When it comes to empowering women, arguably no state in the United States has historically taken a more progressive position than Wyoming. In 1869, as a western territory, Wyoming granted women of all races the right to vote and to pursue public office—21 years before reaching statehood and 51 years before the U.S. Congress ratified the 19th amendment. In later years, the appropriately nicknamed “Equality State” gave the nation its first female jurors, bailiff, justice of the peace, and governor.
Some say the motives for the pioneering stance stemmed from an effort to attract people to Wyoming, in order to grow the territory’s population to the 60,000 required for statehood. Others, such as attorney and State Senator Tara Nethercott, credit Wyoming’s progressiveness to the fact that “because we’re more independent and more rural . . . there was just that equal respect.” She added, “To survive, you had to pull your weight. They [men and women] were in it together . . . surviving in a new frontier.”
Here’s how to plan a celebratory road trip around the state, including stops at essential historic sites, as well as some recommendations for women-led businesses that you’ll be happy to support.
Take in Cheyenne on a trolley sightseeing tour.
Photo by Lindsay Lambert Day
Cheyenne: Where suffrage was signed into Wyoming law
In 2019, Wyoming’s capitol—built in 1888 and one of just 20 in the country designated as National Historic Landmarks—reopened to visitors following a sweeping, four-year restoration and rehabilitation project. Guests can step inside the former Territorial House Chamber, site of Wyoming’s constitutional convention. “All those debates [about the constitution’s ratification] took place in this room—including the debates on women’s suffrage,” Wendy Madsen, special projects manager for the Wyoming Legislative Service Office, told us. The revitalized capitol is also home to a statue of Esther Hobart Morris, a women’s suffrage pioneer in Wyoming and the first female justice of the peace in the United States.
While you’re there
Pass through the capital city’s historic districts aboard a Cheyenne Trolley Tour; year-round, daily guided tours depart from downtown’s Depot Museum and stop at spots of historic interest, such as the Wyoming State Museum and the Governors’ Mansion. At the Cowgirls of the West Museum, peruse an impressive collection of authentic cowgirl costumes and memorabilia, then hit up its emporium next door to shop everything western, from antiques to apparel. For a uniquely Cheyenne—and stylish—souvenir, pop into downtown’s Alexis Drake boutique. The label, which founder and former elementary school art teacher Lexie Garrett launched from her garage in 2013, is known for its colorful, well-crafted, and one-of-a-kind leather bags. You’ll also find a variety of accessories, from watchbands to wallets, there.
Where to eat
For perfectly cooked wood-fired pizza served with a side of history, stop for dinner at Bella Fuoco, which is situated across the street from Esther Hobart Morris’s historic Cheyenne home. In 2021, the home was the first site in Wyoming to receive an historic marker as part of a new program commemorating the history of women’s suffrage in the United States.
Where to stay
Book one of 12 guest rooms at the Nagle Warren Mansion Bed and Breakfast. It was built by entrepreneur Erasmus Nagle in 1888, when Cheyenne was the wealthiest city per capita in the world, and later became the home of Senator Francis E. Warren in 1910.
Laramie: Site of the nation’s first female-cast vote in a general election
On September 6, 1870, Louisa Swain became the first woman to vote in a general election in the United States. The mother of three cast her ballot just one block from what’s now the Wyoming Women’s History House museum in Laramie. Open for self-guided and docent-led tours all year and run by the Louisa Swain Foundation, the museum honors Swain and other notable Wyoming women.
While you’re there
Beautifully preserved Victorian furnishings are among the highlights of a visit to the Laramie Plains Museum, housed in a mansion built in 1892 by banker and philanthropist Edward Ivinson and his wife, Jane. Author, Laramie historian, and docent Kim Viner leads encyclopedic tours of the property. For a shopping fix, stop by the Bent & Rusty, a female-owned artisans’ co-op stocked with furniture, clothing, and one-of-a-kind, salvaged antiques and decorative objects. Whether you’re in town on a girls’ trip, a family getaway, or a romantic escape, you and your travel companions can get a true taste of Laramie’s cowboy culture with a country swing dance lesson at the husband-and-wife-owned Dubanski Dance.
Where to eat
Even if you’re an omnivore, get a table at Sweet Melissa for lunch or dinner. Owner Melissa Murphy and her staff serve heaping portions of vegetarian and vegan comfort food, including meat-free burgers, gyros, and banh mi sandwiches.
Where to stay
Unleash your inner cowpoke at Vee Bar Guest Ranch, a working, family-owned dude ranch (located about 30 minutes from downtown Laramie), where guests can hike, fish, and have a hand at cattle herding and trap shooting, among other activities.
The Mill House inn takes its name from its 19th-century building’s original use.
Courtesy of Mill House
Lander: Gateway to South Pass City
With your base in Lander, make the 40-minute drive to South Pass City, a former gold mining town founded in 1867; its representative, William H. Bright, introduced the 1869 bill that led to women’s suffrage in the Territory of Wyoming. In 1870, Esther Hobart Morris was appointed South Pass City’s justice of the peace, in turn becoming the first woman in the still-forming country to hold public office.
While you’re there
Lander, with fewer than 8,000 residents, is a haven for creatives. One of the best places to take in the small city’s artistic spirit is the Lander Art Center, which hosts exhibitions and also offers classes and workshops. While you’re in Lander, stop in Alchemy, a cooperative where you can shop for locally made art and gifts, too.
Where to eat
If you’re in town on a Sunday and hungry for brunch, arrive early at the Middle Fork. Tables at Jenna Ackerman’s homey eatery are a hot commodity, thanks to her extensive menu that includes dishes like lemon-blueberry French toast and baked chili huevos.
Where to stay
After purchasing the former Lander flour mill, which was built in 1888 and operated until the 1950s, Jill Hunter renovated the property and reopened it as the boutique Mill House hotel. “In Lander, it’s all hotels,” Hunter told us, adding, “I wanted to create a place that feels like home.” And home is just how its original brick walls and exposed wood floors make it feel. Jessie Allen Gottwald, who now co-owns the property with her family, also owns and operates her family’s Diamond 4 Ranch, which is situated in the Wind River Mountain Range and offers everything from women’s wellness retreats to fly fishing tours to wilderness cowgirl camps. (In her off-season from the ranch, the 2014 Miss Wyoming leads 30-day wilderness backpacking courses as an instructor for the National Outdoor Leadership School.)
Nicolaysen Art Museum in Casper displays contemporary works of art.
Courtesy of Jeremy Thies/Nicolaysen Museum
Casper: Where women are in business
Although Casper wasn’t a hotbed of activity in the push for women’s suffrage, there’s still plenty of history to enjoy in this central Wyoming city. Make your way to the National Historic Trails Interpretive Center, where interactive exhibits and detailed dioramas give insight into pioneer life. To experience the lifestyle firsthand, book a wagon tour with Historic Trails West; tours range from two hours to five days and follow parts of the old Oregon, California, and Pony Express trails.
While you’re there
With several prominent businesses owned and run by females, Casper is an example of how Wyoming continues to embrace women in the modern world. To sample craft cocktails made with playfully named spirits like Contortionist Gin, Ringleader Vodka, and Sword Swallower Rum, stop at Backwards Distilling Company, which Casper native Amber Pollack founded along with her family. For a cultural fix, wander around the contemporary Nicolaysen Art Museum, or stop by Scarlow’s Art & Coffee, a welcoming space founded by Claire Marlow, for a pick-me-up and a look at local art.
Where to eat
Your sweet tooth will thank you for visiting Donnells Candies, opened by Don and Elma Stepp in 1956 and run by members of their family today. For something sweet but a touch more substantial, cozy up at the Bourgeois Pig, a popular coffee shop, social hub, and self-proclaimed “bougie bakery” that turns out treats like s’mores banana bread and gooey cinnamon rolls.
Where to stay
With a lively bar where locals linger and a complimentary hot-breakfast buffet, the Ramkota Hotel & Conference Center is set within minutes of downtown Casper’s main attractions. Or to surround yourself with Wyoming’s more remote, wild scenery, check in to Red Butte Ranch, which is situated roughly 10 miles southeast of the city, along the North Platte River and near the base of Bessemer Mountain. Founded and owned by New Zealand native Ruth Romp, the ranch is especially popular among anglers and wedding parties.
This article was originally published in December 2018 and was updated in July 2024 with new information.
