Last updated on .
Small historic downtown Cheyenne, Wyoming, is just a few blocks long but still very well-kept and charming.
Cheyenne Depot Plaza
A good place to start is Cheyenne Depot Plaza at the heart of the city. This area hosts public events throughout the year and, as the name suggests, where you can find the Cheyenne Depot.
When I visited, there were a few huge decorated cowboy boots scattered around the plaza. It was a nice western touch of public art.
On the northern side of the plaza is the historic Plains Hotel, which has an Old West flair to it. It was built in 1911 and was the premier hotel in Cheyenne during its heyday. The hotel had many luxurious amenities that other hotels in the city did not provide. It’s also said to be haunted.
If you’re looking for a pair of cowboy boots or a Stetson hat you’ll find it at Boot Barn. This store is located on the western side of the plaza in The Wrangler building.
Lincolnway
The block west of Cheyenne Depot Plaza along Lincolnway is probably the nicest in town. There are several historic brick buildings. Among them is the Atlas Theatre, built in 1887. It was used as an office building and confectionary shop until it was converted to a theatre in 1908.
Continuing west, there are a couple more historic buildings, including the Tivoli Building (1892) at Carey Avenue and the Dinneen Motor Company Building (1928) at Pioneer Avenue.
At the corner of Lincolnway and Carey, there’s an original Lincoln Highway marker. A few steps away in front of the parking garage are a series of interpretive panels about the history of Cheyenne.
Museums
Not too far from the plaza, you can find the Nelson Museum of the West on Carey Avenue and the Cowgirls of the West Museum on 17th Street.
Lincoln Theater
A block north of Cheyenne Depot Plaza on Central Avenue is the Lincoln Theater, which opened in 1927. After closing for several years in the 1980s, it reopened as a classic cinema that shows movies at discounted prices.
Wyoming State Museum
Six blocks north of there is the Wyoming State Museum, which is open daily except Sundays. Admission to this great museum is free. It does a nice job of telling the entire history of Wyoming, from Native Americans to pioneers to modern times. There are several interesting artifacts on display, such as items from the mining industry, uniforms of Wyoming veterans, sports memorabilia, and saddles. The museum is located near the Wyoming State Capitol building and Governor’s Mansion.
Big Boy Steam Engine
For train lovers, Cheyenne has an original Big Boy steam engine on display in Holliday Park, a few minutes drive east of Cheyenne Depot Plaza. 25 Big Boys were built specifically for Union Pacific between 1941 and 1944. They were 132 feet long and weighed 1.2 million pounds. They usually ran the very tough route between Cheyenne and Ogden, Utah.
Engine No. 4004 made its last run from Cheyenne to Laramie on October 31, 1958. It was stored in Laramie and later donated to the city of Cheyenne in 1963. It’s one of only eight remaining Big Boys on display in the entire country.
