The Founding: July 4, 1867
Cheyenne’s origins are defined by the "Hell on Wheels" phenomenon of the transcontinental railroad era.
- The Iron Horse: In the summer of 1867, Union Pacific chief engineer General Grenville Dodge selected the site as a division point for the railroad. On July 4, eager settlers pitched tents on the dusty plains before a single track had even been laid.
- Instant City: Unlike cities that grew slowly from trading posts, Cheyenne exploded into existence. Within months, it had a population of 4,000, a newspaper, and a municipal government. It quickly became the center of the cattle industry and the wealthiest city per capita in the world during the 1880s due to the "Cattle Barons."
Indigenous Roots
Long before the steam engines arrived, the high plains of Wyoming were the domain of the Cheyenne, Arapaho, and Lakota (Sioux) nations. The city is named after the Cheyenne tribe. The region was a vital hunting ground for buffalo, which sustained these nomadic cultures for centuries. The rapid expansion of the railroad and the subsequent cattle industry led to intense conflict, including the Red Cloud's War, as the indigenous way of life was forcibly displaced.
A Technical Distinction: Settlement vs. City
While Cheyenne is the oldest city, it was not the first permanent European settlement in the state. That title belongs to Fort Laramie.
- Fort Laramie (1834): Originally established as Fort William (a fur trading post) in 1834, and later purchased by the military, Fort Laramie is the oldest continuous settlement of European origin in Wyoming.
- The Difference: While Fort Laramie was a critical military and trading outpost on the Oregon Trail for decades, it did not evolve into a traditional "city" in the same continuous civic manner as Cheyenne. The modern town of Fort Laramie was incorporated much later. Cheyenne holds the distinction of being the first to establish a substantial, permanent civilian municipality, incorporating in August 1867, just weeks after its founding.
Cheyenne is the oldest city in Wyoming, founded on July 4, 1867, as a terminal for the Union Pacific Railroad. It rose instantly from the plains to become the political and economic capital of the territory. However, the region's European history dates back further to the establishment of Fort Laramie in 1834, which served as a fur post and military garrison long before the railroad era began.
Sources
- Wyoming State Historical Society. "Cheyenne: Magic City of the Plains."
- City of Cheyenne. "History of Cheyenne."
- National Park Service. "Fort Laramie National Historic Site."
- Britannica. "Wyoming: History."
- WyoHistory.org. "The Union Pacific Railroad and the Birth of Cheyenne."