The Statehouse has been the focal point of this small community for many years. First it was the capital building and then at other times a dance hall, theater, jail, school and is now a State Museum.

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Only in a community with population 350 could one leave their chairs out on the main road to reserve a seat for the July 4th parade! Tonight they had the kid's parade and tomorrow will be the big parade.

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Rawlins has a rich architectural heritage and several notable landmarks such as the Ferris Mansion, a Queen Ann style Victorian dating back to 1903.

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We found deer such as these scattered around town. It was an art project done a few years ago.

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You can't get much more nostalgic then this!

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Next stop, Cheyenne. All around this city are boots that have been designed by local artists kind of like the deer we saw in Rawlins. We began our day at the beautifully restored Union Pacific Depot that is designated as a National Historic Landmark with our friends Deanna, Frank and Lorraine.

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We boarded the trolley at the train depot for a narrated tour of Cheyenne which enjoys a proud tradition of western hospitality.

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Our lunch stop today was at Sanford's Grub and Pub a funky place with lots of "junque" to look at and enjoy while waiting for our lunch.

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We were ready to return to our car when we noticed that we could take a horse-drawn carriage ride through the downtown area. Funniest thing was that when the driver wanted the horses to go he said "step up girls" and off they went.

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The cornerstone of the Wyoming State Capitol was laid in Cheyenne on May 18, 1887. The dome is real gold leaf and is visible from all roads entering the city. It is beautiful inside and out.

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This beautiful stained glass graces the rotunda of the Capitol.

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Our next stop was the historic Governors' Mansion. The Colonial Revival mansion, which was built in 1904, has been the setting for state dinners, first-family christenings, wedding receptions and birthday parties. In 2004, the mansion underwent extensive restoration and opened it's doors to the public as it began its second century as a valuable symbol of the state and its history.

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At the Frontier Days Old West Museum one can see some incredible bronzes as well as one of the nations largest collections of historic horse-drawn vehicles.

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North Platte was our next stop. Here we visited Buffalo Bill Cody's Ranch. This Second Empire style house was built in 1886 for $3900. It was a place for him to relax and entertain between show tours.

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The Nebraska Capitol was built in the 1920's and is more modern. This "tower on the plains" evokes Nebraska imagery with the broad low base reflecting the expanse of the prairie and the tall tower rising as a landmark to be viewed from miles away.

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This huge marble buffalo relief stands proudly outside the capitol. What is Lorraine reaching for?

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We are now in the land of corn and soybean fields. The land is not as flat (and boring) as I remembered from our last trip in this part of the country.

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This is our last stop before arriving at the Rally grounds. It was interesting to see that this small community has Scandinavian roots - and just one month ago we were in Scandinavia!! The flowerpots on the corners were arranged to look like carousels to tie in with...

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...this beautiful carousel that was built in New York in 1913. It was hand carved from poplar wood by skilled craftsmen at the Herschell-Spillman factory.

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This wonderful old Wurlitzer played fun music as Lorraine and Tryna went for their ride on the Merry Go Round.

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