Historic Preservation Board releases 2025 Christmas ornament

Published on September 17, 2025

The Cheyenne Historic Preservation Board is proud to announce the release of its 2025 Christmas ornament, the seventh in a series of ornaments designed by Gary Sims, a member of the Cheyenne Historic Preservation Board.

This year’s ornament design is based on the Wyoming license plate design used from 2000 to 2005 and features Devil’s Tower. The design also includes references to the year Wyoming became a state, 1890; the number “44” for being the 44th state admitted to the Union; the famous Grizzly Bear 399; and other references to Wyoming’s history.

All proceeds from the sales of these ornaments go to fund various Historic Preservation Board projects throughout the Cheyenne area.

Wyoming began issuing license plates in 1913 and added the bucking horse and rider image in 1936. Prominently featured in the ornament’s design, the bucking horse and rider has continued to appear on Wyoming license plates, a unique feature among American plates.

The horse in the image has commonly been identified as “Old Steamboat,” a horse that appeared in the Cheyenne Frontier Days rodeo in the early 1900s and was from the Tyrrell ranch near Chugwater. Steamboat was so-named because of the whistling sound he made while breathing as a result of a broken nose accident. Steamboat was legendary and was sometimes called the Outlaw Horse, taking the title of the “World’s Worst Bucking Bronco.” Steamboat is one of only five horses named to the Cowboy Hall of Fame and is buried in Frontier Park.

Each of the ornaments are individually numbered and are available at the City of Cheyenne Planning and Development Office (2101 O’Neil Ave., Room 202), the Wyoming State Museum (2301 Central Ave.); and the Cheyenne Depot Museum (121 W. 15th St.). Ornaments are $25 each and supplies are limited.

The Cheyenne Historic Preservation Board hopes to continue the ornaments every year as a collectable item for the people of Cheyenne featuring a different historic aspect of the community. Past ornaments include the Wyoming State Capitol building in 2019, the Union Pacific Depot in 2020, the Airport Fountain in 2021, the Historic Governor’s Mansion in 2022, the dome of Wyoming State Capitol in 2023, and the Wyoming state flag in 2024.

For more information about the Cheyenne Historic Preservation Board, visit www.cheyennecity.org/CHPB.