The MISSING DEPOT in Cheyenne, Wyoming

On May 26th I did a post about a post card of the Plains Hotel in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Today I feature what used to be across the street; a lovely old train depot.




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Looking online with Google I find that what's across the street now bears no resemblance to this fine train depot. There is now a large park with a different depot.

I read nothing but rave reviews about this park and depot, but I can't but wish that I'd been able to look out of a room of the Plains Hotel across 16th Street to the old depot on this card with trains pulling in. Better than a freeway onramp.

The post card was published by Harry Heye Tammen. You can read a bit more about him by clicking on his name in the labels below.

And click here to see another post card of the old depot. According to the sign in this shot, this was also a bus depot.

More cowbell please...I MEAN CARS!

The Plains Hotel in Cheyenne, Wyoming has been open for business since March 1911. Many a buckaroo and buckarett have passed through their doors. I figure at one point in the early 1960s I drove by at least twice.




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In the late 1800’s the City of Cheyenne, Wyoming was called "The Magic City of the Plains,” so it was only appropriate when a luxurious hotel opened in 1911, it called itself the "Plains Hotel.” The concept of the elegant hotel was born at the annual $1 dinner of the Industrial Club (now the Chamber of Commerce) in December, 1909.

In the midst of the meeting, Thomas Heaney, club President, interrupted the other discussions to give his opinion that Cheyenne was badly in need of a new and modern hotel. At the time, the main hotel in town was one called the Inter-Ocean which, over time had become outdated and had taken on the more of a role as the city’s principal watering hole.

Though Heaney had said this in a somewhat joking fashion, the other men agreed and by February of the following year, the Cheyenne Securities Company was organized for the purpose of building a new hotel. Moving quickly, the hotel was designed by architect William Duboise and in March, a contract was awarded to build it. Construction started in June, 1910 and in March, 1911 it was completed at a costs of about $250,000, including furnishings.

On March 9, 1911, the hotel hosted an elaborate grand opening that was attended by men in full evening dress, gallant Army Officers and a host of elegantly gowned ladies. As a band played until the wee hours of the morning, the guests danced and admired the magnificent appointments and furnishings of the new hotel, modern to the smallest detail.

The five story hotel featured three elevators, 100 guest rooms, lush velvet carpets, fine furnishings, private baths, and telephones in the guest rooms, luxuries not seen in most hotels of the time. (SOURCE: Legends of America)

My only question pertains to the card shown above and the abundance of cars parked along the streets. I wonder if all of these cars were in the original photo or did the boss at the Sanborn Souvenir Company in Denver say to his staff artist, "More cars!"

You can never have too many cars on a post card or cowbells in a song.

UPDATE: Interestingly enough, more cars do indeed make a difference. Here's a similar card by the same company. Bustling! Not bustling.