A Sense of Place: The Hidden Beauty of Laramie Alleyways
Hidden from the public view, there is raw beauty behind the upscale facade of Laramie's historic downtown
An iconic Laramie landmark, the Pedestrian Bridge near the Laramie Rail Yard provides aerial
views of the city. The bridge also provides beautiful sunrise views, as seen in this photo with the
Laramie’s Historic Downtown silhouetted.
In the unnamed alleys and side streets, a grimier, more authentic side of Laramie can be found.
Heading north away from the tourism areas and UW’s campus, this alley between first and
second street is used for deliveries to local restaurants and businesses.
Continuing along this alley towards Grand Avenue, water pools in potholes along the poorly
maintained road. There’s a sense of isolation to this area, despite the presence of people
indicated by cars in the distance.
Despite the lack of public usage, murals abound in the alleys, hidden from the main streets.
Often decorating the backs of buildings, these murals bring their own kind of tourism to these
back streets through tourism initiatives such as The Laramie Mural Project (the mural in this
photo was privately commissioned and isn’t officially part of the project).
Like the ancient pictographs, there are still signs of human presence in the alleys. Many of the
buildings have graffiti and other informal forms of art in the alleys, often put up without
permission of the building owners.
Heading south past E. Custer St., the streets become even more deserted, despite the heavy
presence of graffiti. There’s a juxtaposition of intentionality and creativity as gas meters, other
utilities, and graffiti exist side-by-side.
The alleyways show a more authentic view of Laramie life. A dusty, red truck parked next to a
patched wall: These are the details that make a place feel real, like Wyoming. Unlike the main streets with their brightly painted storefronts and sparkling glass windows, the alleys have
imperfections.
A sense of unease is felt in the alleys as night draws near. Water pools in cracked pavement,
reflecting the last rays of sunlight over the city.