When the Queen of England visited Sheridan in 1984, one two places she visited was King’s Saddlery. King’s a Sheridan institution and a complete western store, for working cowboys, horse people of all sorts, and even tourists. I doubt this guy came from Wyoming, though, and it would be really tough to get a saddle on him.
Besides all the Western wear, working gear, cabin furnishings, and more, there’s a museum with western art and a wonderful museum crammed with all sorts of fascinating items. This post shows a great variety of what’s there, although there’s a sign asking that you don’t take photos. 🙂 My parents donated a set of bull blinders from my father’s family farm.
We wandered into a variety of stores, but the Mint Bar was the place the my future mother-in-law wanted to see. The iconic Mint was started in 1907, then morphed into the Mint Cigar Company and Soda Shop in 1920 during Prohibition. Beside cigars and sodas, there was a speakeasy in the back. Read the story here. For all that history and things to see on the walls and ceiling, it still smelled like stale beer mid-day.
Among the plethora of photos on the wall, this one caught my attention. This cowboy is bulldogging (steer wrestling) a buffalo!!!!
Sheridan has 46 buildings that have been included on the National Registry of Historic Places. Planned in 1882 on the back of a sheet of wrapping paper and named after one of General Sheridan, the town was approved and incorporated in 1884. Here’s lovely building showing off those old-time touches.
A day in town might leave you feeling like this old cowboy I spotted hanging out in King’s. The only solution is to head back up the mountain and sit on the porch with a cold beverage. Cheers!
for Jo’s Monday Walk
This, that and the other thing 
Amazing place, Janet, and one truly has to wonder how a Masai giraffe found its way there. Except looking at the photo again I can see more East African trophies on the wall, Grants gazelle, topi and oryx – all of which says Big Game hunter.Now there’s a story…
I have no idea who hunted these animals or when or if they were bought from someone’s estate who did hunt “back in the day.” Trophies aside, it’s an amazing and fascinating place.
🙂 Dear Janet,
this looks like a real wonderful place. Thank you for sharing all the interesting information!
Have a very HAPPY week.
Claudia 🙂
Thanks for walking along with me, Claudia. 🙂 Enjoy your week as well.
Is he asleep? The old guy? Looks like life’s got to him 🙂 🙂 Quirky bar for sure but I’m not keen on all those animal heads, Janet. They look better on the creatures. Thanks for sharing, hon!
In this part of the world, there are hunting seasons or else the wildlife would get out of control as there aren’t as many natural predators any more. Hunters here tend to hunt during the season for meat, not just for killing, which is quite different from big game hunting as far as I’m concerned. But thanks for coming along this week and enjoy the rest of yours. 🙂
It’s a different way of life than I’m used, Janet, but that’s not to say that it’s wrong. I will, and thanks! You too 🙂 🙂
It occurred to me that you might mean the heads on the wall at King’s, which are from Africa. I don’t know where they came from, but if you’re talking about the ones in the bar, which I thought you were, I think most of them were not exotic animals, but animals from the western US. I know it’s a different way of life, but one that many people in many parts of the world share. I love animals, but I also understand the need in many cases to control them in a regulated way, so that they don’t overpopulate, get and spread diseases, etc.
It looks like a great place to explore. What are Bull Blinders? The stuffed bull heads on the walls?
The crown on the old building is lovely. A nice drink on the porch up on the mountain would be nice after a visit in town.
Bull blinders are a sort of harness that’s put over the head and horns of a bull with sort of goggles attached that have a slit in them. This allows the bull to see, but not in all directions and helps to control a tendency to charge humans. It would be similar in some ways to the fly protectors put on horses. Here’s a photo of a set, although the ones Dad donated make it easier for the bull to see.
http://www.antiquemystique.com/a-set-of-old-bull-blinders-from-a-nebraska-cattle-ranch.html
janet
That cowboy looks like he’s had a few too many.
🙂 Or been bucked off too many bulls.
janet
Thanks for this interesting tour of Sheridan. Interesting to note it has the Royal Seal of Approval, so to speak but the Queen does own a few horses.
A couple of times I’ve seen the no photos sign and had it confirmed that I couldn’t use my camera. But when I asked if I could use my phone camera, that was no problem. Strange.
I’ll have to check on that camera situation, Lignum. Perhaps it’s the flash (although phones do have them.)
janet
I love the old buildings! The bar might be the best. I think I could spend an afternoon in there, but I might come out like the old cowboy. Thanks for sharing the special places from your trip.
Dan, I’m glad you’re enjoying the trip. There’s a lot more to see in Sheridan, but as I said, I’m usually there only for coffee, the library, groceries and maybe a beer at one of the craft breweries. I tend to spend most of my time on the mountain.
janet
I can see why.
Nifty 🙂 Nice looking town, plus tin ceilings! I love that giraffe and would need to hug it.
You probably could, Joey. 🙂 You’d love the museum, too. It’s stuffed with interesting things. Sheridan really is a great little town (or a great large town for Wyoming.)
janet
Looks like a very interesting old western town. Enjoyed the virtual visit!
I really like it, Madison. It’s an interesting mix of old west and modern and of course, there are the mountains not far away. 🙂
janet
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