ORLANDO'S FAVORITE WILD WEST SALOON

HAS RETURNED TO THE DOWNTOWN SCENE

The Saloon in the glory days of the Old West was a haven for the worn and thirsty, host to story swapping and celebration … the symbol of shelter amidst the desolate void.

These relic notions of the Wild West have been immortalized in twangy ballads with guitar, harmonica, and fiddle, or colorful canvas by Frederick Remington, and in a magnificent structure called the Cheyenne Saloon & Opera House.

The centerpiece of Church Street Station's glory days, the Cheyenne Saloon & Opera House showcases both local and nationally renowned musicians with an unparalleled country western flair.

Completed in 1982, and made up of over 250,000 board feet of golden oak lumber from a century old Ohio barn, it took more than 50 craftsmen nearly 2 ½ years to construct. The Church Street Station construction crew labored to erect Mortise and Tenon trusses for the ceiling support, built without bolts or plates in the Old World tradition. More than 5,000 spindles grace the tri-level building, as well as carved rails, banisters and balustrades, all handmade at our on-site Great American Restorations Mill shop.

The establishment's logo, an echo of the famous 'Coming Through the Rye' sculpture by Remington, is visible on everything from T-shirts to mirrors to the spectacular third-level stained glass window. In fact, 11 of the Remington's sculptures can be seen in the Cheyenne.

"The grand dome is overwhelming in its beauty,
as are the bevel-cut, jewel-cut and zipper-cut glass entrance doors."

Imported stained glass is found in gracious quantity and that used by the Church Street Station Glass Shop is one-eighth of an inch thick and is the finest hand-blown glass available. The grand dome is overwhelming in its beauty, as are the bevel-cut, jewel-cut and zipper-cut glass entrance doors. Even ordinary back-bar walls are decorated with sparkling stained glass formations.

History is an important aspect of the saloon, for the Cheyenne is nothing short of being a museum, housing such extraordinary artifacts as six chandeliers from the Philadelphia Mint (circa 1895), each bearing the imprints of coins minted during that time. And it comes as no surprise to learn that the upper-tier pool table dates to 1885 San Francisco, California, is made from solid rosewood by the Brunswick Company.

There are wooden Indians, numerous pictures depicting "The Wild West", buffalo and moose heads and other critters gracing the room. A true find are the three chandeliers in the dining room are from beer baron Joseph E. Schlitz' St. Louis home.

Each dated piece was collected in the spirit of preservation and has been adapted for modern function, such as the wooden pews from an old Catholic church, which are now used for dining room seats. Probably the best example of adaptability however, is exhibited on the top floor. Once a memorial to the "Grand Army of the Republic" in the Philadelphia Court House, the stained glass with its GAR insignia is now a focal point window.

But the Cheyenne Saloon & Opera House doesn't stop there … not unless a country jamboree is considered slowing down. Country music, Grand Old Opry-style, centered around The Cheyenne Stampede band, is geared to a heel-kickin' good time. The stampede, composed of eight brilliant performers, were winners of the largest country music talent contest in the world … the True Value Hardware / GMC Truck Country Showdown. This prestigious victory entitled the Stampede to a recording contract with CBS records, cash, and a GMC pickup truck.

Locals who remember the good times at the Cheyenne Saloon anticipate excellent entertainment in a one-of-a-kind venue.

We won't let you down!