Washington Redskins The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) N ...

and

Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team play ...

* Mike McKeever (1940–1967), All-American football player for USC, twin of Marlin McKeever * Joseph B. Meyer (1941–2012), Wyoming attorney general, state treasurer * Jennifer Nichols (born 1983), archer who competed in 2004,

2008 File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...

and 2012 Summer Olympics *

Brandon Nimmo Brandon Tate Nimmo (born March 27, 1993) is an American professional baseball outfielder for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball (MLB). He was drafted by the Mets in the first round of the 2011 MLB draft, and made his MLB debut with them ...

(born 1993), baseball player for the

New York Mets The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major league ...

* Leslie Osterman (1947–2021), member of

Kansas House of Representatives The Kansas House of Representatives is the lower house of the legislature of the U.S. state of Kansas. Composed of 125 state representatives from districts with roughly equal populations of at least 19,000, its members are responsible for crafti ...

; Cheyenne native * Amalia Post (1826–1897), suffragist *

Tracy Ringolsby Tracy Ringolsby (born April 30, 1951 in Cheyenne, Wyoming) is an American sportswriter. He was a columnist for ''Baseball America'' from its beginning until cutbacks with free-lance writers were eliminated during the COVID-19 pandemic. In retire ...

(born 1951),

sportswriter Sports journalism is a form of writing that reports on matters pertaining to sporting topics and competitions. Sports journalism started in the early 1800s when it was targeted to the social elite and transitioned into an integral part of the n ...

and sportscaster *

Alvin Wiederspahn Alvin Wiederspahn (January 18, 1949 – October 24, 2014) was an American politician and attorney who served as a member of the Wyoming House of Representatives (1979–1984) and Wyoming Senate (1985–1988). Early life and education Wiederspa ...

(1949–2014), Cheyenne lawyer, historical preservationist, rancher, and member of both houses of the Wyoming State Legislature; husband of U.S. Representative

Sister cities

Cheyenne's

sister cities A sister city or a twin town relationship is a form of legal or social agreement between two geographically and politically distinct localities for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties. While there are early examples of inter ...

are: * Bismarck, North Dakota, United States *

Waimea, Hawaii County, Hawaii Waimea is a census-designated place (CDP) in Hawaii County, Hawaii, United States. The population was 7,028 at the 2000 census and 9,212 at the 2010 census. Since each U.S. state cannot have more than one post office of the same name, and t ...

, United States *

Lompoc, California Lompoc ( ; Chumash: ''Lum Poc'') is a city in Santa Barbara County, California. Located on the Central Coast, Lompoc has a population of 43,834 as of July 2021. Lompoc has been inhabited for thousands of years by the Chumash people, who calle ...

, United States * Hammam Sousse,

Tunisia ) , image_map = Tunisia location (orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = Location of Tunisia in northern Africa , image_map2 = , capital = Tunis , largest_city = capital , ...

Lourdes Lourdes (, also , ; oc, Lorda ) is a market town situated in the Pyrenees. It is part of the Hautes-Pyrénées department in the Occitanie region in southwestern France. Prior to the mid-19th century, the town was best known for the Châ ...

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

Taichung Taichung (, Wade–Giles: ''Tʻai²-chung¹'', pinyin: ''Táizhōng''), officially Taichung City, is a special municipality located in central Taiwan. Taichung has approximately 2.8 million residents and is the second most populous city of Ta ...

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...

Voghera The Castle of Voghera in a 19th-century etching. Voghera ( Vogherese dialect of Emilian: ''Vughera''; Latin: ''Forum Iulii Iriensium'') is a town and ''comune'' in the Province of Pavia in the Italian region Lombardy. The population was 39,374 ...

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...

* Accra,

Ghana Ghana (; tw, Gaana, ee, Gana), officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It abuts the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, sharing borders with Ivory Coast in the west, Burkina Faso in the north, and To ...

Notes

References

External links

* * * {{Authority control Cities in Laramie County, Wyoming Wyoming placenames of Native American origin County seats in Wyoming Populated places established in 1867 1867 establishments in Dakota Territory Cities in Wyoming Railway towns in Wyoming