Cheyenne amateur historian Sue Castaneda did more than mourn, she put together a book about it. "Even though you knew in your heart that an old place like the Hitch couldn't last forever, we really didn't give much thought to what it meant ... until we watched it burn to the ground," she said. "Then suddenly, you could remember ... all of the meetings, parties and celebrations we enjoyed there."
Paul Smith's niece, Stephanie, gave the Wyoming State Archives photos and documents salvaged from the flames, including the special collection of campaign buttons and framed pictures of former presidents that used to hang in the Hitching Post's Presidential Room.
Instead of making the donation into an exhibit, it was determined that a book on the Hitching Post would be better. So Castaneda found herself becoming an "accidental historian." A long-time Cheyenne resident, she created a list of people with connections to the Hitch, and then she started interviewing.
The result is an 11 x 10, hard cover book in a limited edition of 1,000. The books will be numbered and signed, and sold for $45 at the Wyoming State Museum gift shop, 2301 Central Avenue, City News & Pipe Shop, 1722 Carey Avenue and online at www.hitchingpostbook.com.
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