Cheyenne Wyoming

Plains Hotel

In this beautiful hotel, the worst side of human nature
raised its ugly head, causing pain and death.

plains-paranormal

DESCRIPTION/HISTORY

This handsome, yellow brick, 5 story, high end, renovated and restored 1911 hotel takes up almost a block. It’s entrance faces east, sitting on Central. By 1910, Cheyenne, known as “The Magic City of the Plains,” was a thriving town, because of the discovery of oil, and the booming cattle business. The winters were relatively mild and the grass lasted all year, which encouraged cattle ranches to settle here.

A high class hotel was needed for oil barons, rich cattle ranchers, visiting Army Officers and visitors heading to Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons. The Cheyenne Securities Company was formed to oversee the building of this grand hotel, which featured “Nothing but the best!”

Architect William Dubois designed and built this hotel. The total cost which included the decor and furnishings was $250,000. The modern, yet elegantly beautiful Plains Hotel opened on March 9th, 1911, with a grand, formal ball, sponsored by The Cheyenne Securities Company.

All the bells and whistles were available in amenities and in decorum, which inspired rave reviews. One newspaper commented, that The Plains Hotel “Impresses one as a Palace.”

The lobby was simply glorious, located in the center of the ground floor. The area was lighted by daylight through a stained glass sky light. During the evening, shaded electric brass light fixtures provided lighting. The lobby desk was solid marble, guarded by an expensive brass statue.

The tile and mahogany used in the floor of the lobby, and floors of the dining & other public rooms, such as the Wigwam lounge, was beautiful to behold. The furniture was mostly made of mahogany. In the hotel’s Mezzanine area, an orchestra would play music to entertain the hotel’s guests.

While there were three elevators which took people up to the other floors, there was also a grand staircase, made of steel and solid marble.

Each of the hundred guest rooms had thick velvet carpets, high quality colonial furniture or huge brass beds, a private bath and telephone.

Throughout its long history, the owners have done their best to keep this grand old lady looking her best. In the 1930s, the hotel received a new look, using local furniture maker Thomas Molesworth’s finest work, using polished native woods, Indian-inspired themes for bar furniture and iron chandeliers.

In 2002, The Plains Hotel had another upgrade renovation in the proud tradition of this hotel. There are 130 lovely guest rooms and two-room suites. Beautiful western art and photos add class to this high end hotel, which is a gem to be explored in Cheyenne.

HISTORY OF MANIFESTATIONS

Despite being a beautiful hotel whose decor and aura should bring peace and rest to its guests, the ugly behavior of human nature unfortunately raised its head a few times during the hotel’s history, causing pain and death. This has resulted in some restless spirits who haunt The Plains Hotel.

A killer with anger issues pushed his victim out of a fourth floor window, killing him or her.

Three entities were the result of a double murder and suicide, which happened in the hotel’s beginning years, just after it opened. A newly married couple’s honeymoon at The Plains Hotel turned into a disaster when the bride found out what a jerk she had married.

Her beloved had left the couple’s room to go down to the hotel bar and get “a drink,” perhaps because of problems in the bedroom. When he was gone for such a long time, Rosie, the bride, went down to the bar and saw her husband leave with a prostitute, and followed them up the stairs to the woman’s fourth floor room.

After hesitating, this bride entered after them and caught her new husband in bed with this prostitute; an act which spat on his wedding vows, and got back at his bride. Enraged, the now distraught bride shot her newly beloved and his sex partner, and then shot herself.

MANIFESTATIONS

Several ghosts have made The Plains Hotel their home: Three entities from the murder suicide episode, and perhaps one entity from the push-out-the-window murder.

Three entities appear often in front of the living.

A female entity of bride Rosie is seen wandering the second floor, wearing a blue gown, lost in her mourning, regrets and disappointment.

The entity of the unfaithful, perhaps regretful husband – This male apparition is well-dressed, wearing very early 1900s outfits. He is most often seen in formal attire: long tail black dress coat, black boots, and a white shirt with a decorative silver button. He favors the fourth floor and the basement, though he haunts the whole building.

The entity of the prostitute – This female spirit is seen wearing a short red dress with white lace, favoring the second floor and the lobby. She seems to still have issues with brides. One Halloween, the staff dressed two mannequins up as a bride and groom. One staffer saw this woman standing next to the mannequins. The bride mannequin toppled over, and the woman disappeared, right into thin air.

Sensory Experiences:

Witnesses report the feeling that unseen presences are watching them. The hotel’s unseen guests get their chuckles through their people-watching.

Entity of murder victim: In certain areas of the hotel, the living become aware of feelings of dread, probably radiating from this ghostly victim.

The Housekeeping staff have heard disembodied laughter and crying coming from the room that was the newly wed couple’s room.

Visual Occurrences:

Door and window open and close at will.

STILL HAUNTED?

Yes Indeed!

Plenty of eye witnesses have experienced the above paranormal manifestations.

The entity of the murder victim is still terrified of its killer, who probably abused the entity in life. This entity can’t let go of the terror and pain suffered before her/his death, and stays in the place where her/his life was brutally taken.

Rosie can’t let go of her pain, anger and guilt.

Rosie’s unfaithful, guilty husband and his soiled dove were killed so suddenly. They were not ready to be yanked out of life so quickly. The female entity saw herself as someone who provided a service to men, and not a home wrecker. The husband may have turned to this woman to gratify his needs and wanted to get back at his wife for some reason.

Plus, it seems that Rosie and her husband are reliving their last moments together in their room which may have sent the husband downstairs for “a drink.”

LOCATION

1600 Central Avenue
Cheyenne, Wyoming 82001

The Plains Hotel can be found in the historical downtown area, on the corner of Central and W. Lincoln Way, not far from the 180 FWY. (Central Avenue is a one way street heading south. It runs into 180. Warren Avenue which is parallel to Central Avenue is a one way heading North.)