Cheyenne’s Most ‘Romantic’ Place: The History of Peacock Alley

Since its opening in 1911, the Historic Plains Hotel in Cheyenne has hosted tourists from all over the world. Among its many quirky features is "Peacock Alley", which gained fame as a popular hangout for single men and women.

The legend of Peacock Alley dates back to 1936, when the indoor walkway connecting the hotel lobby to Capitol Avenue was renovated. A coffee shop by day, at night, the nearby Wigwam Lounge was one of the trendiest hot spots in town.

Historians aren't exactly sure how Peacock Alley got its name, but it quickly became a fitting moniker.

In the 1940s, United Airlines established a training school for stewardesses at the Cheyenne Airport. Each night, scores of attractive single women would unwind in the lounge, while single men paraded down the alley in an effort to attract their attention.

Sadly, the United stewardess school relocated to Chicago in 1961 and Peacock Alley was never the same. Although it's no longer a prominent gathering place, the old alley is still beloved by local history buffs. If only those walls could talk.

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