A Cheyenne Getaway Make a Weekend of It: Wyoming’s gateway city offers history and more By Julie Fanselow
Depot Square
With its very name evoking the Old West, Cheyenne sits at the crossroads of I-25 and I-80, less than two hours north of Denver. Its historic riches are well worth a weekend getaway or an overnight stop on your way to other Wyoming destinations.
Day One
Get here by Friday afternoon to see the Wyoming State Capitol, open for self-guided tours on weekdays. The capitol, begun in 1886 and completed in 1917, boasts a handsome gold-leaf dome. Highlights inside the renaissance revival-style building include murals, a mounted bison and a statue of Shoshone tribal leader Chief Washakie.
Check into the recently renovated Plains Hotel or one of several historic bed-and-breakfast inns, and then head to Cheyenne’s Depot Square in the heart of downtown. The Cheyenne Depot Museum explores local railroad lore, while live bands play on the square Friday afternoons in summer. You’ll find indoor and outdoor dining options nearby, and trolley and horse-drawn carriage tours depart from here, too.
Day Two
Capitol Building
Saturday is a good day to visit the Historic Governors’ Mansion and Wyoming State Museum, as well as the unusual private Nelson Museum of the West, since all three are closed Sundays.
The Historic Governors’ Mansion at 300 E. 21st St. is reopening in June 2005 after being closed in 2004 for renovations. Now marking its centennial, the home served Wyoming’s first families from 1905 to 1976, including the nation’s first woman governor, Nellie Tayloe Ross. The historic mansion, notable for its Corinthian columns, was built for about $33,000, which included the land and furnishings. Such a deal!
Dinosaur bones, wildlife dioramas, and a kids’ hand-on history room are among the permanent exhibits at the Wyoming State Museum, located in the Barrett Building near the State Capitol. Old West artifacts and big-game hunting trophies are the focus at the privately run Nelson Museum of the West, 1714 Carey Ave.
Some of Cheyenne’s grandest homes can be seen along 17th Street, known locally as Cattle
Terry Bison Ranch Ryan Conway
Baron’s Row. The 1888 Nagle Warren Mansion B&B serves high tea on Friday and Saturday afternoons by reservation. Later in the evening, enjoy a current feature film at the 1920s-era Lincoln Movie Palace at 1615 Central St., or old-fashioned melodrama at the Atlas Theatre, 211 W. Lincolnway.
Day Three
On Sunday morning, if you’re so inclined, you can attend “Cowboy Church” services at Terry Bison Ranch 7 miles south of town. The ranch also offers lots of other Western-themed activities including cookouts, horseback rides, and motorized tours through the resident herd of about 2,500 bison.
Cheyenne may be best known for its midsummer Frontier Days Rodeo (10 days starting the last full week of July), but you can relive rodeo history and excitement all year long with a stop at the Frontier Days Old West Museum in Frontier Park. The museum also has an outstanding collection of horse-drawn carriages. Nearby, the Cheyenne Botanic Gardens feature High Plains landscapes.
Julie Fanselow is a frequent visitor to Wyoming and has written about the state for magazines including American Heritage and Westways.
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