The Alliance for Historic Wyoming Watch List brings statewide attention to historic properties in
Wyoming that are currently threatened with demolition or neglect. Properties listed on the
Watch List are significant to Wyoming at the local or state level and have local support for their preservation.
Significance and Threat
The 1960s Cheyenne Airport Terminal suffers from general disuse and vacancy, as well as a desire to replace the structure with hangars or other revenue-generating structures for the Cheyenne Regional Airport.
History
In 1956, Cheyenne city leaders realized that there was a need for a new airport terminal to
replace the original structure that had served since 1929. On January 4, 1959, the Civil
Aeronautics Administration approved plans for a $450,000 structure and local Cheyenne
businessmen pledged $225,000 for its construction. Architect Robert William Postin was hired
to design the one-story portion of the building while a hyperbolic paraboloid center portion was
designed by Volk and Harrison of Casper with the assistance of Ketchum and Conklin of Denver.
The contract to construct the building was fulfilled by Strahan Construction Company of
Riverdale Michigan. A new private corporation, the Cheyenne Terminal Airport Authority,
leased the structure, and the City of Cheyenne took ownership by the time the building opened
for business on September 9, 1960. Title to the terminal was transferred to the Cheyenne
Airport Board in 1980.
The terminal quickly became an important point of contact between the people of Wyoming
and the outside world. Within days of its official opening, Senator John F. Kennedy arrived by
air to speak to the people of Wyoming about his upcoming presidential bid. Two years later,
former President Dwight D. Eisenhower spoke to a crowd of 2000 there to rally support for the
local Republican party. From that time, the terminal was regularly the site where Presidents,
Vice Presidents, presidential hopefuls and even the King and Queen of Afghanistan arrived to
visit Wyoming. Locally, the airport terminal reflected the convenience of air travel served by
several major carriers such as American, Western, United, Frontier and Great Lakes Airlines.
The terminal was also an important meeting place for politicians and citizens of all
backgrounds, including Governor Ed Herschler, who frequented the Cloud 9 Lounge and
Restaurant. The terminal remained a popular local destination up until its replacement by the
current Cheyenne Terminal in 2018.
Possible Solutions:
- Re-invigorate the structure to be a multi-use facility similar to the Cheyenne
Depot - Reopening of the restaurant and lounge
- A portion of the building will be dedicated to charter flights
- Arts Cheyenne will relocate its main galleries and offices to the location
- An aviation heritage museum will be opened to explore the deep aviation
heritage of the Cheyenne community and Wyoming.
Contact Information and Call to Action
- Donate to Cheyenne Arts
- Support Wyoming Aviation Heritage
- Watch for advocacy alerts about this site from the Alliance for Historic Wyoming.
Support the Watchlist
You can help the Alliance for Historic Wyoming in our efforts to preserve historic places and spaces across the state of Wyoming through advocacy, awareness, and action. The Watch List is meant to bring attention to historic locations in danger, and the work necessary to attempt to save them. We have established a Watchlist Fund to ensure we are able to stand up and advocate for our most vulnerable historic places and spaces.
Subscribe to our Newsletter to keep track of advocacy alerts and other ways you can help in our mission, and please consider donating to our Watchlist Fund so we can continue this work. You can also become a member or volunteer to get involved in the historic preservation of Wyoming’s buildings and sites that connect us to the past.
