Sheridan, Wyoming – West is not dead here.
It may sound like a cliché, but it’s true.
Walking down Main Street, shopping at Walmart, or heading to the old-fashioned mint bar, the cowboy is authentic. They are not tourists dressing up. They are the hands of ranchers and ranchers, whose lives still revolve around cows, horses and the rough lands where the High Plains of Wyoming meet the summit of Bighorn Mountain.
The bighorn and gateway to the seats of the same name county, Sheridan is close to the Montana capital Helena, and is the same as its own state capital, Cheyenne. Most visitors passing by either cross the interstate or drive eastward between Devils Tower and Mount Rushmore, then drive through the entrance to Cody’s Yellowstone to the west.
Those who make the effort here will be rewarded in one of the best towns in the West.
Sheridan is defined in a unique chapter in history, including the so-called remittance men. In the second half of the 19th century, many of these British people (the second or third sons of the British landed nobles) became Bighorns.
As it is unlikely to inherit family titles or real estate, they were sent with money to escape scandals or to create their own methods. Painted by vast spaces and lucrative cow business, they founded a vast ranch and brought in the taste of polo.
It is no surprise that the local Anglican church of St. Peter, the Anglican Church, is one of the most architecturally prominent churches in the region.
To this day, Sheridan remains one of the few places in this part of the country where polos are still being played. Founded in 1898, the Bighorn Polo Club hosts the annual Labor Day weekend with the grand finale of the annual festival Don King Days and the match every summer.
The most synonymous family with the man in Sheridan’s transfer is the Wallop family.
The late Malcolm Wallop, a three-time US Senator from Wyoming, has come down directly from one of them. His grandfather, Oliver Wallop, was immigrated from England by Oliver Wallop, the youngest son of Count Portsmouth. After becoming a US citizen and establishing a ranch, he was elected to the Wyoming Legislature. However, when he unexpectedly inherited the family count, he returned to England and took his seat in the Senate. It made him one of the only Americans to serve both in the state and British Parliament.
The influence of the aristocracy from the turn of the last century remains visible beyond the Polo.
The Brington Museum, nearby in Bighorn, sits on a land that once belonged to Quarter Circle A Ranch owned by Monkleefes, a Scottish noble family. The museum’s small but notable collection includes Western art – look for Frederic Remington’s work – and American Indian artifacts and art.
Back in Sheridan, downtown is centered around Main Street. Brick buildings from the late 19th and early 20th centuries dominate the cityscape, but some older structures are hidden behind post-war facades. Unlike many small towns that have lost their retail core, in Sprawl and Big Box stores, downtown storefronts remain largely filled.
One institution you should not miss is King’s Saddlery. This family business is a museum, part-time store and some pilgrimage site for all cowboys. One of her most famous clients was Queen Elizabeth II, who stopped by during her 1984 holiday with her then-sisters. Malcolm Wallop.
There is Sheridan Inn a few blocks away. Built outside Buffalo Bill Cody between 1892 and 1893, this historic hotel has been restored and is now operating under the Best Western Signature Collection brand. It is a destination in itself.
Inside the Bighorn is the 1.1 million acres of Bighorn National Forest, offering year-round adventures. Summer and fall bring hiking and camping in the uncrowded wilderness, but in winter it even offers quiet ski slopes and ski jawling rodeo. Sports blending skis and rodeo.
Sheridan embodies the West with a colorful past, still-living cowboy culture, quaint downtown and on the edge of Bighorn Mountain. It’s not difficult to imagine it becoming the next Bozeman, but that might mean sacrifice some of the authenticity that makes it appealing.
If you’re going
I flew to Denver and drove north for six hours. Airfares to Sheridan are significantly cheaper than airfares to Sheridan County Airport. United Airlines operates daily flights between Sheridan and Denver through the regional Career Sky West.
Book a room at Sheridan Inn. For chain alternatives, Fairfield Inn (part of Marriott) is a completely great choice.
Recommended restaurants include Lereve Restaurant & Raw Bar, Frackelton’s, Cowboy Cafe and Wyoming’s Rib & Chop House.
Admission to the Brington Museum is free.
Dennis Lennox is a travel column for Christian Post.
Dennis Lennox writes about travel, politics and religion. He has appeared in the Financial Times, Independent, The Detroit News, Toronto Sun and other publications. Follow @dennislennox on Twitter.
