Photo Courtesy of Trail End website
The Trail End State Historic Site is one attraction in Sheridan, WY that you won’t want to miss.
Sharie Shada describes the attraction.
“This was the home of John and Eula Kendrick, and it was finished for them in 1913. Mr. Kendrick is your classic Western rags to riches story. He first came to Wyoming as a penniless orphan, cowboy on a cattle drive, ended up making a fortune in cattle ranching and real estate, went on to become governor of Wyoming and then a three term U.S. senator.”
Shada shares, “Mr. Kendrick first came to Wyoming on a cattle trail and he wanted to retire here. This was going to be the end of his personal trail. So, from the very beginning, the family named a Trail End and that’s what it’s been known as from the beginning.”
Trail End is the home that Kendrick built for his wife, Eula, and their two children, Rosa Mae and Manville. Visiting the mansion is like stepping back in time. Shada says, “Almost everything in here is original, and you get a really good feel for what it was like to live here between 1913 and 1933.”
Trail End is ran by Wyoming State Parks, Historic Sites, and Trails and is designed to walk through at your own pace. Shada explains that there is information in every room and also a self-guided tour brochure. There are also people on hand to answer questions.
Trail End Historic Site is a very unique attraction. Shada explains, “It’s really surprising to find a house like this out here in Wyoming. People are always shocked that it was so full of technology. Sheridan had electricity and indoor plumbing in 1893. Some parts of the country didn’t get it till the 50s or 60s. So to see that much technology employed in this home is really a surprise for people.”
Shada continues, “So when the state of Wyoming acquired the home in 1982 from the Sheridan County Historical Society, the mansion was empty except for a dining room table and the original red rugs throughout the house.” Now, 95% of the items in the home are original because the family is continuously donating back. Shada also says, “If the public acquired anything at their big estate sale in the 60s, they brought things back. And so we have original items and then we have photos that Mrs. Kendrick had taken of the home in 1914. So we know where those things were, where the furniture was positioned, in what room.”
Admission is for Trail End is $8 per adult. Wyoming residents do get a discount and children 17 and under are free. Trail End is open from April 1st to December 14th and open for longer hours in the summer. For more information, visit their website here.
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