CFD FLASHBACK: The Roots Of The Cheyenne Frontier Days Cattle Drive

You always know it's that time again for Cheyenne Frontier Days, when you see the livestock and cattlemen heading down Hynds Blvd for the cattle drive.

What is the big deal with having a cattle drive? It's historical, to say the least. Cattlemen have been participating in cattle drives, at least since the mid-1800s. Cattle drives were a big economic activity and driver during the early years of the transcontinental railroad.

There were around 20 million cattle that would make their way from Texas to Kansas and then up to Chicago and other eastern states.

Because this was done on foot and horseback, the livestock and cattlemen, also known as cowboys, would have to rest periodically along the way. This caused the birth of what is known as 'cow towns', which would offer stables, water, and resting places along the drive.

Today, to kick of Cheyenne Frontier Days, we have our own cattle drive, which is more symbolic and a hallmark of our western heritage, which put the American Cowboy on the map.

About 550 head of Corriente steers from a pasture north of Cheyenne are driven along Interstate 25 and through city streets to Frontier Park. The drive usually starts at the intersection of Interstate 25 and Horse Creek Road north of the city.

It moves along I-25 on the Eastern frontage road to Hynds Blvd., turns south to Central Avenue to Kennedy Road, then moves from Kennedy Road to Carey Avenue and into Frontier Park.