Sidney’s rural community has a history rooted in the Old West
About 14 miles north of the Colorado state line, Sidney is a rural city surrounded by farmland. “Sidney’s small-town vibe is quieter and has a slower pace compared to living in a bigger city,” says Derede Darden, a real estate agent with eXp Realty who started selling homes in 2021. “There are a lot of people moving from northern Colorado to western Nebraska to have that simpler life.” The city’s history is rooted in the Old West, having started as a military outpost for the railroad and turned into a frontier town with stakes in the cattle industry. Today, agriculture and cattle ranches remain a large component of the area’s economy, with a niche in small-business start-ups, which can be seen throughout Sidney’s downtown area.
Locally owned stores and restaurants Downtown and off I-80
Downtown Sidney has dozens of small businesses and restaurants lined along Hickory Street Square. There are nail salons, auto parts stores and eclectic shops like Moose & the Goose Gallery, which sells antiques. Grandma Jo’s is a classic American diner serving breakfast dishes, and Savor and Grace is an upscale lunch bistro down the road. “Most of the businesses are locally owned, even the corporate chains. A lot of the restaurants have been here for many years,” says Taylor Wills, a real estate agent with Nebraska Realty who lives in Cheyenne County. “There’s a ton of support for small business owners in the community.” Farther west on Lincoln Highway, along 21st Avenue, is a Safeway.
For more options, there’s a commercial corridor along Old Post Road, right by the Interstate 80 exit. The Cabela’s is the retail brand’s flagship location and former headquarters. A Walmart Supercenter sits across the street. Fast-food eateries in the area include Pizza Hut, McDonald’s and Dairy Queen. Aster Foods & Smokehouse is a local restaurant serving barbeque platters.
Recreation within city parks and other facilities
Sidney has a handful of parks and green spaces. Legion Park is the largest in the city and has a playground, fishing pond, baseball diamond, tennis courts and a softball complex. According to Wills, the playground has recently become ADA-accessible, due to community volunteers who raised money to support the infrastructure. The park’s Living Memorial Gardens has multiple flower pathways, a large gazebo and the “Angel of Hope” statue sitting as its centerpiece. From Legion Park, hikers and bikers can access the Deadwood Trail, which extends over 4 miles through the city. Nearby, the Sidney Aquatic Center has two outdoor pools for cooling off in the summer – the leisure pool is outfitted with a splash pad, lazy river and water slide. Another recreation facility is the Cheyenne County Community Center, with its indoor walking track, gymnasium and fitness classes.
Hillside Golf Course is a public, 18-hole golf course sprawled along the rolling hills of the city’s western edge. To the north, Sidney Shooting Park has trap shooting, skeet shooting and ranges for archery and various gun types.
Celebrating the community through annual events
The Cheyenne County Fairgrounds hosts the annual Cheyenne County Fair & Rodeo every July. Spectators can enjoy tractor pulls, horse shows and demolition derbies or ride the carnival rides. Another big event is Sidney Gold Rush Days, which celebrates the city’s “old west” heritage. Oktoberfest is held at Legion Park – the Running of the Wieners dog race is one of its more popular events. “There are usually a couple of good holiday events on Hickory Square for Christmas,” Wills says. “A local company will bring in reindeer, and there’s live music, a Santa for the kids and a parade of lights.”
A selection of single-family homes spanning decades
Most homes in Sidney are lined along gridded residential streets and come with driveways and small, grassy front lawns. Single-story bungalows from the 1910s to the 1950s are common, alongside midcentury ranch-style homes. “You can find older homes that have a lot of character here, though there are some newer homes on the market, too” Darden says. Traditional two-story homes are found throughout the city, and there are a handful of mobile home parks.
The median sales price for a single-family home in Sydney is roughly $126,500, which is much lower than the national median price of about $423,000, as reported by the National Association of REALTORS®.
Getting educated in Sidney public schools
The Sidney Public School District earns a B grade from Niche and serves over 1,250 students across five schools. Before- and after-school enrichment programs are offered for kindergarten through eighth grade across the district. The B-rated Sidney High School is the area’s designated high school and has career-centered clubs through Skills USA and Future Farmers of America.
Western Nebraska Community College has a Sidney Campus, which is home to the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center and an FFA-approved Aviation Maintenance Program.
Navigating Sidney by bus, car or plane
Multiple modes of transportation exist in Sidney. The city’s Public Transportation Department operates five city buses with fixed routes. There’s also Kimball Transit, which has a bus line traveling to and from Kimball. U.S. Highway 30, known as Lincoln Highway, travels east and west through the area, acting as a main commuter route. Drivers can also hop on Interstate 80 just south of the city. U.S. Highway 385, or Gold Rush Byway, travels north and south.
Sidney Regional Medical Center is the area’s general hospital, located off of Pole Creek Crossing. Sidney Municipal Airport is around 4 miles south of downtown and offers general aviation services. Travelers looking for commercial flights will have to use Cheyenne Regional Airport, roughly 101 miles away.
Exploring Sidney’s history and heritage
Sidney has deep roots, which can be explored at various historic landmarks and attractions scattered throughout town. Fort Sidney Museum has 16 themed rooms covering everything from the city’s time as a military outpost to pioneer life and the railroad industry. Associated with the museum is The Post Commander’s Home, a preserved 19th-century structure from Fort Sidney. Another unique site is the Sidney Boot Hill Cemetery, where visitors can find infamous robbers and gunslingers buried from the city’s wild west days.
