A Place for the Community

Cheyenne's Depot - A Place for Community, in the heart of Cheyenne
 
People are naturally drawn to places where they can relax, renew and participate in community activities. Creating community doesn’t just happen, however; it takes the right location to draw people in, and for those in Cheyenne, Wyoming the Union Pacific Train Depot is one of those places.

Cheyenne’s Depot is a National Historic Landmark located on the south side of 15th Street, at its intersection with Cap­itol Avenue in the heart of downtown Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Cheyenne is the state capital of Wyoming and is a city of about 55,000 people, located 100 miles north of Denver, Colorado. The railroad has long been part of Cheyenne’s rich, western history, serving the area for over 140 years.

The Depot is nestled beside the still-active tracks of the Union Pa­cif­ic, America’s first transcontinental railroad. No longer used as a passenger facility, it still serves an important purpose – a community gathering place – and forms the visual cornerstone for downtown. 

As one approaches the Depot, it’s easy to see why so many people are drawn to it. Spreading out in front of it, is the Depot Plaza, a large, open area with benches, interpretive signage about the history of the area, tables and a large amount of open space for events, festivals and concerts. Once inside the massive structure, visitors are taken back to a time when rail travel was one of the primary means of getting across the United States. It’s easy to imagine the hustle and bustle of travelers disembarking in Cheyenne and boarding trains to points east and west. 

While it no longer welcomes travelers to Cheyenne who have arrived via train, the Depot still serves a critical purpose in providing visitors with information about Cheyenne activities, events, museums, shopping, restaurants and lodging options though its visitor center. In its new role as a community anchor and gathering place, the Depot does an excellent job in providing the residents of Cheyenne with a place to relax and gather as neighbors. 

The Depot is also home to a museum celebrating its construction and history, a pub & grill serving locally brewed beers, and the offices for Cheyenne’s tourism promotion and economic development offices. There’s literally something for everyone to do and see whether it’s grabbing a quick meal, or just people watching from the many benches in the plaza. 

Designed by the Boston-based architectural firm of Van Brunt & Howe the Depot was constructed from 1886-1887. The building features a massive stone exterior bearing walls and foundations. It has a clock tower and two single-story wings on the east and west ends. The overall length of the building is 350 feet, and it was one of the most distinctive depots built by the Union Pacific in the 19th century. 

It sits 9 blocks south of Wyoming’s state capitol building and the two buildings serve as landmarks indicating the north and south boundaries of Cheyenne’s downtown core. The Depot experienced a major restoration costing nearly $10 million during the 1990’s and early 2000’s after the Union Pacific donated the building to the City of Cheyenne. The extensive makeover has been critical in helping to restore Cheyenne’s downtown as an area that people want to experience. While more work certainly remains in attracting businesses and people to the downtown, having the Depot as an attractive hub of activity is vital to the future prosperity of the area. 

Darren Rudloff, Executive Director of Visit Cheyenne, says the importance of the depot to Cheyenne’s historic identity and current economic prosperity cannot be underestimated. 

“The transcontinental railroad is the reason why Cheyenne is here. So the historic Cheyenne Depot is truly a cornerstone of the community since it was completed in 1887. Much of Cheyenne and Wyoming history has come through the Depot doors as railroad passengers disembarked for business or adventure and as Wyoming residents went off to war or other pursuits,” said Rudloff. 

Today, the Depot and the Depot Plaza in front of it host many activities including weekly festivals, concerts and farmers markets during the summer and fall. It also serves thousands of people during Cheyenne Frontier Days, when it hosts a series of pancake breakfasts. In addition, Trolley tours and horse-drawn wagon tours begin and end there.

Once a place where people would start and end journeys, now the Depot serves as a gathering place - an anchor of a community at the crossroads of America's West.