Each year in late July, Cheyenne, Wyo., rolls out a red carpet for Frontier Days, a 10-day series of high-energy, competitive rodeos, top-name entertainment, parades and other events.

This tradition — 2009 marks its 110th year — involves a community that loves its Western heritage and the cowboy/cowgirl mystique.

Cheyenne retains the feel of a Western town, true to its origins as a staging area for Union Pacific's construction of the first transcontinental railroad in 1867.

This was Indian country then, although that was about to change dramatically and conclusively as settlers moved west. They decimated the once-enormous herds of buffalo that traversed the grasslands and provided sustenance for tribes such as the Sioux, whose lifestyle depended on the buffalo, or the American bison, as it's more correctly named.

Following the railroad, it didn't take long for Cheyenne to prosper, with five variety theaters, an opera house and the mansions of cattle barons, railroad tycoons and wealthy businessmen that added a surprising sophistication to a town some referred to as the Paris of the West, a title that spoke more of hyperbole than fact.

Yet, Cheyenne reveals a rich heritage readily apparent in a walk though the heart of downtown, now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The tree-lined streets — more reminiscent of the Midwest than the dusty plains — are due to the railroads that linked Cheyenne with the large cities to the east, where many of Cheyenne's early settlers came from, bringing their taste for Victorian mansions and leafy walkways.

Further growth was spurred when Cheyenne became Wyoming's capital after it was declared a state in 1890, with the addition of impressive public buildings. The state Capitol is on the National Historic Registry; the Union Pacific's vintage station, now called The Depot, is home for area craftsmen (with woolen goods and jewelry key offerings); and in the City Museum, Cheyenne's history is richly illustrated with a great collection of vintage photographs. The iconic Plains Hotel, built in 1911, is one of many downtown landmarks.

As Cheyenne was gentrifying, the surrounding countryside was used for cattle that, by 1880, had replaced the bison. The vast expanses of grassy flatlands that surrounded Cheyenne were now cowboy domain, with Frontier Days the ultimate connection to the city's ranching tradition.

HAWAI'I TIES

Hawai'i has a well-defined place in Frontier Days thanks to Ikua Purdy, a Parker Ranch paniolo. Purdy headed from the Big Island to Waiomina, as the Hawaiians called Wyoming, to compete in the calf-roping competition in the Frontier Days rodeo of 1908. His win provided a lasting bond between Cheyenne and Waimea, which now share sister-city links.

In honor of Purdy, a contingent of Big Islanders headed to Cheyenne in July 2008 for the centennial of his victory, along with paniolo (including Purdy's grandson Dan Jr., who now runs a Virginia horse ranch) and pa'u riders who joined the parades that are a colorful part of Frontier Days celebrations.

The Hawaiian contingent loudly cheered when it made an honorary circuit of the stadium course before the start of the first rodeo. It was warmly welcomed and hosted by Wyoming cowboys, who reciprocated with a visit to Waimea for the annual Parker Ranch Round-Up later that summer.

I joined them at the beautifully mounted "temporary" paniolo exhibit at the Old West Museum adjacent to the rodeo stadium open through 2009, and likely beyond.

Ten days of rodeo are the focus for Frontier Days, with the million dollars in prize money making it one of the most prestigious events in the professional rodeo circuit.

Participants travel from all over the United States and Canada to compete, making Frontier Days far more than a tourist event. This authenticity is confirmed by enthusiastic crowds of "locals" who give a sense of place to Frontier Days.

But it's not all about steers. Native Americans such as the Lakota Sioux perform intricate tribal dances at Frontier Park's Indian Village, adjacent to the stadium, dressed in gloriously elaborate costumes and accompanied by hypnotically rhythmic chants.

COWBOY CULTURE

I have long been a rodeo fan, having gone to events at Makawao, Waimea and Waimanalo over the years, impressed by the stamina, skill and courage required in riding bucking horses and bulls. The Frontier Day rodeos only emphasized that point.

"How do you take that abuse?" I asked one group of riders after a particularly grueling day of events that saw several riders injured. "It's not that bad," was the casual reply, leaving me no less impressed as they sauntered off for a cold beer and some cowboy banter.

Daily rodeos are held in the 20,000-seat Frontier Park Stadium on the outskirts of town. The stadium is also home to nightly shows that spotlight top names in country/western, pop and retro rock, with Taylor Swift and Kenny Chesney among the headliners planned for 2009. (Bring earplugs to protect your ears from mega-decibel sound systems.)

Close up, the jolting violence of bucking bulls and horses is all too obvious. From the photographer's pit — eye level to horse and rider — I could see that will, stamina and skill were all required to score well.

The million dollars in prize money is not money easily earned. In the span of three days, three ambulances were called to the field to carry off badly injured riders violently thrown to the ground from the backs of enraged broncos and bulls.

OUTSIDE THE CORRAL

For visitors, there's more to Frontier Days than rodeo: There's also an amusement park, local food booths and a promenade of interesting, Western-themed shops with everything from cowboy hats (men's and women's) to specialty foods to consider.

Four parades — each as big as Honolulu's Kamehameha Day celebration — complete with brass bands, riders and floats draw thousands who line the streets and cheer with gusto.

There are also the legendary downtown pancake breakfasts, served up hot and delicious by volunteers to as many as 10,000 people in Depot Plaza.

Motor trolleys depart Depot Plaza for 90-minute historic tours of downtown ($10), alternating with free (donations are accepted) 20-minute, horse-drawn tours. The Cheyenne Gunslingers provide street performances with a desperado theme. Position yourself inconspicuously if you don't want to be drawn into the performance, hula-show style.

There's no such threat from the Performing Thunderbirds, Air Force pilots who perform aerial maneuvers and thrill the crowds during Frontier Days' air show.

What's most appealing about Cheyenne is its cohesive small-town character. The state Capitol's 24-karat gold-leafed dome still dominates the skyline at 146 feet, with nary a high-rise to be found. Train whistles punctuate the quiet as passenger and cargo trains make their way in and out of town. If you're traveling with kids, check out the grasslands train ride offered from the Terry Bison Ranch where you can spot bison, camels and other quadrupeds from the train.

NEARBY ADVENTURES

Explorer instincts kicked in on my fourth day in Cheyenne as I set out on a day trip to Vedauvoo (pronounced vee dow voo), a scenic part of the Medicine Bow National Forest.

Nestled in the southeast Wyoming flatlands en route to Laramie, Vedauvoo is a geologic anomaly, a badlands of fragrant pine and low shrubs that are a foreground to outcroppings that welcome hikers and challenge rock climbers.

The 25-mile drive rewards travelers with a wide-angle landscape of the foothills accessed by long lonely roads; the occasional car leaves a long trail of dust dispersed by the wind that is part of the weather on the plains.

But it's not necessary to head even that far afield to sense the expansive beauty of the plains. All it takes is a 15-minute drive out of town to spot inquisitive pronghorn antelope against grand-scale skies set ablaze by the setting sun.

For those with the time, Cheyenne is a departure point for a number of stunning outdoor adventures. About four hours north, Devil's Tower rises 1,267 feet from the grasslands surrounding the Belle Fourche River. Deer, antelope and prairie dogs roam in the surrounding National Monument, where Devil's Tower rises with Strange-Encounters-of-the Third-Kind familiarity.

The great monolith with Mount Rushmore's iconic sculptures at Mt. Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota is about two hours further, both easily reached in a day's drive from Cheyenne.