JC Penney: Bidding Farewell to a Fixture of Local History

Considering the tidal wave of shifting consumer trends, it is a testament to the Sheridan community’s small(ish) town grit that our JCPenney store resisted closure as long as it did. When this once enduring fixture of Sheridan’s downtown folds, it will take almost a century of history with it—and a chunk of local culture.

Once the Golden Rule Mercantile, the store we know and love did not officially become J.C. Penney until January 1928, when James Cash Penney bought the Golden Rule chain. For the past 89 years, Sheridan’s JCPenney store has remained in the same location, even keeping its original store number, 954.

During the store’s time in Sheridan, it provided a staple for local shoppers, surviving the stock market crash of 1929 and a 50% annual sales drop in the ensuing two years. Pushing full steam ahead, our store rebounded, later piggybacking local benchmarks on corporation anniversaries. JCPenney’s 75^th year anniversary was marked locally with an April ceremony in 1977, marking the Sheridan store’s 49th year. Cake was served.

Upon marking its 100^th anniversary at the location** in 2008, the Sheridan store looked back on recent accolades. In 2005 and 2006, the JCPenney Company named ours store of the year and awarded it with the Chairman’s Award for managerial excellence (having previously won two Chairman Awards in the 90s). Our store recently continued its tradition of giving back to the community, such as its donations to the YMCA amd Tongue River High School.

In just under two weeks, we will be walking, riding, and driving by an empty husk where this once robust retail giant housed Sheridan shoppers’ treasures.  Maybe we can fill that empty husk with our fondest memories. What are yours?

Images: A scan of a 1946 store receipt; a picture of the original Golden Rule storefront; and a clipping from the January 4, 1928 issue of the Sheridan Press announcing Penney’s grand opening.

**City directories in the Wyoming Room show that the Golden Rule store moved three times between 1907 and 1928 before taking the name J.C. Penney.

Click here to go to the library's Facebook post.

Historical Sheridan Rodeo Parade Photos

Every summer for decades, Sheridan sported--and continues to do so-- a major rodeo and rodeo parade. Here are some photos of rodeos and parades past (they appear at various times on different library Facebook posts).

September 6, 1915. From the Peggy Cooksley collection.

1936 parade. From our collection.

Johnson Calf Operating Table float. 

From the Peggy Cooksley collection.

A driver identified as Chas Kane urges his 

horses on in a horse team pulling contest. 

From the Peggy Cooksley collection.

Main Street parade, no year. 

From the Peggy Cooksley collection.

Animal diversity in parades. 

Also from the Peggy Cooksley collection.

1925 Photo of the Indian Warbonnet Race

From our photo collection, the Indian Warbonnet Race of 1925. Click on the image to enlarge.

Click here to go to the library's Facebook post.