History Stories
This collection of stories recounts the fascinating history behind Cheyenne VA Health Care System.
Cheyenne VA: An Architectural Gem
You may have heard Veterans say, “If you’ve seen one VA, you’ve seen them all.” However, Cheyenne VA Medical Center breaks that mold. Its design is one of a kind in our region and one of the few in the country built in Spanish Colonial Revival and Mission Revival styles.
These revival styles were popular in the early 1900s. You might recognize them for their Spanish-tile gable roofs, exposed wooden beams, covered porches, balconies and bell towers. Adding to Cheyenne VA’s uniqueness is a specialty brick called “tapestry brick,” which plays with light and shadow to create a woven, fabric-like look.
Construction of Cheyenne VAMC began in 1932 and finished in 1934. Although the Great Depression made funding tough, the newly created Veterans Administration had a mission to increase health care access and benefits for the aging Veterans of World War I and earlier conflicts.
To save money, most VA buildings followed standardized plans in the Colonial Revival and Classical Revival styles, especially in the Eastern part of the county. But in Wyoming, VA architects wanted something that felt more “Western”. So, they chose popular styles to blend in with the local look and feel.
Since Cheyenne was a general medicine and surgery hospital, it was smaller than other VA facilities of the time, which were sprawling campuses built for tuberculosis or mental health. This modest footprint meant architects could add creative touches to Cheyenne VAMC that weren’t common in other government buildings.
Over the decades, the campus has grown to meet the needs of its Veterans. Nevertheless, every new addition is built to match the original look, keeping the peaceful, welcoming feeling Veterans experience even today. The intimate setting helps provide more personalized care and a serene space to heal.
When the hospital opened, the local community promised it would serve area Veterans for at least 50 years. Today, nearly 100 years later, Cheyenne VAMC is still going strong. It now serves as the primary VA Health Care hub for Veterans across Wyoming, northern Colorado and western Nebraska.