President Theodore Roosevelt’s
Visits to Cheyenne

“As pleasant a forty-eight hours as any President ever spent since the White House was built”

           

1903 was not Theodore Roosevelt’s first visit to Wyoming. He had been in Wyoming some twenty years previously while in the cattle industry. Then in 1900, his first visit to Cheyenne was as the Vice-Presidential candidate to William McKinley, as he campaigned for McKinley’s reelection. Roosevelt’s visit as President in 1903 would be the biggest yet by far.

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Theodore Roosevelt had left Washington D.C. on April 1st for a nine-week tour of the U.S., with a heavy focus on the western states of the U.S., which would take him through twenty-two states and around 14,000 miles (one of the longest tours ever taken by a President of the United States to that point), 64 hours of which were to be spent within Wyoming. Cheyenne was scheduled to be the last official stop of Roosevelt’s entire tour before he headed back to Washington after departing the city. Roosevelt would ultimately spend 42 straight hours in Cheyenne over the Memorial Day (or Decoration Day, as it was known back then) weekend. Because of this, the citizens of Cheyenne knew that they would have to knock it out of the park in terms of giving Roosevelt the best book-end to a national tour that he could have. A baseball game in Cheyenne between Boulder and Cheyenne’s teams was scheduled to play early on May 30th so that no interruption of people wanting to see Roosevelt would occur. Citizens of the city were encouraged to decorate their homes for Roosevelt’s visit and to keep the streets of the city clean. The park next to the Depot Building was also cleaned up and decorated so it would look good for Roosevelt. A new, large flagstaff was erected on top of New Keefe Hall with plans for a new, large flag to be raised onto it when Roosevelt arrived. A new American flag was also flown over the Durant Hose House for Roosevelt’s visit. Pictures of Roosevelt were put in all the lower south-facing windows of the State Capitol Building.

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Throughout the two weeks prior to Roosevelt’s visit, the local newspapers counted down the days before his arrival as the city was given a “holiday appearance”, which the Cheyenne Daily Leader reported as far more elaborate in the city than ever attempted before (to that point), with buildings completely covered in decorations, some even using electric lights to make their appearance even more grand and impressive. Even a full week before the visit, large crowds were expected to swamp the city. The Union Pacific advertised a rate of one fare to and from Cheyenne from points within 100 miles of the city for people wanting to travel to and participate in Roosevelt’s visit. The Warren Mercantile Company advertised and handed out free Roosevelt buttons to any voter in Cheyenne that wanted them for the visit. The reception committee in charge of coordinating Roosevelt’s visit (chaired by T.A. Cosgriff) contracted the Nash Drum Corps (made up of around 20 members with drums, fifes, and other instruments) to play during Roosevelt’s reception in Cheyenne. Delegates to the state convention of the Wyoming Sunday School Association also arrived in Cheyenne just before Roosevelt’s visit (their first meeting scheduled for the night of the 31st at the Methodist Church), many of which attended his events in town throughout his visit and had to be housed by kind Cheyenne residents during their convention due to the hotels all being booked solid in town by other visitors due to the Presidential visit. Horses were readied at rally points along the route that Roosevelt and his party would ride from Laramie to Cheyenne.

 

The committee in charge of general arrangements for the visit particularly desired no attempt to induce the President to shake hands with the people as they feared that such a task for the vast crowds expected would exhaust even Roosevelt. U.S. Congressman from Wyoming, Frank Mondell and his wife both cancelled their previous engagement in Sheridan on Memorial Day in order to be in Cheyenne during Roosevelt’s visit. U.S. Senator for Wyoming, Clarence Clark also canceled a speaking engagement previously planned in Rock Springs in order to be with Roosevelt’s party in Cheyenne when they arrived. Governor Chatterton assigned a welcoming committee for Roosevelt of six prominent Cheyenne residents, composed of three Republicans and three Democrats, which included members such as Senator Warren. M. Noel Pardon, a French diplomat, former Governor-General of the French colonies, and friend of Roosevelt, was also planning to stay in Cheyenne to meet with Roosevelt on May 30th while he was in Wyoming on behalf of the French Secretary of Commerce to investigate Wyoming oil fields and connecting rail lines for potential oil purchases.

 

In preparation for Roosevelt’s visit, a Frontier show was arranged for him to watch, which would include wild mustangs and steers (mainly provided by C.B. Irwin, some wild horses coming from the Bosler Ranch, and others coming from the ranches of the Warren Live Stock Company). Some of the best riders and rodeo contestants of the era, including riders like Thad Sowder, Otto Plaga, Clayton Danks, Frank Stone, Frank Irwin, Guy Holt, and Hugh McPhee, as well as steer ropers such as Duncan Clark, Elton Perry, and C.B. Irwin, would be included as contestants for the events. The committee in charge of arranging the show at the old Wyoming Territorial Fairgrounds (the site of CFD at the time) wanted a variety of events all occurring immediately after the other with little time for breaks so that the show could go on at a relentless pace for Roosevelt. However, due to the off-season wrangling of animals required for the show and the expenses that would entail, the committee in charge of planning Roosevelt’s visit did not want to assume the cost, and requested that the Frontier Park Association foot the bill, thus also being given the right to charge admission to the show for all attendees.

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The Cheyenne Federation of Labor and its over 500 union men took part in the events for Roosevelt’s visit, with banners and badges denoting their membership amongst the crowds. The Federation also constructed a large “labor arch” near the railroad tracks on Ferguson Street, with words inscribed on it: “Organized Labor’s Welcome to the President”. The arch was even studded with lights so that it would also be impressively eye-catching at night. Huge American flags were also suspended over Ferguson Street, which Roosevelt would ride up through for a parade during his visit. Ferguson Street was described as full of flags, bunting, and arches for the visit. In the vacant lot west of the Masonic Temple downtown, a long, covered-top stand was erected for a speech that Roosevelt would give there. Accordingly, a billboard located at the corner of 19th and Ferguson was torn down as it obstructed the view that people would have of the President’s speaking stand and vice versa. A fence was also constructed to provide a passage for Roosevelt and his party to get from the carriages and horses to the platform. The entire area was also illuminated with electric lights, installed just the day before Roosevelt arrived.

           

The train taking President Roosevelt and his party from Rawlins to Cheyenne was decorated with huge portraits of Roosevelt on both sides of the tender and was also decorated with bunting and flags throughout (another train taking Roosevelt from Ogden to Rawlins and all the stops in between was similarly decorated). Roosevelt’s train was composed of six cars, including a baggage car, a dining car, and four passenger coaches (the President’s private car being named “Elysian”), all driven by Engine #1831, with Engineer Tom McHugh and Conductor Hilliard being in charge of the train. (From Cheyenne, north to Islay, the train would be under control of Conductor Guy Goff, with Engineer Lorgan up in the engine, and Engineer Hanna running the pilot train). The Presidential Train was preceded by a pilot train running ten minutes ahead of it. From Ogden to Cheyenne, the pilot train consisted of a chair car for the train crew and two special train cars, all pulled by Engine #1839, run by Engineer Tom Carroll and Conductor John Kelley. The rail lines that the President’s train would ride on were kept clear of all other train traffic for twelve hours before and after the President’s party was to travel over it to avoid all possible accidents and keep the President safe.

           

Before Roosevelt entered Cheyenne, he was going to depart his luxurious Presidential train in Laramie and travel to Cheyenne in style: on horseback with his party between Laramie and Cheyenne, his journey being one roughly 62 miles in length. U.S. Marshal Frank A. Hadsell went to Laramie a couple days before Roosevelt arrived in order to assume charge over the starting point of the President’s upcoming ride over the mountains to Cheyenne. The night before Roosevelt arrived in Cheyenne, the city was filling up with masses of out-of-town visitors, who were quickly filling up the city’s hotels and even caused the Cheyenne & Northern Railroad to bring down an extra coach on the train to Cheyenne to account for the increased traffic flowing towards the city in preparation for Roosevelt’s arrival. The trains from Denver also brought up large delegations to Cheyenne in preparation for Roosevelt’s visit.

 

Roosevelt and his party arrived by train in Laramie on May 30th at 7:30 AM to warm, pleasant weather and a lack of dust on the streets, where they would have breakfast on the train at 7:30 AM and receive a welcome from a reception committee of Laramie dignitaries and citizens around the train. Roosevelt and his party would exit the train at 8:00 AM. Roosevelt was wearing (all already worn from use) a black cut-away coat, a soft, plain striped negligee shirt with a turn-down collar, solid khaki riding trousers, well-worn leather leggings, tan riding boots, a soft, wide-brimmed slouch cavalry campaign hat (full of creases and wrinkles, at least by the end of his ride to Cheyenne), gloves and spurs (dressed in preparation for his planned ride to Cheyenne after his duties in Laramie concluded). Then, carriages took Roosevelt and his party around Laramie towards the University of Wyoming campus, where along the route at the university, boys and girls cadets, G.A.R. veterans (fitting due to the day of Roosevelt’s arrival in Laramie, Memorial Day), and Rough Rider cavalry presented arms in line while hundreds of school kids sung “Hail Columbia”. Roosevelt stood in his carriage as it passed and saluted numerous times to the troops and crowds as he drove towards the east side face of the university’s main building.

 

Upon arrival, Roosevelt reviewed passing columns of cadets (male and female), cavalry, and Grand Army of the Republic veterans, all while in notably good spirits, and then made a speech, all from a platform on the front steps (on the west side face) of the university’s main building. After speaking there with a clear and strong voice about citizens of the West, the importance of the G.A.R.’s service to the country in the Civil War (particularly because it was Memorial Day), patriotism, owing good citizenship to your state and country for the services it provides you, and new irrigation laws, Roosevelt would pass through the side entrance of the campus (on the east side face), where horses would await him and his party for the journey to Cheyenne. Once Roosevelt and his party reached where the horses were being kept, Senator Warren presented Roosevelt with the saddle, bridle, blanket, and spurs that the people of Cheyenne had made for him as gifts with a long speech, saying in part: “Mr. President: Your friends in Cheyenne, the capitol city of Wyoming learning of your intention to approach that city from the west on horseback, have caused to be made a beautiful saddle, with blanket and bridle to match, which you now see before you upon the powerful and fleet charger which will carry you over the first section of your journey”. Warren also told Roosevelt that no acceptance speech would be required at the moment since no Cheyenne people were present in Laramie, but that a thank you speech could be prepared for later in Cheyenne. Roosevelt was greatly pleased with the gifts and admired them before mounting his horse for the ride to Cheyenne.

 

For his visit, Roosevelt was gifted a saddle, a handsome bridle with solid gold rosettes bearing the letter “R”, a beautiful quirt. spurs, and a Navajo blanket by the people of Cheyenne. The spurs Roosevelt was gifted were crafted by Henry Thor (who had also previously made CFD champions spurs). These spurs were made of the finest bluesteel and were ornately trimmed in gold and silver, the spurs being valued at $30 in 1903 (around $1,140 today). The saddle was made by the F.A. Meanea Company and was broken in by Jules Schmitt and U.S. Marshal Frank A. Hadsell. The saddle was made of the best, finely stamped leather material, and had silver mountings and a gold horn. The saddle was valued at about $400 in 1903 ($15,000 today). The leather in the saddle and bridle and the wool in the saddle blanket were all made from Wyoming animals. All the gold, silver, and steel in the gifts were from Wyoming mines. The gifts for Roosevelt had been taken to Laramie and were presented to Roosevelt by Senator Warren there so that Roosevelt could use his new gifts on his long ride over the mountains to Cheyenne.

 

Before the ride got underway, W.L. Park’s horse bucked him off backwards as Park mounted him in Laramie (probably due to the noise of the nearby crowds), but Park remounted the horse immediately afterwards and subdued the horse with no further issue. President Roosevelt mounted a big gray named “Teddy”, owned by Johnny Earnest, and his party started for Cheyenne at 9:30 AM. The weather during the entire ride was described as perfect: not too warm or cold, with no wind and a perfect blue sky with no clouds and perfect visibility. No accidents of any kind would occur on the entire ride to Cheyenne, and not counting breaks, the party would be on the move for a combined six hours between stops from Laramie to Cheyenne. The party riding would also at some points earlier in the trip travel over areas sitting at more than 8,000 feet above sea level. The President’s party on the horse ride included:

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• Theodore Roosevelt, President of the United States

• Presley Rixey, U.S. Navy Surgeon General

• Frank A. Hadsell, U.S. Marshal of Carbon County, Wyoming and “Head of the Horseback Expedition”

• Joseph Lefors, Deputy U.S. Marshal of Weston County, Wyoming

• William Daley, Jr., Stockman

• Otto Gramm, President of the Board of the University of Wyoming

• N.K. Boswell, Stockgrower and Ex-Sheriff of Albany County, Wyoming

• Fred G. Porter, Stockman (also listed as G.A. Porter in some period newspaper reports)

• John Ernest of Laramie

• W.L. Park, Superintendent of the Union Pacific Railroad

• U.S. Senator for Wyoming Francis E. Warren

• Captain Seth Bullock, Superintendent of Forestry in South Dakota and special friend of President Roosevelt (there on request from Roosevelt as Bullock had been in the ranching business with Roosevelt and had served with him in Cuba)

 

(*According to Roosevelt in a letter the next day, three of these men (including Senator Warren) left the party sometime before reaching Cheyenne, and they made it to the city by other means. A.W. Barber was supposed to be part of the riding party, but bowed out in order to give his horses to Captain Bullock, who Roosevelt personally requested to join the ride. R.S. Van Tassel was also originally listed to join the riding party, but did not attend when the ride occurred on May 30th.)

 

The first relay point for the President’s ride was at Tie City, thirteen miles from Laramie. There, Roosevelt switched horses to a buckskin named “Yellowbird”, owned by Ora Haley (who told reporters that no one would ever be allowed to ride Yellowbird again for the rest of its life after Roosevelt was finished riding him). The second relay point was at McGee’s Ranch, where Roosevelt mounted a big roan horse named “Rosyroan”, owned by R.S. Van Tassel. The third relay point was at Van Tassel’s Ranch. Up until reaching the ranch, Roosevelt’s party maintained a “hot pace” during the ride.

 

At 12:45 PM, the President and his party arrived at a point on the Colorado & Southern Railway where the Van Tassel Ranch at Islay was located (35 miles from Laramie) and had lunch at the ranch. The President’s special train left Laramie at around 9:00 AM and arrived in Cheyenne at 10:40 AM at the Depot, met by an immense crowd of people. From there, the train headed north along the Colorado & Southern rail line starting at 11:30 AM and got to the junction where Roosevelt and his party were waiting around 12:45 PM. The party on the train then joined Roosevelt and his riding party for lunch at the ranch. Lunch and a rest at the ranch lasted for an hour and a half, during which Roosevelt reportedly had a hearty appetite. After lunch, the riding party proceeded again at 2:30 PM on horseback, Roosevelt continuing to ride “Rosyroan” to the fourth rally point, the Van Tassel windmill, this time (and all the rest of the way to Cheyenne) at a more “somber gait”.  Meanwhile, the party originally on the train reboarded it and the train continued on to Fort D.A. Russell, arriving there at 5:30 PM. After leaving the ranch, both the train and Roosevelt’s riding party were in sight of one another all the way to Cheyenne.

 

At the Van Tassel windmill, Roosevelt mounted “Jim”, also owned by R.S. Van Tassel, a handsome bay horse that Roosevelt had actually already ridden three years previously when he had visited Wyoming while campaigning as the Vice-Presidential candidate on President McKinley’s reelection ticket. (After first riding “Jim”, Roosevelt had said that “Jim” was one of the best horses he had ever ridden, and personally requested to Senator Warren in 1903 that “Jim” be included as his horse for at least part of the ride from Laramie to Cheyenne.)

 

When within six miles of the city, the President and his horseback party were greeted by Wyoming’s Governor, Fenimore Chatterton and his appointed Cheyenne welcoming committee, which included dignitaries such as Joseph Carey and others (who all had left the State Capitol Building at 3:30 PM to meet Roosevelt at a point about one mile north of the fort). Governor Chatterton and his entire party were also on horseback. Governor Chatterton then made a short welcome speech, with Roosevelt providing a brief official reply. At this point, Roosevelt now mounted the horse “Rag-a-Long” (the horse gifted to him on the trip by the people of Douglas to go with the Cheyenne-gifted saddle), still riding with his Cheyenne-gifted saddle. The horse gifted to Roosevelt to go with the saddle was, later according to Roosevelt himself, “a cracker-jack” and a horse that “skims over the road like a bird, never stumbling, nor halting”. The horse had been ridden for six months previously by Miss Florence E. O’Neill of Douglas, and was 15 ½ hands high, was four years old (turning five in the summer of 1903), and weighed 1,180 pounds. The horse never flinched at any shouts or loud noises that the crowds made, or even at the cannon salute to Roosevelt at Fort Russell. However, when asked about the horse’s pedigree, the owner “Bill” Barlow (other newspapers say that B. Wheelock also owned the horse) said: “He has none. He is simply a Wyoming ‘hoss’ and grew up with a band of horses”. (After Roosevelt left Cheyenne, Senator Warren would arrange for the horse’s transportation to Washington just two days after Roosevelt’s departure so Roosevelt (per his own request when Warren originally said he’d ship the horse in early November) could start riding the horse right when he got back to Washington or soon after his arrival. Before the horse left for Washington, Warren kept him within his own stables in Cheyenne until the transport was ready. J.G. Wright of Douglas, who trained the horse, would accompany it to Washington to see him safely installed in the White House stables and planned to stay there until Roosevelt and the horse were thoroughly acquainted.)

 

President Roosevelt then rode into Fort D.A. Russell, where the Thirteenth Artillery provided him with a 21-gun salute as he entered at 5:35 PM (which could be excitedly heard in the city). Roosevelt and his party then rode to the fort’s headquarters (of Major Foster of the Thirteenth Artillery) and rested there for twenty minutes. The Thirteenth Artillery then tried to line up for review as Roosevelt and Major Foster rode past, but Roosevelt explained that he didn’t have time to review the troops and had to keep going on to Cheyenne. Roosevelt then started for Cheyenne with his party and the welcoming committee, escorted by U.S. Army officers, including Major Foster (the commanding officer of Fort Russell), a troop of cavalry, and a battery of artillery (the Thirteenth Artillery, who wheeled up and followed the President’s party). During his visit, Roosevelt would voice his approval of Fort Russell as a fine military site and one that would be good for holding military maneuvers later that year in the fall.

 

Roosevelt and his party then entered Cheyenne after the total 62-mile ride and dashed rapidly down Eddy Street (instead of the planned Ferguson Street, avoiding the vast crowds of people awaiting there), and reached his train and its party at the foot of Ferguson Street before many in Cheyenne had even realized that he had arrived at 6:30 PM. On Eddy Street, hundreds were still gathered and began to cheer for the President as they spotted him and began to recover from temporary disbelief and realize that it was actually Roosevelt they were seeing (as he was still in his travel-stained basic riding clothes), who in return began to take his hat off and bow to the crowds. At the foot of Ferguson (on 15th and Ferguson), the committees and everyone in the train party had already entered their respective carriages at 6:45 PM by the time Roosevelt’s riding party arrived at the meet-up point almost perfectly on time. Other groups that would participate in the parade had already gathered in their stand-by places earlier in the afternoon, with all groups having to be ready on 15th Street (between Ferguson and Eddy) by 6:00 PM-6:15 PM. When the riding party arrived, some of the party switched to carriages (with some deciding to stay on horseback with Roosevelt) and the rest remaining on horseback immediately took their place in the procession and the parade commenced immediately afterwards. The parade moved up Ferguson Street (starting from the intersection of 15th and Ferguson) for four blocks to the corner of 19th Street, where the new speaker’s stand for Roosevelt and his party had been constructed. Groups involved in this short parade down Ferguson Street comprised of (in order):

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• The Laramie Imperial Band

• The J.F. Reynolds Post – Grand Army of the Republic

• The Army and Navy Union (The Unions and the G.A.R. numbered around 150 total in the parade)

• Troop E. Tenth of Fort Russell, United States Cavalry

• Colored Cavalry (Buffalo Soldiers)

• The President and Committee

• 10 Carriages (full of the President’s party and other state and local dignitaries)

• Company E., Wyoming National Guard

• The Nash Drum Corps (in brown khaki outfits)

• The Cheyenne Lodge No. 660, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks (in high hats and frock coats)

• The Fire Department of Cheyenne (the Durant, Alert and Clark Fire Companies) in full dress uniforms

• The Cheyenne Aerie No. 128, Fraternal Order of Eagles

• The Cheyenne Federation of Labor (with banners, 200 men strong)

• The Thirteenth Field Battery of Artillery of Fort Russell

• Troop A., Wyoming National Guard

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The distance between each group in the parade would be 30 feet. 60 feet of distance would be placed between Company E. of the Wyoming National Guard and The Nash Drum Corps, as that would be the “halfway” point of the parade. Roosevelt had been originally planned to ride in one of the carriages in the parade, but at the last minute (upon his arrival) Roosevelt declined the carriage, halted at the arch that the Federation of Labor had made, and then continued the entire parade with his remaining riding party on horseback. At this point, Roosevelt was still riding his Douglas-gifted horse “Rag-a-Long”.

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During the parade, “the President made a typical western appearance. As he passed up the street he was cheered by thousands of people and with his hat in his hand graciously bowed to right and left with a smile that plainly showed his strong, white teeth.” Roosevelt especially warmly greeted groups of children that he saw along the route, with waves and big smiles. In the carriages of the parade included Secretary of Agriculture James Wilson, Secretary of the Navy William Henry Moody (who later became a Supreme Court Justice), Surgeon General Presley Rixey, Roosevelt’s Personal Secretary William Loeb, Jr., Assistant Secretary Benjamin Barnes, U.S. Senator for Wyoming Clarence Clark, Senator Warren, Judge Joseph Carey, U.S. Congressman from Wyoming Frank Mondell, Cheyenne’s Mayor M.P. Keefe, William Chapin Deming, Warren Richardson, Dr. A.W. Barber, various judges and other dignitaries. Colonel R.W. Stoll, in charge of organizing the parade, conducted affairs in the parade atop a white horse.

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One small incident occurred during the parade. Near the corner of 18th and Ferguson, a fire had been lit in the furnace of Keefe Hall, which caused a large volume of smoke to escape through the chimney. One parade viewer then thought that Keefe Hall was on fire, and rushed into the parade to Fire Chief Vreeland (at the head of the firemen columns in the parade) to loudly report the false fire. Just then, the 7:00 PM fire bell chimed and the firemen were almost ready to break ranks and deal with the “fire”, but Chief Vreeland assessed the situation and quickly ordered a halt, avoiding a serious panic. The parade then continued on as normal.

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Once reaching the speaker’s platform at 19th and Ferguson, the Laramie Imperial Band took its place in front of the platform, with the Nash Drum Corps going to the right of the platform, both providing music to the crowds before Roosevelt spoke (the Park Band would also provide music nearby to the groups and crowds filling up the square before Roosevelt spoke). All other groups in the parade then gathered in their places (joined by an additional group of school children up front near the speaker’s stand) behind the bands, all facing the front of the platform. The Grand Army of the Republic veterans’ group would however have one of the best and closest spots, due to Roosevelt’s speech (a Memorial Day one) having a special focus on them. Roosevelt at this point finally dismounted his horse (which he hadn’t done since entering Cheyenne) and he and his party rapidly ascended the steps to the platform after dismounting from the parade (whether from horses or carriages). Roosevelt bowed to the crowds and then took his seat. Roosevelt’s party sat in the rows behind him. At least 10,000 people were present to hear the President speak (the crowds having started to fill up the square and the lines along the parade route at 6:00 PM), consisting of a standing crowd occupying the vacant half block between the Masonic Temple, the Catholic Cathedral, and Keefe Hall. On the stand, a number of Cheyenne’s selected citizens were presented to the President. Mayor Keefe then introduced Senator Warren, who then introduced Roosevelt at 7:05 PM, whose hair was notably rumpled and his eyes squinting. With a clear, distinct, and emphatic tone, Roosevelt then spoke a “meaty, thoughtful and earnest” address, his face and hands noticeably sunburned by exposure caused by the ride from Laramie.

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During the speech, the crowd uttered frequent exclamations of agreement to what Roosevelt was saying, which Roosevelt often reacted to live on the platform. The group of school children however grew restless near the end of the speech, to which Roosevelt gave them a gentle but firm “Be quiet now, children” on the stage, ultimately having to correct them twice to behave, which finally made them settle down for the remainder of the event. (*Miss Dorothy Knight, one of the children in that group, was so distraught that she and the other children made Roosevelt have to tell them to be quiet during his speech that when she was able to meet him at Judge Carey’s house the next day, she apologized to Roosevelt for her behavior and on behalf of the other children. Roosevelt thanked her for the apology and “assured her his feelings were not hurt by the interruption during his speech”).

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Roosevelt’s speech was very much his major Memorial Day address as President for the year. In it, he honored the veterans of American wars, especially the Civil War (mainly Union but also (to a slight degree) Confederate) and the Spanish American War, notably among them Senator Warren (a decorated Civil War veteran and Medal of Honor recipient), and spoke about the brotherhood of battle and comrades in arms, the importance of carrying on service in peace through being example citizens of the nation (no matter your class), and the struggle and sacrifice of veterans of the Civil War (playing towards the G.A.R. veterans in attendance), uttering the quotes:

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“If you have in you the lift towards lofty things you will be impelled into stony roads, where you stumble, but where you walk upwards towards greatness, where you walk upwards towards the life that is worth living.”

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“You men of Wyoming are making of this commonwealth one of the commonwealths of which all of our people will be proud. I believe in you. I believe in those like you, and I believe in the future greatness of this country.”

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            Roosevelt then closed by talking about the Monroe Doctrine, his belief in it, and his belief in enforcing it through maintaining a strong navy, referencing the battleship “Wyoming” as a key part of that strength, including a reference of the proverb: “Don’t draw unless you mean to shoot.”

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After speaking for around 45 minutes, Roosevelt, his party, and the reception committee would all take carriages to the Inter Ocean Hotel to retire for the day, Roosevelt eating dinner privately in his room. After the speech by Roosevelt concluded, all participating organizations were dismissed except for the Thirteenth Field Battery of Artillery, Troop E. of the Tenth Cavalry, and Troop A. of the Wyoming National Guard, which all escorted the President to the Inter Ocean Hotel. Ten of the hotel’s best rooms (located on the north side of the building on the second floor) were prepared for Roosevelt and his party, which at the hotel included Secretary of Agriculture James Wilson, Secretary of the Navy William Moody, Surgeon General Presley Rixey, Roosevelt’s Personal Secretary William Loeb, Jr. and Assistant Secretary Benjamin Barnes (with additional stenographers and assistants). The hotel’s large dining room was also converted into a temporary Cabinet Room to be used for the transaction of business by the President and the U.S. Government officials with him. All those in Roosevelt’s party who did not have rooms at the hotel would be taken by carriage back to the Presidential train for the evening. The Union Pacific would then move the train’s cars away from the Depot to a distant sidetrack (on both nights of Roosevelt’s visit), so that the occupants could have a good rest away from noise and excitement.

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Meanwhile, on the night of the 30th, a banquet party was held at the Cheyenne Club for all the reporters who were in the Presidential party. The evening was filled with amusing stories told to the guests by the guests and also featured music from a bass solo, a guitar accompaniment, and the Elks’ quartet. Among the dignitaries at this banquet were Roosevelt’s Personal Secretary Loeb and Assistant Secretary Barnes, Governor Chatterton, Senator Warren, Congressman Mondell, Mayor Keefe, William Chapin Deming, Joseph Cahill, T. Blake Kennedy, Dr. Barber, Captain Slack, Captain Bullock and others.

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Within Cheyenne, Mayor Keefe had also arranged for two well-known detectives from Denver, George N. Sanders and Edward Carberry, to patrol the streets to look out for pickpockets and other “crooks” out to take advantage of the crowds in the streets who were there for Roosevelt’s visit, in order to keep the city clean in all respects. Six men were arrested by the two detectives over the course of the night of the 30th, two of them even being wanted already for previously-committed noteworthy crimes that they had committed in other towns.

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On May 31st, Roosevelt awoke early in the morning and took a light breakfast in his room. After that, he held a meeting with Secretaries Wilson and Moody, and then attended to a great deal of business, keeping his secretaries busy for over an hour. During that time, Roosevelt dictated a personal letter to his friend, U.S. Senator from Massachusetts Henry Cabot Lodge, discussing what all he had done in his visit to Cheyenne up to that point. The letter read:

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“Dear Cabot:

Yesterday was a day on which I wish you could have been around. It did not start out in any unusual manner. We breakfasted as half past seven, at eight left the train at Laramie and indulged in a small procession, and then I made a speech. But immediately afterwards the fun began, for we started out on a 62-mile ride across the plains, and one low mountain ridge, to Cheyenne. Dr. Rixey, who is a first class horseman, went with me, together with the marshal and his deputy, and Senator Warren, and three or four others—of the latter party we shed three by the way, including Warren. We changed horses five times and took out two hours for lunch at the Van Tassel ranch. We went a good fast gait—one place for five miles on a downright run, old Van Tassel being bent upon finding out how fast I could ride; and as the horses were his I let them go just as fast as they could stretch themselves. At half past five we struck the army post three miles out of Cheyenne, and I reviewed the troops. Then I rode in, heading the “procession” to the grand stand, and there I made a three-quarters of an hour speech as the closing incident of the memorial day services. Altogether it was great fun. But I am heartily glad that the trip is now nearly at an end. I have three fearful days to look forward to in Iowa and Illinois, and then I go home.

(Mark) Hanna took his medicine like a man and I much appreciate what he has done.

With love to Nannie,

Ever yours,

Theodore Roosevelt

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P.S. The above was dictated Sunday morning. Sunday afternoon (yesterday) I had another 30-mile ride—riding up to Senator Warren’s ranch; where we dined, and rode back by moonlight. I rode a horse that the citizens of Douglas had given me, which is a perfect beauty. This morning we had cowboy sports, and I do not think I ever saw better riding. Altogether my stay in Wyoming has been enjoyable, and now after three days dreadful work in Iowa and Illinois I shall be home.”

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Meanwhile on the morning of the 31st, the President’s train cars would be brought back to the Depot (on both mornings of Roosevelt’s visit) and the President, with members of the parties of the train and the Inter Ocean Hotel, met up and took carriages to the Methodist Episcopal Church (First Methodist Church) to attend Sunday services, which arrived at the side entrance of the hotel to pick up Roosevelt at 10:30 AM (Roosevelt had previously requested to the committee of his visit that he desired “to go to church like a good American citizen”.) The interior of the church was decorated with flowers and potted plants, with huge American flags draped across the wall above the choir. Roosevelt and his party were escorted to reserved seats in the center of the church. A soldier in uniform acted as the usher. The church was packed to capacity. An anthem was performed by the choir double quartet, and services were conducted by Reverend Forsyth, who read a scripture lesson from the 91 Psalm and later the third verse of the third chapter of St. Mark, and made no reference to the presence of the President. Forsyth’s sermon was described as “eloquent and powerful” and Roosevelt “listened with marked attention and expressed himself as greatly pleased”. The services also included a violin solo with piano accompaniment (a solo so good that Roosevelt later asked Judge Carey’s wife to express his delight to the soloist, Marie Buchanan), with the hymns of the service being “Holy Holy Holy”, “Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah” and “America”. Everyone had to remain in place after the services concluded until Roosevelt and his party were escorted out of the church first.

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Immediately after services concluded, President Roosevelt and his party took carriages from the front door of the church to Judge Joseph Carey’s house for an informal luncheon with Judge Carey and his wife at 12:30 PM. At Carey’s house among the couple and Roosevelt were Secretary of Agriculture James Wilson, Secretary of the Navy William Moody, Surgeon General Presley Rixey, Roosevelt’s Personal Secretary William Loeb, Jr. and Assistant Secretary Benjamin Barnes, Captain Seth Bullock, Senator Warren, Governor Chatterton and his wife, Charles D. Carey and his wife, and Robert Carey. The rest of the Presidential party meanwhile took carriages back to the Presidential train or hotel.

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At Carey’s house, Roosevelt was presented by Cheyenne High School’s principal with a box of perfumes in silver-mounted bottles and an accompanying letter (the principal was the sister of C.R. Cook, the President of the Elysian Manufacturing Company in Detroit, who had prepared the letter and gift for Roosevelt). Roosevelt was also introduced to Miss Dorothy Knight, the little girl who then apologized to him for her behavior at his speech the day before. After lunch, Roosevelt and the guests at Carey’s home took carriages back to the hotel. At the hotel, Roosevelt was then introduced (by Senator Warren) to people who had given him gifts earlier in the Cheyenne visit, including J.F. Schmitt and John McUlvane, who had originally thought of the idea to give Roosevelt the saddle and had organized fundraising for it (*Note: for which donators included Senator Warren, H.P. Hynds, F.A. Meanea, Sam Idelman, R.S. Van Tassel, C.B. Irwin, Warren Richardson, E.A. Slack, Dr. A.W. Barber, F.R. Dildine, the Hofmann brothers, F.G. Hirsig, Joe Cahill and others), and David Miller, who had gifted Roosevelt (through Senator Warren) with a silver souvenir spoon for Roosevelt’s wife. (*When Warren had first presented the spoon to Roosevelt, he mentioned that Miller was a life-long Democrat. Roosevelt then immediately asked to meet Miller. That meeting on Sunday was reported to be very pleasant.) That afternoon in Roosevelt’s private rooms at the Inter Ocean Hotel, the Cheyenne Lodge of Eagles offered, and Roosevelt accepted, lifetime membership into the group, for which he was gifted a lifetime membership card for their organization, made of solid silver with raised gold lettering, which all came in a solid silver case (both of which were made in Denver).

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At 3:30 PM, Roosevelt and a party of riders (made up of the members of his riding party from Laramie to Cheyenne and by a number of officers from Fort Russell) would ride on horseback south of Cheyenne to the Warren Ranch (which Roosevelt rode to on “Rag-a-Long”). Senator Warren led the party out of the Warren Live Stock Company’s pastures to begin the ride. Those who joined Roosevelt on the ride to the Terry Ranch (Warren’s Ranch) included (among others):

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• Joseph M. Carey

• Dr. George P. Johnston

• R.S. Van Tassel

• Governor Fenimore Chatterton

• U.S. Marshal Frank A. Hadsell

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Along the way, the Presidential party would stop and visit the numerous ranches of the Warren Company on Lone Tree and Willow Springs Creek, and didn’t reach the Terry Ranch until after 6:00 PM. The ride was a total of sixteen miles and a heavy rain fell on the party along the way there, making Roosevelt have to don his rain coat. However, Roosevelt thoroughly enjoyed the entire ride. Waiting for Roosevelt at the Terry Ranch were about 100 prominent Wyomingites that wanted to meet him. Senator Warren introduced each man to Roosevelt and handshaking ensued. Afterwards, dinner was served to everyone on the ranch, with Roosevelt, Personal Secretary Loeb, Surgeon General Rixey, Senator Warren, Senator Clark, Judge Carey and a few others being served in the dining room of the ranch house, and the other 125 people there being served in a large tent that was erected out in the yard. The dinner was made a surprise to Roosevelt and all others in attendance and was a five-course meal. After dinner, the Presidential party left the ranch at 7:40 PM and arrived back in Cheyenne at 8:45 PM, covering another thirteen miles on horseback by moonlight for the return trip. Throughout the day, Roosevelt would express no fatigue, despite his extremely active day just the day before.

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On June 1st, both the President’s party at the train and the hotel ate breakfast and then got into carriages, the President leaving the Inter Ocean Hotel at 8:30 AM with Secretary Wilson, Senator Warren, Private Secretary Loeb and others. The party was then driven out to the Wyoming Territorial Fairgrounds, escorted there by Troop A of the Wyoming National Guard. Crowds gathered on the streets to greet Roosevelt on his way to the park. The sky that day was described as a clear blue one, without a single cloud in the sky, with a gentle western breeze. Once at the arena, Roosevelt and his party were driven through the gates of the park and onto the track, after which the party took their seats in a private stand specially erected for them inside of the arena’s race track, adjacent to the judges’ stand. Roosevelt was applauded for several minutes by the crowd as he arrived and ascended the private stand, during which he stepped to the front of the stand and bowed to the crowd.

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While at the park, Roosevelt and his party was guarded by 30 special deputy sheriffs (appointed by Sheriff E.J. Smalley), who also helped maintain order and patrol the grounds while the President’s program at the park was underway. Then at 9:30 AM sharp, the program for the Frontier Day show would begin, consisting of (in order): a wild horse race, a stake race (free to enter), steer roping (with eight chosen steers and contestants who had the best times in previous Frontier Days’ competitions), a bucking contest (with 12 chosen competitors), the cowgirls’ race (free to enter), a steeple chase (free to enter), and a drill by the Thirteenth Regular Artillery (which was ultimately cut due to time). The entire event lasted around two hours. Admission to the grounds for anyone that wanted to watch the Frontier show was free, but if you wanted to have a seat in the grandstands, you had to pay $1 (around $38 today), or 50 cents if you wanted a seat on the bleachers (around $19 today). The grandstands and bleachers of the event were not completely filled with people, but were amassing large crowds within them nonetheless early in the day, full of people who all had traveled there by nearly every imaginable mode of transportation at the time. The fence line around the entire arena was also filled with spectators, trying to get a view of the show. Observers noted that more people seemed to be crowded along the fence lines along the entre border of the oval arena than in the grandstands and bleachers. It was estimated that at least 12,000 people were in attendance. The imperial band also attended to provide music.

For that day’s Frontier show held for the President, William Chapin Deming later wrote in his book on the visit:

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“And then came Monday. It was the day for which the whole city had been waiting; the day when Theodore Roosevelt, former ranchman, should be reminded of the days in the cow country and when the President of the United States should see that the sons of Wyoming had not forgotten how to ‘ride well, shoot straight, to love the open air and the spirit of gameness’.

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Long before the time set for the Presidential party to arrive at the grounds of the Frontier association the ‘tops’ of the best broncho busters in the state, which means in the world, were working over a bunch of wild horses in the corral inside the track. One at a time the frightened animals were driven into the chute, where a hackamore was deftly adjusted, and with a rope in the hands of a skillful cow-puncher on horseback, was led out with much silent but energetic protest, to take his place in the first event.

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At nine o’clock a line of carriages drew up at the President’s stand and President Roosevelt and his party of friends alighted.

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Theodore Roosevelt, whether citizen, cattleman, soldier, governor, or vice president, has always been a favorite of the Wyoming people and from the greeting that was then given him it is plain that in becoming President he lost none of his popularity.

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In the President’s stand were Secretary Wilson, Private Secretary Loeb, Surgeon General Rixey, Assistant Private Secretary Barnes, W.A. Richards, commissioner of the general land office and former governor of Wyoming; Governor Fenimore Chatterton, Senator F.E. Warren, Senator C.D. Clark, ex-Senator J.M. Carey, Congressman F.W. Mondell, Bishop J.J. Keane, Superintendent W.L. Park, Superintendent Baxter, Hon. Otto Gramm, N.K. Boswell and others, including a number of press representatives.

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When the party had assembled Senator Warren led to the front of the stand the beautiful Ragalon, the gift of the citizens of Douglas. The horse carried the saddle and bridle which was presented to the President by the citizens of Cheyenne, and in an appropriate address Senator Warren presented the animal to the President, his trainer standing near and putting the horse through a number of clever feats. (*Note: the tricks of the horse included kneeling and bowing its head to the ground before Roosevelt, his new master, and then to the applauding audience in the stands. Other tricks the horse could reportedly do was count, distinguish colors, lie down for the rider to mount, and roll over on command).

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President Roosevelt could not conceal his pleasure as he rose to make his acceptance. He said: ‘Senator Warren and Friends: I thank you most cordially. I thank you, my friends of Cheyenne, for the beautiful saddle you gave me and I thank the citizens of Douglas for the beautiful horse you have presented to me. I accept both with the greatest pleasure, and I will rechristen the horse Wyoming to commemorate this state, and I shall be proud at Washington to be riding so fine a horse, which comes from the cow country I love so well and which produces the finest horses in the world.

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I have broken in the saddle, as you see, having ridden many miles in it since it was presented to me. I have ridden many horses, but never have I owned one which could hold so easy a gait at so great a speed for so long a time as the one you have presented. Even in a rough country his gait is like a rocking chair. I couldn’t have had a gift that would have pleased me more.

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And again I wish to thank you for these splendid gifts, which will commemorate as pleasant a forty-eight hours as any President ever spent since the White House was built.’

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The stand full of spectators had not finished its applause when the wild horses (*Note: 8 of them, which were notably very hard to line up for the show before the event began, to which Charlie Irwin was reported to have yelled: “Take no chances, boys; don’t get hurt. Go!”, to which Roosevelt and his party laughed in their stand, thinking hilariously how broncho busters could ride such horses without literally taking chances) were brought to the track for the wild horse race of half a mile. Not outlaws, mind you, which could be depended upon to buck and do nothing else, but wild horses which had never been saddled or bridled and who when saddled would do no one knew what. Beside each horse was the rider and his saddle with a helper on horseback. At the signal saddling was begun and the plunging of the horses to avoid the man with the flapping blanket and strange looking saddle was the first intimation of what was going to happen.

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Several riders blindfolded their animals, and this device enabled them to saddle without difficulty.

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Then began in earnest the show which is only seen in Cheyenne and which bids fair to make the town famous. Not a man was thrown, not a man hunted for leather, but rode like a star, a squeal of pure joy coming from his lips at every jolt. The mount of Guy Holt seemed suddenly to discover what was wanted of him and with a series of long, clean pitches left the tangle of plunging horses and men and started around the track, passing under the wire a winner, the time from the moment of starting being 3:20, the best time ever made for the event. Guy McDermott came second and Clayton Danks, third.

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A.W. Porter and James Preston were the only two contestants in the stake race, Porter’s horse winning both heats. C.B. Irwin then ran twenty paces to a stake and back against Frank Irwin’s little black cowpony, Dutchy, which was able to turn even quicker than the man and won by a few feet.

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The steer roping of which so much was expected proved something of a disappointment. The ropers all seemed anxious to throw their steer where the President’s party could best see it and their effort to rope and haze at the same time was disappointing to the spectators who are accustomed to see quick throws and low records. (*Note: Hugh McPhee, the world record holder for the event at the time, didn’t compete that day due to suffering from a fractured collar bone after being thrown from a horse four days previously).

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Duncan Clark, the first roper, made a good throw, but it was not until the steer had circled the corral that he made an effort to tie. His time was 1:45. Charlie Irwin’s steer gave him a straight, hard run, being stopped at the end of the field and tied in 1:17 ½. Neil Clark and Clayton Danks both had the misfortune to break their ropes. Billy Aberdeen and Guy Holt suffered from nervous excitement and missed their first throws entirely. Aberdeen’s steer, a big red, went over the fence and was finally thrown on the track, where Clayton Danks mounted him and gave a pretty exhibition of bareback riding to the applause of the spectators and the delight of the President.

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Then followed the great success of the morning. There is no longer any doubt, if any existed, that to see the real thing in a contest between man and horse you must come to the grounds of the Frontier association, Cheyenne, Wyoming.

The crash of the hoofs as they smashed the planks of the corral indicated that Dynamite was to be the first horse ridden.

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Billy Aberdeen was the man chosen to mount him and both man and horse made a good showing. Guy Holt followed on Rebel, a little gray that seemed as anxious as his rider to show the President what a real bucker was like. Daisy was a tall gray horse, which stood like a work horse while being saddled and made no attempt to buck for two or three steps after (M.) Fitzgerald had mounted. Then like a shot his back humped up, and his nose disappeared between his forefeet and off he went high and straight, down the field, the rider’s hat slapping him at each jump.

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Then Danks in a brilliant red sweater mounted a blue horse from Fort Russell which seemed possessed with a motion of getting into the President’s stand. Then Jud McCleary mounted Dutch, a tall sorrel who didn’t act as bad as his yelling rider could have wished. J.G. Wright, the Douglas man who broke and trained Wyoming showed himself master of horses in his riding of Oh Hell!

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Guy McDermott’s horse bucked crooked but not as high as several of the others.

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Clayton Danks again on Wild Van made one of the prettiest rides of the day, his mount pitching with front feet perfectly vertical and almost in the same place. The Laramie Wolf fell to Guy Holt and at the start fell back, but the rider met with no injury and, mounting again, rode him to a finish. Charlie Irwin then mounted Buffalo Bill, a trick buckskin, without saddle or bridle. The animal bucked down toward the fence and jumped it and then, having no bridle, carried his rider off to the stable for his dinner.

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The army outlaw which broke Frank Irwin’s arm last week was then brought out and given to Frank Stone, who stayed with his job nicely, though the animal had a dozen ways of itching and tried several at once.

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The President expressed his appreciation of the horse’s name which the man with the megaphone said was Teddy Roosevelt.

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The ladies’ race started with four entries, Mrs. W.H. Irwin and Misses Jennie and Esther Pawson and Mort Derby (*Note: a man riding for comedic amusement), who entered as Polly Pry in wrapper and bonnet. The finish was in the order mentioned. Time, 51 and four-fifths.

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Then the famous Steamboat, probably the trickiest outlaw in the country, was brought in and Thad Sowder prepared to ride him. He was dressed practically as he was when he appeared at his first Frontier Day, the same yellow chaps covering his legs. As he mounted, the horse started to buck before his blind was removed and the time spent in removing it crowded upon the few moments that were left of the show, so Sowder was called off before Steamboat had really gotten up steam again. But his perfect riding is evidence that he is still able to defend the belt he has held so long, and against such strong opponents.

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The steeple chase was won by Old Gold, who was quite the superior of Torson, both in running and jumping.

This ended the eventful program with the exception of the President’s speech.”

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            Among Roosevelt’s closing remarks at the end of the Frontier Day show, included the following quote:

“I wish also to say what an admirable thing I deem it to have sports of this kind, such as these I have been witnessing here; and to congratulate the state and the city  and the association upon having them, As long as here in Wyoming and in your sister states you breed the type of men that we have seen riding today, Uncle Sam can be absolutely certain that if the hour if need arrives he will have his cavalry ready made. Men who can shoot, ride, live in the open, and have got the game spirit in them, have got 98 per cent of what you need in cavalry. I wish to congratulate all the riders and two of the ropers. I am always truthful, so I limit the number of ropers I congratulate. I wish to say especially to Mr. Irwin that the whole business has been managed in such a way which ought to make him well satisfied how it has come out. I thank you all. As for the gentlemen who have been riding those horses, while I wish it distinctly understood that personally I prefer the gait of the one that was given to me. (I like my horse to do things horizontally rather than vertically) still I want to say that I am very proud of them as Americans.”

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            Back near the point in the show after Clayton Danks’ bareback ride, Senator Warren had asked the President: “How do you like it, Roosevelt?” He answered: “It is sure fine. You bet I like it.” Then, Thad Sowder was also personally presented to President Roosevelt by Senator Warren. Sowder was wearing a green sweater and the yellow chaps. During the presentation, Roosevelt recognized Sowder and examined with great care his champion belt, which Sowder unbuckled from himself so Roosevelt could have a closer look. During the show, when one of the horses for the show was presented for competition (a wild-acting one originally from Fort Russell), and his bad record was described to the crowds, Roosevelt comedically remarked: “I am glad I sold that horse.” Later on, after the ladies’ cowpony race, all the contestants of that race were taken to the private stand and were presented to Roosevelt, who said: “I am glad to meet you. I am glad to meet you all, and I congratulate you on your great riding. And I am glad to have met such a ladylike jockey” (referencing towards the man present in women’s clothing who also participated in the race).

After this, at 11:45 AM, the show at the park ended and the President and his party were taken by carriages to the Presidential train, positioned on the Colorado & Southern track, standing-by on the tracks right next to the grounds. The train then went to Cheyenne and stopped there again for a few minutes. At 12:30 PM, the train would pull out of the city for the final time, Roosevelt and his party aboard it. As the train left, the President stood on the rear platform, waving his hat and bowing to the crowds as long as he was in sight of them as they began the long ride back towards Washington.