Top 10 Western Towns!
Don't let this ranking fool you - Sheridan, which was the top pick in the 2006 True Western Towns listing by True West magazine - is still a numero uno place to us. In fact, the folks from Sheridan decided that somebody else should have the honor and benefit of being True West's Top Town in 2007. 
Locals say the award was a big boost for the town in a number of ways—anecdotally, tourism is up, national media interest has reached new heights and the focus on historic preservation and restoration has increased in the past year. But in all honesty, it was the Sheridan folks who took the ball and ran with it. They really work hard at preserving and promoting the place.
Just to review: one of Sheridan's claims to fame is hosting Buffalo Bill and his troupe back in the 1890's. In fact, the great showman auditioned acts from his seat on the porch of the Sheridan Inn. The town boasts three historic districts and about three dozen historic sites, and it hosts some 35 western events per year. Nearby are the locations of several frontier forts-Fetterman, Phil Kearny and Bridger, among others. And the infamous Johnson County War between cattle barons and small ranc
hers took place just south of Sheridan.
Over the past year, there have been several developments. Last October, the town and the Crow tribe held a joint celebration of local history and culture. The event helped mend fences that had broken down in recent decades.
Structural improvements continue at the Sheridan Inn. A restaurant (and a good one) now operates out of the place, but it's hoped that, eventually, some of the old hotel rooms will be ready for occupancy once again.
A project to reclaim the Goose Creek streambed is in the planning stages. Many years ago, a cement bed was installed to help guide the creek; now folks want it returned to its natural state.
And this year, new signage will line Interstate 90, offering directions to and information on the many historic sites throughout the region.
So Sheridan’s motto—The West at its Best—is still on target. And it should be for years to come.
