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The Nelson Museum of the West is dedicated to preserving Western history. It was founded in the 1970s by Robert L. Nelson but did not open this museum until 1998. It features 14,000 items in its collection and 4,000 books in its library. The collection is comprised of cowboy, charro (Mexican), Native American, and U.S. Cavalry artifacts. Western art is also part of the collection. Exhibits cover topics such as the U.S. Cavalry, firearms, Plains Indian art, and Mexican cowboy culture. 

A subdivision of the museum is The Military Memorial Museum, which grew out of the cavalry collection. It features numerous uniforms from all the branches of the military, including generals and women. There are also a number of awards and medals on display, including some awarded to American servicemen in other countries.

The Nelson Museum of the West and The Military Memorial Museum

Enjoy a walk through this historic Wyoming town. The tour includes several museums as well as markers, landmarks, cultural sites, and historically significant buildings. 

History of Cheyenne Walking Tour

The first of the men noted on the marker is Hiram Kelly. He was an early pioneer and cattle baron, one of the first to ship cattle out of Wyoming. The next person is Frances E. Warren, who earned a Medal of Honor during the Civil War. He was a rancher, stock grower, and long-time Senator and Territorial Governor and Governor. He lived in what is now the Nagle Warren Mansion Bed and Breakfast. The third man noted on the marker is Joseph M. Carey. He was a prominent lawyer, rancher, businessman, judge and politician. The last person on the marker is Andrew Gilchrest, who was a native of Scotland. His family grew stock and he took this knowledge with him to America in 1865 and to Colorado in 1869. He learned irrigation techniques which he used to grow feed for his cattle, rather than let them free range. This allowed him to save his cattle (and his business) during the 1886-87 blizzard that killed off other ranchers' cattle. He became a prominent figure in Cheyenne and served on the committee that selected the location for the state capitol building.

This marker commemorates a few of the major players of Cheyenne's cattle industry of the second half of the 19th century through the first part of the 20th century. The industry was a major economic driver for the region and the railroad, built by Union Pacific, played a major role in the business as well. The prospects of work and potential prosperity attracted ranchers, settlers, and businessmen, many of whom came from eastern part of the country and even abroad. 

Historical Marker: The Cattle Barons & Business Giants  1860s - 1920s

This marker commemorates one of more important dates in women's history. On December 10, 1869, the Wyoming legislature convened as this location and voted to grant women the right to vote. Governor John Allan signed the legislation, making Wyoming the first state to pass such a law. The Cheyenne chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution erected the marker in 1917. 

Historical Marker: Suﬀrage Tablet

The Cowgirls of the West Museum & Emporium was founded in 1995 with the purpose of promoting the roles women played in shaping the West. It collection is comprised of a wide variety of Western and historical-related artifacts such as antiques, saddles, tack, clothing, and memorabilia. The museum aims to educate the public about what a woman's life was like in early pioneer and ranching days, as well as their roles in early rodeo and trick riding. There is also an emporium where visitors can buy Western-related items. The museum hosts luncheons between September and June during which speakers present Western programs.

Cowgirls of the West Museum & Emporium

This large monument features six detailed historical markers describing the the history of the the Cheyenne region from prehistoric times to 1950. The markers are: Prehistoric Cheyenne - Those First to Live Here; The Native American Indians - The Early Residents; Cheyenne 1860-1890 - The Early Years; Cheyenne 1860-1890 - The Early Years (continued); Cheyenne 1890 to 1920 - From Frontier Town to Modern City; and, Cheyenne 1920 to 1950 - The Recent Past. The markers discuss the evolution of Cheyenne as a dusty frontier town founded along the Transcontinental Railroad to the modern city it is today. They examine how Western expansion forced Native American tribes to move westward in search of land and food (mainly bison herds), the the conflicts that inevitably arose between Natives and settlers, the cattle ranch industry, the onset and development of tourism, and the various industries that sustain the city today.

Historical Marker Monument: Cheyenne's Heritage at a Glance

This marker commemorates the Lincoln Highway (former U.S. 30), the first transcontinental highway that was built over several years beginning in 1913. Around 3,400 miles long, it stretched from New York to San Francisco. Construction was funded by private and corporate donations. The highway was named after President Abraham Lincoln and accompanied by thousands of post markers with a small bust seals of Lincoln embedded into them and the letter 'L' painted on the sides. The highway no longer exists and was overtaken by interstate highway 80, which was constructed by the federal government. A replica post stands next to the historical marker and an original one is located in the Wyoming Department of Transportation Building.

Historical Marker: The First Transcontinental Highway - The Lincoln Highway 

The United States Congress chartered the&nbsp;construction of the depot and from the outset it was an important landmark. The building has undergone several renovations during its lifetime, the last of which took place from 2001 to 2006; a plaza was added in front of the building during these renovations. Together, the museum and plaza have become the hub of the city's&nbsp;cultural and entertainment life. It is not clear when the museum opened.&nbsp;

The Cheyenne Depot Museum, formerly the Union Pacific Railroad Depot, is dedicated towards preserving the city's railroad history and the history Transcontinental Railroad. The building, designed by Henry Van Brunt in the Romanesque style, was constructed between 1886 and 1887 by the Union Pacific Railroad Company. It is the last of the grand 19th century depots built along the Transcontinental Railroad still standing (the others have been destroyed by fire or demolished). The building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973 and designated a National Historic Landmark in 2006.

Cheyenne Depot Museum (Union Pacific Railroad Depot)

Erasmus Nagle worked as a merchant in various Colorado Rocky mountain towns before arriving in Cheyenne in 1867. He opened a grocery business and from there he engaged in a wide variety of ventures. Sadly, he died in 1890 of&nbsp;<span>peritonitis but his wife and son lived here until 1907 when they rented it for three years. In 1910, senator and former governor F.E. Warren and his wife bought the house and resided here until 1929. They welcomed many noteworthy guests such as Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and William Taft. The house was next owned by the YMCA as women's housing and a social gathering place. A family would then live here beginning in 1985 until the current owner, Jim Osterfoss, bought it in 1997 and converted it to the bed and breakfast.</span>

This handsome building was constructed in 1888 as the home for businessman Erasmus Nagle and his wife and son. Today it is a popular bed and breakfast. By the time he built the home, Nagle owned businesses in several areas, in Wyoming, a small portion of North Dakota, western South Dakota, and western Nebraska. He also held served as the commissioner of the capitol building committee and other civic positions. The house was designed in the Romanesque style and until 1960 had a stone facade when it was replaced by stucco (the stones were of poor quality and began to crumble). The house features 6 guest rooms—with a bathroom in each—a parlor, library, conference rooms, sitting room, hot tub room, a workout room, and a patio, fountain, and gardens. There is also a guest house that is connected to the main building that features an additional 6 guest rooms. Interesting features of the main house are some Moorish tiling, a Moroccan chandelier, and original stained glass windows. The property was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.

Nagle-Warren Mansion

The Wyoming State Legislature authorized the construction of a new governor's mansion in 1901 and the hiring of an architect. The home was finished in 1904 and the first governor, Bryant B. Brooks and his wife. Unlike the opulent houses built by cattle barons in the area, the mansion was designed as a true family residence; it did not have a fence either nor on-site security. Wyoming's and the&nbsp;country's first woman governor, Nellie Taylor Ross, lived in the house in the 1920s. The mansion underwent modernization and remodeling in 1937 and in the 1950s. A new governor's was built in the mid-1970s.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Wyoming Governor's Mansion, built in 1904, is the historic and former residence of the state's governor and family. It was designed by architect Charles Murdock in a combination of the Georgian and Colonial Revival styles. It served as the governor's residence from 1905-1976 and is now a museum. The home was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1969.

Wyoming Governor's Mansion

Established in 1895 and located in Cheyenne, the Wyoming State Museum's mission is to educate the public about the history of the state and the Rocky Mountain West. It collects and preserves artifacts that reflect the natural, human and cultural history of these areas—from prehistoric times to the present. The museum has permanent, temporary, traveling and online exhibits and offers various educational and outreach programs such as lectures series, family days and school programs. The museum is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums.

Wyoming State Museum

Cheyenne owes much of its development and prominence to the Union Pacific Railroad. The city's&nbsp;importance was apparent not long after the railroad arrived in the late 1860s and in was chosen as the seat of the territorial government in 1869. The legislature authorized construction of the capitol in 1886 and building got underway that year and was mostly completed by 1890. Wings were added in 1915-1917. The capitol was modernized in 1974-1980. Wyoming was the leader in the women's suffrage movement and the first to grant women the right to vote. Other states soon followed in Wyoming's footsteps.

The Wyoming State Capitol, located in downtown Cheyenne, was originally built in phases beginning in 1886. It serves as the seat of government for Wyoming and is historically and architecturally significant. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973 and named as a National Historic Landmark in 1987. The building was designed by David Gibbs and William Dubois in the French Renaissance style. 

History of Cheyenne Walking Tour

The Nelson Museum of the West and The Military Memorial Museum

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