The Sheridan County Museum offers an interesting peek into Sheridan's rich and colorful history. Located in a former barbecue restaurant near I-25, the stories of logging and mining are narrated through intricate dioramas, and works by local photographer Elsa Spear Byron and local artist Bernard Thomas are highlighted alongside historic ranching artifacts and other interesting displays.
One of the biggest of Wyoming's small towns, with a population of about 16,000, Sheridan was named after Civil War general Phil Sheridan and retains its small-town allure with century-old structures along Main Street and the mansions of cattle barons.
The Sheridan County Museum was launched in 1968 to preserve and capture some of the local historical flavor including fixtures and fashions of the county's early years. Visitors to the museum will see Montana's longest interior mural and a historical monument near the museum celebrates Sitting Bull's surrender site. Sitting Bull and the remainder of his Sioux followers met the military on their way to their surrender at Fort Buford after residing for about five years in Canada.
Exhibits tell the stories of the miners, ranchers soldiers, railroaders, Indians, and the dramatic events that unfolded in the shadows of the Big Horn Mountains. The museum serves as the window for discovering historic downtown Sheridan and its landmarks around the area.
Families and their children will also be delighted to see the museum's newest children's education program,Tidbit Tuesdays. From telling a story on a hide painting to constructing a western town diorama and playing old-time children's games, Tidbit Tuesdays will give kids and their parents a chance to explore the past together.
Tourists and local visitors will be enamored by the colorful cultures, commerce, and characters of Sheridan County?s history. The newly-opened Sheridan County Museum features an interactive exhibit, dioramas, a gift shop, and Western art which present the local landscape on the American West?s history.
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