Cheyenne, Wyoming (living, stores, electric)

[sasie123]

We visited Cheyenne, Wyoming, on 2007, after our visit to Colorado, and a multitude of other States, along the way.

We stopped by downtown Cheyenne, and noticed that most of the people on the street we were at, were males, wore all black clothing, many had long coats, and everyone had huge hat and boots. I assume they lived there, and were cowboys. Since we were outsiders, from New York City, we felt that it was not conducive to ask any questions.

With all due respect, Is this the way that most males in Cheyenne dress, all in Black? We only saw a woman in a store we went into. Can you enlighten us as to the customs of Cheyenne? Greatly appreciated. Thanking you in advance.....

[Wyoprairie]

Sure it was Cheyenne? I think maybe you have mistaken Cheyenne for Tombstone.

[sunsprit]

What you describe as a "scene" in Cheyenne is totally foreign to the reality here ... at least in my experience of over 50 years of traveling this area and now 17 years of living on the outskirts of Cheyenne.

"all black" clothing and what I'd perceive to be "drover" type coats is almost unheard of among real working cowboys among the groups of folk I know who are for real ranchers. Especially odd is hearing of working type folk wearing foul weather clothing during a time when it's not inclement weather. Denim is the most common clothing item in blue, and carhartt or similar workwear clothing in various colors is pretty much the norm ... with earth tone colors such as browns/tans/greens/blues.

Huge hats? huh? a small percentage of the locals wear "cowboy" hats much of the time, but among the "real" working cowboys these are a customary topper. Unless it's their "goin' to a meeting or sunday best" hat, the hats usually show signs of serious use in all weather, sweat stains, etc. and are rarely "huge" (like a big sombrero?).

Boots? nothing wrong with western slip-ons or lace-up styles, especially the better quality ones. Functional, comfortable, durable, all weather, and supportive footwear. You'll see a lot of work wear boots here, too. Gaudy western boots are usually either worn by poseurs or parade/show footwear ... but never real working footwear.

On any typical day here, there's likely as many ... if not more ... women on the streets and in the stores of Cheyenne.

The "customs" of Cheyenne are pretty much the "code of the West" as written down many decades ago.

Frankly, what you described doesn't sound anything like the Cheyenne that I know and live in.

[Brian_M]

Is there maybe a hutterite or mennonite colony in the area that came into town? Those are the only folks I know of who tend to dress even Close to as described.

[lluvia]

Be more worried when you see these folks walking around...

Jamaican & Rastafarian Clothing | Our Everyday Life

[TCHP]

I'm more perplexed about this question being asked ten years after the visit. Of course we have perceptions and memory to deal with in this case.

I had some NYC relatives visit me in Colorado in the early 90s. They were impressed that we had such an extensive road network and electric grid. They did make a request to go see some real cowboys during their visit here as I think we presented too much of a city reality compared to their perception.

[Wyoprairie]

Well I forgot that the legislature might have been in session. They're all duly elected by the
folks, but I can see where a New Yorker might have felt shy asking about them.

[Ltdumbear]

"Be more worried when you see these folks walking around..."

:: giggles ::

Ok, now...would you just STOP it ? I am SERIOUS...they were HERE !

...and because of my (current) D.O.D. connections & responsibilities, I HAVE to report for mandatory (random) blood & urine-tests...so ain't no 'ganga' (or any other) smoking going on, on MY side of the screen/keyboard, you can be assured of that !

[sunsprit]

RE: Mennonite community in Cheyenne area.

Yes, there is a local presence, maybe 60-80 families.

The women dress very modestly, but typically in various colored prints.

The men typically wear long sleeve cotton shirts buttoned up to the collar, but again wear many prints or fine stripes. They may wear a pair of black pants, but denim would be more common. Other than in inclement weather, I've never seen them wear foul weather clothing ... And I've never seen them wear drover coats. Nor, for that matter, "big" cowboy hats. More likely to see them wear 'ball caps, usually from a seed/implement dealer. A couple of the young men do wear straw hats ... Kinda' a "style" statement, in warm sunny weather, but these, too, are small brim hats. Their "Sunday best" coat is a modest frock coat, typically along the lines of a conservative suit coat with small lapels and no collar, and can usually be a dark color, not necessarily black.

The bottom line is that they wouldn't present the image that the OP said he'd encountered here. Even if the entire local community showed up in Cheyenne for a day, they wouldn't dominate on the streets.

AFAIK, there's no Hutterite colony around here.

[TCHP]

During Frontier Days maybe and they were actually looking at tourists?