Sheridan

Sheridan. . , Founded only a few years after removal of Native American tribes from the Powder River Basin, the town of Sheridan retains the atmosphere of a bustling late 19th/early 20th century western town. The original downtown was platted in 1882 by John D. Loucks and named in honor of Civil War General Philip Sheridan. The arrival of the Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy railroad in 1892 cemented Sheridan’s permanence as a thriving business center. The town’s population exploded from a mere 281 people in 1890 to nearly 5000 by 1907. The architecture of two historic districts, a National Historic Landmark, and other monumental historic buildings reflect the regional history and economy which gave rise to Sheridan as a center of trade, commerce, government, and politics. Today, only a few 1880s wooden buildings remain on Historic Main Street, with most structures dating to the prosperous times of the early 20th century. The Historic Railroad District includes the original 1892 depot, the 1893 Sheridan Inn, and the 1912 brick depot. The Sheridan Inn was said to be the finest hotel between Chicago and San Francisco and hosted such famous figures as Will Rogers, “Buffalo Bill” Cody, Ernest Hemingway, and President Calvin Coolidge. The lavish Trail End mansion, built by cattleman, former Governor and U.S. Senator John Kendrick between 1908 and 1913, attests to the fortunes, success and political prominence achieved by Sheridan County and the many newcomers to the region.