The Top 10 Haunted Places in Cheyenne

Cheyenne may be most known for its Western roots and cowboy culture, but beneath its high-plain surface, many peculiar stories skulk in the shadows. For those who dare to look, you will discover the Cheyenne of the past to be a very different beast from the friendly tourist destination you see today.

Like any Wild West town in the 1800s, Cheyenne was once populated by an assortment of characters — miners and cowboys, prostitutes and businessmen, grifters and murderers. Meanwhile, the stage on which they played was home to gambling, guns, and saloons. 

Given this history, the existence of a ghost on almost every street corner in “the Magic City of the Plains” seems no surprise at all. Read on to delve into the Cheyenne of yesteryear and uncover some of the most haunted places in Cheyenne.

Looking to hear more ghostly tales in person? Dust off your boots and join a ghost tour with Cheyenne Ghosts.

What Is the Most Haunted Place in Cheyenne?

Being the most populous city in Wyoming, Cheyenne has no shortage of ghosts to haunt its buildings. Many of its structures house not just one but two or three spirits within their bones. 

Take, for instance, the Atlas Theatre, rumored to harbor two ghosts within its dramatic walls. Simultaneously, the Historic Plains Hotel and Restaurant boasts at least three or four spirits who were victims of murder and suicide. 

Yet the most haunting of all may be the Cheyenne Depot, where countless deaths have occurred in the railyard over the years, spanning from accidents to murder. And yet, there are still a multitude of haunts that bid further exploration.

Wyoming Supreme Court

The Wyoming Supreme Court building may not be as old as other Cheyenne venues, but it’s equally spooky. Many of its current occupants attest that it’s haunted by the former Wyoming Supreme Court Justice, Judge Blume.

Blume held a long and successful career as a justice, holding the position for some 40 years. After he died in 1971, reports of curious happenings around his office began. 

Lights come on in Fred Blume’s former office at night, and books are knocked to the floor. Footsteps have also been heard, along with the smell of cigar smoke filtering out from his office. And if you’re wondering, yes, Judge Blume was indeed a cigar smoker.  

The Tivoli

The Tivoli building has seen many operations during its 130-year history. Constructed in 1892, this remarkable structure sits three stories high, showcasing captivating Victorian design features on its facade. 

Its varied history has included use as a saloon, brothel, clothing store, beer garden, and coffee shop. Yet, it seems, no business appears to have stayed there too long — likely due to the ghosts. 

When the building was in use as a coffee shop, stories spread of coffee cups skating off tables and some glimpsing a woman’s silhouette. Might this have been a former brothel worker or perhaps some other unknown spirit from Cheyenne’s past? 

Atlas Theater

The Atlas Theatre remains one of Cheyenne’s most haunted locations, privy to several spirits. The building dates back to 1887, when it saw use as a confectionery shop and offices. In subsequent years, it acted as a theater and nightclub.

After closing in the 1960s, it reopened in 1966 to see live productions once again. Since then, it has seemed to have made its mark as a spectral hotspot. 

Orbs have been spotted, and strange electrical activity occurs. Two young boys have been spotted in the second-story windows, as well as a sad and quiet woman on the west side stairway. 

The Cheyenne Depot

Immediately recognizable by its signature clock tower, the Cheyenne Depot remains an unmistakable landmark. Once the site of the former Union Pacific Depot, this restored attraction is home to the Cheyenne Depot Museum, a visitor center, and a restaurant. 

Despite this shiny veneer, dozens of people have died in the railyard abutting the depot, both from accidents and other causes. As a result, quite an assorted bunch of spirits are said to loiter at this site, including a shadowy entity known to fling items in the gift shop, a ghostly woman wearing a black dress, and a male spirit who died after falling on the top floor. 

There is also the ghost of a shooting victim, Charles Barnard, gunned down in the lobby by a disgruntled worker who was fired for drinking on duty.

St. Mark’s Episcopal Church

Established in 1868, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church was the first church building constructed in the Wyoming territory. The bell tower, in particular, is known to be quite haunted. 

Many stories stem from its construction, which was completed in 1924. One legend tells of two Swedish masons constructing the tower. According to the tale, one of the men fell from the building, and the other, fearful that he would be blamed for the death, simply kept building the tower over the body. 

Reported ghostly activity within the church has included phantom organ playing, strange whispers, odd lights ascending the stairs, and church bells that ring when unscheduled.

The Historic Plains Hotel & Restaurant

Despite its grandeur and luxury, the Plains Hotel has been a site known for love to go sour. Its most famous ghost is that of the vengeful bride, Rosie. 

This hopeful bride had been married earlier and was spending the evening at the Plains Hotel. After her husband disappeared to the bar below, his new bride went searching for him. Much to her shock, she found him with another woman. 

As the tale is often told, she gathered her husband’s gun and followed the pair to the interloper’s room, where she shot both her husband and his paramour-to-be. After returning to her honeymoon suite, Rosie finished the job by shooting herself. 

The trio is now said to haunt the Plains, with guests hearing the bride’s ghostly crying and occasional laughter. Rosie is said to be seen wandering the second floor, while the deceased groom and his sidepiece have been observed lurking about as well.

Francis E. Warren Air Force Base

The Francis E. Warren Air Force Base may be home to the 90th Space Wing, but that hasn’t stopped ghosts from gaining clearance. Although modernized today, several historic fixtures stand on the base to this day. 

Perhaps this is why so many specters from the past continue to dwell here. On this airforce base, cavalry soldiers from the past seem to remain, roaming the grounds or pacing about the dormitories. 

Countless other spirits have been sighted as well, including the ghost of a nurse spied inside one of the buildings occupied by women. This has likely angered another spirit on the base, known for his aggression towards female security members. 

Lincoln Theatre

Regarded today as a bustling music venue, the Lincoln Theatre originally opened in 1929, showing some of the first movies with sound the residents of Cheyenne ever saw. Yet, as with any historic building, it has seen tragedies along with joys. 

The Lincoln Theatre is believed to be haunted by the ghost of a small boy who snuck into the theatre after closing, only to mysteriously disappear. Over the years, he has been sighted in the ladies and men’s bathrooms. 

Seen smiling, he often rocks back and forth in a childish manner, only to disappear. Even those who haven’t sighted this strange apparition have sensed an unusual presence in the restrooms as if being watched. 

Deming Elementary School

Although not terribly old, Deming Elementary School remains startlingly scary for a school. According to local lore, this 1940s-era building continues to be haunted by a man who died in the furnace room. 

Many claim that anyone who looks too long in the school’s windows at night will see a second figure standing beside them. This shadowy apparition slinks around after dark when the children have left for the day. 

Supposedly, he entertains himself with tricks of the lights and producing loud noises to scare off any intruders who linger too long in the darkness. 

Lakeview Cemetery

Have a dog? Don’t walk it in Lakeview Cemetery. A resident ghost lurking in this graveyard despises canine companions.

Here, a hostile entity terrorizes dogs on the west side of the grounds. One such harrowing account tells of a woman’s dog lunging at an invisible force, biting and growling. After recounting the tale to a neighbor, she learned of similar stories from other residents. 

Still, this isn’t the only unusual occurrence reported by those who walk amongst the centuries-old graves in Lakeview Cemetary. Strange figures, orbs, and wails have all been recorded in this eerie resting place.

Haunted Cheyenne

Cheyenne continues to draw visitors with its cultural attractions and colorful history. Which of its historic buildings remains the most haunted by ghostly gunslingers, vengeful ladies, and clumsy workmen is for you to decide. 

Have you ever visited any of the top ten haunted places in Cheyenne? To continue reading more true haunting tales, head over to our blog. Additionally, be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok to see what other haunts may catch your eye. 

To explore the darker past of this capital city in the flesh, book a ghost tour with Cheyenne Ghosts and journey deeper into this historic area’s sinister stories. 

Sources:

• https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/experiences/wyoming/cheyenne-is-wy-most-haunted-city

• https://www.cheyenne.org/blog/post/haunted-places-in-cheyenne/ 

• https://www.legendsofamerica.com/wy-cheyenneghosts/ 

• https://kingfm.com/cheyennes-most-haunted-buildings/ 

• https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/do-ghosts-haunt-cheyenne/article_e858ea44-069d-5b56-9815-5914882da1f2.html

• https://www.wyomingnews.com/entertainment/the-haunted-history-of-the-depot-and-other-locations-in-cheyenne/article_fc2441b8-bb59-11e7-86a6-4373bcd6f3b8.html

• https://kingfm.com/the-haunted-history-of-the-cheyenne-depot/ 

• https://www.stmarkscheyenne.org/history/

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• https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/stays/wyoming/ghost-named-rosie-plains-hotel-wy

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• https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/experiences/wyoming/historic-lakeview-cemetery-wy