Take a good look at the Tivoli Building standing proudly in front of you! It’s a real show-off, isn’t it? With its three stories of Victorian flair built in 1892, it’s the kind of place that would make even the stodgiest architect loosen their tie. Imagine arriving in Cheyenne during the bustle of the railroad age, craving a cold drink at the fanciest place in town. The queenly oriel window catches the sunlight, the turret stands watch like a miniature castle, and foliated stonework throws leafy shadows on the sidewalk. Even the roofs once shimmered with pressed metal sheets that caught every ray of Western sun.
Back in its early days, residents called this place “palatial”, which is fancy-speak for so swanky that Chicagoans probably blushed with envy. Downstairs, people grabbed a bite, swapped stories over frosty glasses of Pabst beer-thanks to the building’s own cold storage-and, during Prohibition, you might just find yourself whispering a password at the hidden speakeasy. Upstairs, the air was thick with secrets, as a brothel once operated on the second floor. To add some wholesome counterbalance: one of Wyoming’s greatest traditions, the Cheyenne Frontier Days, was dreamed up right here at a smoky table upstairs.
But like anyone who’s partied too hard, the Tivoli fell into disrepair. By the 1960s, its last bar had closed, and it sat silent for years-no music, no laughter, just the wind howling through boarded-up windows. Thankfully, Cheyenne’s Chamber of Commerce swept in during the 1980s for a makeover. After a few more twists-coffee shops, questionable universities, and campaign headquarters-it’s now home to the Freedom’s Edge Brewing Company, brewing up fresh pints where old mysteries linger.
