Buffalo Wyoming

With the weather warming a bit(hah!), we have been on a few trips to see the surrounding area.  On June 3rd, thinking the weather would be decent, we drove over to Buffalo, a 2 hour trip one way.

Buffalo, Wyoming is nestled in the foothills of the beautiful Big Horn Mountains and is conveniently located at the intersections of Interstates 25 and 90. Wyoming State Highway 16, on it’s way from Mount Rushmore to Yellowstone National Park, runs through Buffalo. Buffalo has a population of about 4600. 

As has been the case for most of our outings while here in Wyoming, the weather turned gloomy and it rained a little.  We did stroll down main street and visited the Occidental Hotel with it's 134 years of history.  They say Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid stayed there.  When rooms aren't rented the hotel leaves the doors open so visitors can take a peak and the lobby is quite charming.

Occidental Hotel Lobby

Town Mural

While there I took in the Jim Gatchell Museum.  I was pleasantly surprised.  It is one of the best small town museums I've seen.  So much history and thousands of artifacts with diaramas depicting the trails and battles of the past.  Unfortunately, photography wasn't allowed, so I have no photos, but if you are ever driving by Buffalo on Interstate 90, it is well worth the stop.

Jim Gatchell opened a drug store in Buffalo in the early 1900's.  His customers included cowboys, lawmen, settlers, cattle bronx, and famous army scouts.  he was also a trusted friend of the region's Native Americans, who fought in the last Indian Wars.  They considered the pharmacist a "Great Medicine Man."  For more than fifty years, Gatchell cherished these friendships.  In turn, he was present with priceless artifacts of a vanishing era.