Historic Sheridan Inn, Wyoming
Historic rail siteOperating hotel and restaurant
The Historic Sheridan Inn was built in the early 1890s as part of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad's push into Wyoming, and the railroad hotel went on to host Buffalo Bill Cody's Wild West Show auditions on its long front porch.
- Built for the Burlington railroad
- Designed by Thomas R. Kimball
- Buffalo Bill was part owner
- National Register listed
- 22 themed guest rooms
Historic Sheridan Inn at a glance
- Hours
- Operating hotel and restaurant; call for current hours
- Admission
- No museum admission posted
- Plan for
- About 30 minutes for a look around, longer with a meal
- Best for
- History fans and couples on a Wyoming road trip
Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.
Contact and directions
Look inside the book
Taking the kids to Historic Sheridan Inn? Bring Rally along.
In Rally Takes the Train, a corgi's little legs can't manage the big train stairs, so Dad gives him a boost. It takes about five minutes to read, a good fit for the drive to Sheridan.
Rally Takes the Train
Eight pages from the book
Turn the page
That's 8 of 25 pages
See who’s waiting at the station
Grandmommy and Papa are at the last stop. Get the full hand-painted book, $13.99 on Amazon.
See the full bookPage 1 of 8
Like it so far? See the full book
25 hand-painted pages, paperback, $13.99 with fast shipping from Amazon.
Every page is real watercolor on paper, painted by hand by Leslie Dunn. Nothing in this book was made with AI.
The hotel the Burlington built at the end of the tracks
As the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad extended its line into Wyoming, it built the Sheridan Inn as part of its development program for the new town. Construction began in December 1892, and the inn opened in 1893. Omaha architect Thomas R. Kimball took his cues from Scottish hotels, giving the three-story, L-shaped building a long wraparound porch and rows of dormer windows. It went up in about six months and was the first building in the area with electric lights and bathtubs, which led many to call it the finest hotel between Chicago and San Francisco.
William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody was a part owner and made the inn the headquarters of his Wild West Show, auditioning local riders from the front porch. Over the decades the inn welcomed Ernest Hemingway, President Hoover, Will Rogers and Bob Hope. It closed to overnight guests in 1965, around the time it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. New owners took over in 2013 and restored it, and it now welcomes overnight guests again, with historical photographs of the inn's early years and of Buffalo Bill on display.
Porch, ballroom and Buffalo Bill's rooms
Visitors can admire the long front porch where Buffalo Bill once auditioned performers, and inside, historic photographs trace the inn's early railroad years and Cody's story. The inn once had a huge ballroom and a dining table that sat 165 people. Today its 22 guest rooms are each themed for someone in Buffalo Bill's life, such as the Sitting Bull Room and the Annie Oakley Room. Ask staff what parts of the building are open to non-guests.
Don’t miss
- The wraparound porchWhere Buffalo Bill auditioned new members for his Wild West Show.
- Historic photographsOn display inside, covering the inn's early years and the many sides of Buffalo Bill.
Cowboy stories for older kids
This is a working hotel and restaurant rather than a children's museum, so it suits older kids who enjoy Wild West stories more than toddlers looking for trains to climb. Pair it with Kendrick Park in Sheridan, which local tourism promotes for its playground, pool and bison and elk pasture.
Plan your visit: tips for Historic Sheridan Inn
- Call (307) 674-2178 before visiting to ask what non-guests can see.
- Look for the historical photographs on display inside.
- Combine with the Trail End State Historic Site for a Sheridan history day.
Owners who brought it back
The inn has been under new ownership since 2013, and the team restored the hotel and restaurant to welcome overnight guests for the first time in about 50 years. Staying a night, eating a meal or spreading the word are the simplest ways to support the building.
Finding more rail history in Wyoming
Sheridan is a long drive from the state's other railroad stops listed on this site, so plan the Inn as part of a bigger road trip. Our guide to train museums and rail sites in Wyoming maps out the depots and engines farther south, and the national train museum directory covers neighboring states.
Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive
The Sheridan Inn is lined with dormer windows, and I can picture travelers fresh off the train looking out at the Bighorns. My mom, who dreamed up this story before she died in 2021, gave Rally an arched train window in our story, with the ocean outside and a white bird to wave at while Mom and Dad sit beside him. Read more about her on our story page.
Free for train families
Print the Rally coloring pages before you go
Watercolor coloring pages from the book, free to print. Tuck a few in a folder with crayons for the drive or the wait for the next train.
Get the free coloring pages
A train story for the ride homeRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi's first train trip to see his grand-paw-rents. Hand-painted in real watercolor. $13.99 on Amazon, for ages 0 to 8.
Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)More for train families
- Train museums in Wyoming: every museum by town, with a map
- Train museums in every state: search by town or near you
- Christmas train rides in Wyoming
- Halloween train rides in Wyoming
- Every Amtrak route with kids
Work or volunteer at Historic Sheridan Inn?
We want this page to be the best introduction to your museum on the web. Send new hours, event dates, corrections or photos to kelsey@rallytakesthetrain.com and we will update it. You are welcome to share this page with your members.
Historic Sheridan Inn: 20 questions about its railroad past
What is the Historic Sheridan Inn?
The Historic Sheridan Inn is an 1890s hotel in Sheridan, Wyoming, built by the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad as part of its development program when the line was extended. It later became Buffalo Bill Cody's Wild West Show headquarters, and today it operates again as a hotel and restaurant.
What is the Sheridan Inn's connection to the railroad?
The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad built the inn as part of a railway extension program in Wyoming, giving travelers arriving by train a comfortable place to stay. It was designed by Omaha architect Thomas R. Kimball and was known as one of the finest hotels in the West.
When was the Sheridan Inn built?
Construction began in December 1892, and the inn opened in 1893. Accounts differ slightly: local tourism says it was constructed in 1892, while the Historic Hotels of America history says work started that December. Either way it went up quickly, in about six months.
Where is the Historic Sheridan Inn?
The inn is at 856 Broadway St in Sheridan, Wyoming. Sheridan sits at the foot of the Bighorn Mountains in northern Wyoming. Call (307) 674-2178 for directions or to confirm what is open before you go.
Are there railroad exhibits at the Sheridan Inn?
The inn displays historical photographs of its early years and of Buffalo Bill, and its story begins with the Burlington railroad that built it. It is not a dedicated railroad museum, so call (307) 674-2178 to ask what historic displays are on view and whether non-guests can see them.
Did Buffalo Bill own the Sheridan Inn?
Yes, in part. William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody was a part owner, often stayed at the inn, and turned it into the headquarters for his Wild West Show. He auditioned new performers from the front porch, recruiting local cowboys and cowgirls such as George Gardner and Tode Bard.
Who designed the Sheridan Inn?
Thomas R. Kimball, an architect from Omaha, Nebraska, designed the inn. He drew on Scottish hotels for inspiration and gave the building its long wraparound porch and many dormer windows. The inn is a 145-foot-long, three-story, L-shaped structure.
Can you stay overnight at the Sheridan Inn?
Yes. After the inn came under new ownership in 2013 and was restored, it reopened to overnight guests for the first time in about 50 years. Guests choose from 22 rooms, each designed around a figure in Buffalo Bill's life, from a Room Menu.
What are the themed rooms at the Sheridan Inn?
Each of the 22 rooms is named for and decorated around someone important in Buffalo Bill's life, with furnishings, artifacts and an exhibit about that person. Examples include the Sitting Bull Room and the Annie Oakley Room. Guests pick their room from a Room Menu.
Why did the Sheridan Inn close?
The building's condition declined over the decades, and the inn closed to overnight guests in 1965, around the time it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It stayed closed to overnight stays for about 50 years before new owners restored it.
Is the Sheridan Inn on the National Register of Historic Places?
Yes. Local tourism notes that the inn was listed on the National Register of Historic Places around 1965, the same period it stopped taking overnight guests. Its restoration later won a True West award for preserving a historic Western building.
What famous people stayed at the Sheridan Inn?
Besides Buffalo Bill, guests over the years included Ernest Hemingway, President Hoover, Will Rogers and Bob Hope. In its early days new Sheridan residents also lived there while their houses were built, and ranchers spent weekends at the inn.
How much did the Sheridan Inn cost in the 1890s?
Early prices were one dollar a night for a room and fifty cents for lunch or dinner. The inn had 64 rooms at the time, a large ballroom and a dining room table that could seat 165 people, making it the social center of the area.
What award did the Sheridan Inn win?
The Historic Sheridan Inn received the Best Preservation of a Historic Western Building award from True West's Best of the West 2016. The award recognized the time and work put into renovating and reopening the hotel and restaurant.
Is the Sheridan Inn good for kids?
It is better for older kids who like Wild West stories than for toddlers who want hands-on trains. There are no train cars to climb. For young children, Sheridan's Kendrick Park, with a playground, pool and bison and elk pasture, makes a good companion stop.
Was the Sheridan Inn the first building with electricity in the area?
Yes, according to local tourism. When it was completed, the inn was the first building in the area with electrical power and bathtubs, giving travelers a taste of Eastern comforts in the West. That helped earn its reputation as the finest hotel between Chicago and San Francisco.
Can I visit the Sheridan Inn without staying the night?
The inn operates as a hotel and restaurant, so dining is a natural way to visit. What non-guests may tour is not posted, so call (307) 674-2178 before you go to ask about seeing the porch, public rooms and historic photographs.
What else is there to see in Sheridan, Wyoming?
Local tourism suggests the Trail End State Historic Site, the Brinton Museum in Big Horn, the Bozeman Trail Museum and nearby Indian Wars battle sites like Fort Phil Kearny. Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument is less than an hour away in Montana.
How do I contact the Historic Sheridan Inn?
Call the inn at (307) 674-2178. Its address is 856 Broadway St in Sheridan. For broader trip planning, the Sheridan County travel office can be reached at (307) 673-7121 and has ideas for history itineraries around town.
Are there train museums near Sheridan, Wyoming?
No other railroad museums on this site are close to Sheridan. Wyoming's main rail sites are farther south, in Douglas, Cheyenne, Laramie and Rawlins, so plan the inn as part of a longer drive or a separate trip. Check our Wyoming train museum guide for options.
Keep exploring
More family train guides from Rally
- DirectoryRailway Museum Directory650 train museums in all 50 states, with hours, tickets and train rides.
- HolidayChristmas Train RidesSanta trains and holiday light rides, sorted by state and town.
- OctoberHalloween Train RidesPumpkin trains and not-too-spooky rides for little ones, by state.
- NovemberThanksgiving Train RidesHoliday weekend train trips the whole family can share.
- AmtrakAmtrak With KidsWhich Amtrak routes work best with babies, toddlers and big kids.
- Plan a tripTrain Trips With KidsEvery Amtrak route, stop by stop, planned for families.