Affiliate disclosure: This page contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you use them, at no extra cost to you. Our editorial recommendations are independent of these relationships.
Wyoming · Big Horn Country · #527
Sheridan County, Wyoming
At the foot of the Bighorn Mountains in northern Wyoming, Sheridan has built the most unexpectedly cosmopolitan small-city identity in Wyoming - a historic Main Street, a polo tradition brought by British cavalry officers, dude ranching that's been operating since the 1890s, and a quality of life that has attracted remote workers and retirees from coasts they left voluntarily.
Affiliate disclosure: This page contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you use them, at no extra cost to you. Our editorial recommendations are independent of these relationships.
What do you need to do?
Tell us your goal and we'll guide you step-by-step to the right office, forms, and official resources.
Services: Coordinates preparedness, response, recovery, mitigation, and protection countywide; promotes “Two Weeks Ready” self-sufficiency planning via the Wyoming Ready app; maintains self-fill sandbag stations for flood mitigation
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: I-90 and US-14/16/20 serve Sheridan, the county seat, on the eastern slopes of the Bighorn Mountains
Transit: No dedicated fixed-route county transit identified; confirm current regional options directly with the county
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Sheridan County Public Works – (307) 675-2420 or (307) 674-2920 | Email: [email protected]
Services: Building and land use permits for unincorporated Sheridan County
Notes: City of Sheridan maintains its own SEPARATE building permit program – permits required for any project over $3,000 or any new building over 200 sq ft; some electrical/mechanical/plumbing work requires permits regardless of value. Confirm whether your property falls under city or county jurisdiction.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
County VSO: Sheridan County Veterans Service Office – Sheridan, WY
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Sheridan County Library System – main branch (Fulmer) in Sheridan plus branches in Clearmont, Story, and Ranchester (Tongue River)
Main Branch: Sheridan Fulmer Public Library – 335 W. Alger St., Sheridan, WY 82801 | (307) 674-8585 | Hours: Mon–Thu 9 AM–7 PM, Fri–Sat 9 AM–5 PM (closed Sun)
Services: Home to “The Wyoming Room,” an archival collection of local/regional history and genealogy materials (in-library use only), plus a children’s storytelling/folklore collection; offers Libby, WYLDCat, and Kanopy digital services
Related: Clearmont Branch – 1240 Front Street, Clearmont, WY, (307) 655-1300; Story Branch – 20 N. Piney, Story, WY; Tongue River Branch – 145 Coffeen Street, Ranchester, WY
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Sheridan County is genuinely home to two extraordinary pieces of Old West history – EATONS’ RANCH, near Wolf, WY, is widely credited as THE FIRST DUDE RANCH IN THE UNITED STATES, founded in 1879 by brothers Howard, Alden, and Willis Eaton near Medora, North Dakota, before relocating to its current 7,000-acre Sheridan County location in 1904 for better riding terrain; the ranch, still family-operated by the fourth and fifth generations of Eatons, has hosted guests including Cary Grant, Will Rogers, and Ernest Hemingway, and remains a genuine working cattle ranch; separately, the HISTORIC SHERIDAN INN, constructed in 1892 as part of a railway extension, was genuinely the stomping ground of William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody and his Wild West Show – Cody invested in and lived at the inn, frequently holding auditions for Wild West Show performers there; Ernest Hemingway completed his novel “A Farewell to Arms” while staying at the inn; renovated in 2015, it remains an operating hotel today; Sheridan’s dude ranching legacy helped establish the Sheridan/Buffalo area as one of the first dude ranching centers in the American West, alongside Jackson Hole and greater Cody; the WYO Rodeo, established in 1931, remains part of the modern PRCA rodeo tour; Sheridan is also long the ancestral homeland of the Crow people, and the region’s blend of Native American and Western culture is said to have inspired author Craig Johnson’s “Longmire” book and television series
Notes: Eatons’ Ranch’s genuine status as America’s very first dude ranch – still family-run after nearly 150 years – and the Historic Sheridan Inn’s real connection to Buffalo Bill Cody are extraordinary and well-documented pieces of authentic Western heritage.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
GIS Portal: Sheridan County GIS – accessible via sheridancountywy.gov
Parcel Search: Sheridan County Assessor
Addressing/911: Coordinated through Sheridan County Emergency Management
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Facility: Dog & Cat Shelter, Inc. (also known as Sheridan City Animal Shelter) – 84 E Ridge Rd, Sheridan, WY 82801 | (307) 674-7694
Services: A nonprofit “Home in Between Homes” serving all of Sheridan County; stray animals unclaimed after 5 days become available for adoption; owner surrenders accepted for any reason; also accepts animals from neighboring Johnson County, WY and Big Horn County, MT when space allows; adopters must be 18+, provide proof of home ownership (or landlord consent if renting), and complete a “meet and greet” if they already own a dog
Notes: Contact Sheridan County or the City of Sheridan directly for current refuse collection and recycling program details.
NOTES
Sheridan County genuinely holds two extraordinary pieces of Old West heritage – Eatons’ Ranch, America’s first dude ranch, and the Historic Sheridan Inn, Buffalo Bill Cody’s real home base for auditioning his famous Wild West Show. All contact information above was sourced from official county, city, library, and shelter pages as of this writing; phone numbers and hours should be reconfirmed directly with the relevant office before a visit.
About Sheridan County
Sheridan, Wyoming is a genuinely surprising place. The city’s historic Main Street – with the WYO Theater, the Sheridan Inn (where Buffalo Bill once auditioned Wild West show acts on the porch), and a compact downtown of independent businesses – is one of the best-preserved small-city commercial corridors in the Rocky Mountain West. The polo tradition, introduced by British cavalry officers stationed at the Big Horn area dude ranches in the early twentieth century, has produced an active polo culture – Big Horn Polo Club and the summer polo schedule make Sheridan the acknowledged polo capital of the American West, which is a sentence that takes a moment to process.
The dude ranch tradition – which began in the 1890s when working ranches in the Bighorn foothills started taking in paying guests – continues as a genuine industry. The Bighorn Mountains rising to the west provide extraordinary hiking, hunting, and skiing (Antelope Butte is being reactivated as a community ski area). Sheridan College serves workforce development. The county’s coal and oil economy in its eastern reaches supplements the service and tourism economy of the city. Sheridan’s combination of historic character, outdoor access, and Wyoming’s favorable tax environment has made it one of the most sought-after small-city relocation destinations in the Rocky Mountain region.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Wyoming assesses residential property at 9.5% of market value. Property owners may appeal to the County Board of Equalization (July 1 deadline). Wyoming has no income, estate, or inheritance tax.
Courts & Legal
Courts & Legal
SENIOR SERVICES
Sheridan Senior Center
211 Smith Street, Sheridan, WY 82801
Phone: (307) 672-2240
Senior transportation, Meals on Wheels, caregiver support, and long-term care counseling for Sheridan County residents.
Senior Services
Sheridan Senior Center
211 Smith Street, Sheridan, WY 82801
Phone: (307) 672-2240
Senior transportation, Meals on Wheels, caregiver support, and long-term care counseling for Sheridan County residents.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK
224 S Main St, Sheridan, WY 82801
(307) 674-2500
CLERK OF DISTRICT COURT
224 S Main St, Sheridan, WY 82801
(307) 674-2500
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Sheridan County Clerk of District Court, Sheridan (probate case files – see Probate section above); Sheridan County Clerk’s Office (separate office) for recorded deeds, small-estate affidavits, and summary distribution decrees.
Local societies
No dedicated Sheridan County genealogical society was confirmed in available directories.
Probate & Estate
Losing someone and having to deal with courts and paperwork at the same time is hard. This section won’t make that easier, but it should tell you what to expect, what it costs, and where to go – so at least you’re not walking in blind.
Where to go
Sheridan County Clerk of District Court (Fourth Judicial District) 224 South Main Street, Room B-11, Sheridan, WY 82801 (307) 674-2960
Sheridan County is in North Central Wyoming along the Montana border, in the foothills of the Bighorn Mountains, county seat Sheridan. Wyoming has NOT adopted the Uniform Probate Code – it runs its own probate framework under Title 2 of the Wyoming Statutes (“the Wyoming Probate Code”). Probate is filed with the DISTRICT COURT for the county where the decedent lived, administered day-to-day by that county’s Clerk of District Court. Note that Wyoming counties have TWO separate elected clerk offices relevant here: the Clerk of District Court (handles probate case filings) and the County Clerk (a separate office that records deeds, small-estate affidavits, and summary distribution decrees).
Step 1: figure out which path applies
Wyoming Statutes Title 2 governs probate.
Small Estate Affidavit (Wyo. Stat. §2-1-201) – available when the decedent’s entire estate, including personal property (and, per a 2025 update, mineral interests), does not exceed $400,000 (increased from $200,000 effective July 1, 2025, via 2025 Enrolled Act 85/SF0104), less liens and encumbrances. This estate must consist ONLY of personal property (no real estate) for the pure affidavit-to-County-Clerk route. Available 30 days after death; skips court entirely – filed with the County Clerk, who issues a certified copy the claimant presents to banks or other asset holders.
Summary Distribution (Wyo. Stat. §2-1-205) – for small estates up to $400,000 that DO include real property. Requires filing an Application for Decree of Summary Distribution with the District Court (not just the County Clerk); requires 2 consecutive weeks of published notice; the court issues a decree that gets recorded with the County Clerk to clear title.
Full Probate Administration – required for estates exceeding $400,000 or otherwise not eligible for the small-estate or summary paths. File a Petition for Probate with the Sheridan County District Court.
Step 2: filing for administration
File a Petition for Probate with the Sheridan County District Court.
Notice must be published for 3 consecutive weeks (Wyo. Stat. §2-7-201).
Once a personal representative is appointed, creditors have 3 months from the date of first publication to file claims (Wyo. Stat. §2-7-703).
The personal representative pays valid debts and expenses, then distributes remaining assets to heirs/beneficiaries.
Close the estate with a final accounting to the District Court.
Wyoming courts are increasingly moving toward e-filing; check with the Clerk of District Court for current e-filing requirements for pro se (self-represented) filers.
Wyoming does NOT have a statutory percentage fee schedule for personal representatives or attorneys – unlike many states. Fees must be “reasonable” and are subject to court approval (Wyo. Stat. §§2-7-803, 2-7-804).
A bond may be required (Wyo. Stat. §§2-3-102, 2-3-111) unless waived by the will or all beneficiaries.
Wyoming does NOT impose a state estate tax, inheritance tax, or state income tax – one of the most tax-friendly states in the country for estate administration. Only the federal estate tax may apply, with a $15,000,000 per-person exemption for 2026.
Probate filings, estate administration, and guardianship matters are handled by the following office(s):
Public Safety & Arrests
Arrest records, inmate search, and law enforcement services are handled by the following office(s):
SHERIFF
224 S Main St, Sheridan, WY 82801
(307) 672-3455
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTIONS
(307) 674-2500
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Public Health
Sheridan County Public Health, 1930 Sugarland Dr, Sheridan, WY 82801
(307) 672-5119
DFS Office
Sheridan County DFS Office, 1930 Sugarland Dr, Sheridan, WY 82801
(307) 672-2732
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Sheridan County Public Health – Sheridan, WY
Services: Immunizations, WIC, environmental health, vital records
Editorial independence: CountyOffices maintains strict editorial independence from our affiliate partners. Our content is researched from official government sources. Affiliate relationships do not influence our recommendations or the information we publish.
Editorial Trust
5 official sources cited
Reviewed by CountyOffices Editorial Team
Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Sheridan
Population: 30,500
Tier: 4
Inmate Services
Care Packages
Send care packages to inmates in Sheridan County facilities via Amazon.
