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Photo by Rob Yingling, Bighorn Web Design

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Wyoming:

• Fort Laramie National Monument

• Pioneer Museum at Douglas

• Fort Fetterman State Park near Douglas

• Fort Caspar near Casper

• Hoofprints of the Past Museum at Kaycee

• Dull Knife Fight Site, near Kaycee (on private property)

• Fort Reno (not developed) near Kaycee

• Crazy Woman Fight Site, between Kaycee and Buffalo

• Jim Gatchell Memorial Museum in Buffalo

• Mountain Plains Heritage Park at Buffalo

• Fort Phil Kearny, Fetterman & Wagon Box Fight sites near Story (between Buffalo and Sheridan)

• Bozeman Trail Museum at Big Horn (weekends)

• Bradford Brinton Memorial Museum, Art Gallery and Historic Ranch near Big Horn

• Rock Pile Museum at Gillette

• Kings Western Museum at Sheridan

• Trail End Historic Center at Sheridan

• Connor Battlefield State Park at Ranchester

• Sawyers' Battle near Ranchester

Montana:

• Big Horn Natl. Recreation Area at Yellowtail Dam near Hardin

• Little Bighorn Battlefield near Crow Agency

• Big Horn County Museum at Hardin

• Fort C.F. Smith (on private land, not developed)

• Chief Plenty Coups State Park, Museum & Historic Home, near Pryor

• Western Heritage Center at Billings

• Pictograph Caves State Park near Billings

• Cooney Reservoir State Park near Boyd

• Museum of the Bear Tooths at Columbus

• Clark's Fork Museum at Fromberg

• Crazy Mountains Museum at Big Timber

• Park County Museum at Livingston

• Pioneer Museum at Bozeman

• Museum of the Rockies at Bozeman

• American Computer Museum at Bozeman

• Headwaters Heritage Museum at Three Forks

• Missouri Headwaters State Park near Three Forks

• Madison County, and Thompson Hickman Museums at Virginia City

• Historic Towns of Ennis, Virginia City and Nevada City

• Bannack State Park (historic gold mining ghost town)

A Few of the Many Places to see in Wyoming's Johnson and Sheridan Counties:

Bradford Brinton Memorial Ranch

Bradford Brinton Memorial Ranch and Art Gallery - The Quarter-Circle A Ranch: Bradford Brinton Memorial is an historic ranch and western art gallery a few miles south of Big Horn. It was built as a gentleman's ranch from the turn of the century, and still houses much of the original furnishings and art.

The home and gallery exhibit historic documents and the art of Frederic Remington, Ed Borein and Charlie Russell as well as special exhibits and programs through the summer. The home, gallery and grounds are open from early spring through Labor Day.
The Occidental Hotel and Saloon were founded in 1878 -- even before the famed Johnson County Cattle War broke out in 1892. The original log structure gave way to the 1908 "uptown" style that nearly a century later is no more changed than the overnight crew would have done after its first week of business.  It was founded only two years after the Indian Wars period peaked in the area in 1876 and 1877 -- and even before the founding of Buffalo itself as an official "city."   The Occidental has been visited by Teddy Roosevelt, Buffalo Bill Cody, Gen. Phil Sheridan, Gen. George Crook and Calamity Jane.  Novelist Owen Wister may well have modeled the hero for his "The Virginian" from characters he met at the Occidental.  It's also said Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid made the saloon an unofficial headquarters when they hid out at less comfortable quarters at the Hole in the Wall area near Kaycee.  Next door to the saloon is the restored hotel, grand lobby and museum.

Occidental Hotel
Photo by Rob Yingling, Bighorn Web Design

Sheridan Inn
Photo by Randy Wagner

The Historic Sheridan Inn, dubbed "The House of 69 Gables"  celebrated its 100th birthday in May of 1993.  After the Inn was built, Buffalo Bill Cody leased the building interior and hired his Wild West Show performers from the Inn's front porch. In 1964 it was designated a National Historic Landmark by the National Park Service.

Though presently rooms have not been renovated for rental, the beautifully renovated dining room, lobby, and Buffalo Bill bar deserve a visit and tour. Meals are served most days year-round, and the many activities are scheduled inside and on the lawn.
The Jim Gatchell Museum The Jim Gatchell Museum in Buffalo is one of America's recognized outstanding small professional museums. The collection and interpretive programs combine artifacts and information from the early fur trade era through the Bozeman Trail and Indian Wars period through the Johnson County Cattle War and into the 20th Century.

Founder Jim Gatchell was a popular Buffalo resident, writer and pharmacist through a major part of the 20th century. His interest in history and personal integrity resulted in friends and acquaintances bringing in famous and valuable artifacts.

Jim Gatchell Museum
Photo by Rob Yingling, Bighorn Web Design

Hoofprints of the Past Museum, Kaycee, Wyoming
Photo by Rob Yingling, Bighorn Web Design

Hoofprints of the Past Museum in Kaycee's business district began as a Wyoming Centennial Project and opened in July of 1990. Kaycee is basically the site of the opening shots of the Johnson County Cattle War in 1892 at a ranch cabin. Later the KC Ranch name was appropriated to give the town its name. The exhibits are centered in the oldest standing building in Kaycee. Included are a ranch, country schoolhouse with furnishings and textbooks, a blacksmith shop and forge, country store and post office. The buildings and exhibits give visitors a taste of hoofprints of the past in ranch country at the entrance to the famed "Hole in the Wall" area of Western history where Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid once ducked while lawmen searched for them. The Museum is open Memorial Day to Nov. 1.

Note:  If you want your museum or interpretive center, that has a Bozeman Trail theme, included in this section, please contact the web site coordinator at gingles@bigvalley.net