Sheridan is a city in north-central Wyoming and the county seat of Sheridan County. It sits in the Goose Creek Valley at an elevation of roughly 3,745 feet, about 10 miles from the Bighorn Mountains, and lies halfway between Yellowstone National Park and Mount Rushmore along U.S. Routes 14 and 16. The 2020 census recorded a population of 18,737, making it the sixth-most populous city in Wyoming. It is the principal town of the Sheridan Micropolitan Statistical Area, which covers all of Sheridan County.
The town site was laid out in 1882 by John D. Loucks, a Civil War veteran who named it after the Union general under whom he had served; Sheridan incorporated in 1884, and Sheridan County was organized in 1888. The arrival of the Burlington & Missouri Railroad in 1892 established the city as a regional center, and coal mining in the surrounding area fueled growth over the following two decades. Sheridan serves today as a retail and service center for Sheridan and Johnson counties and part of southern Montana.
Sheridan is known for its Western heritage and historic downtown, whose main street retains neon signage. The Sheridan Inn, once associated with Buffalo Bill Cody, is a notable landmark, and the Brinton Museum features Native American history and Western art. The Bighorn National Forest and Antelope Butte Ski Area provide year-round recreation, and the city hosts annual events including the Sheridan WYO Rodeo.