Cody in Park County, Wyoming — The American West (Mountains)

Old Trail Town

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, September 13, 2015

1. Old Trail Town Marker

Inscription. On this site in 1895, Western scout and showman William F. ("Buffalo Bill") Cody laid out the original townsite of Cody, Wyoming, which he named in his honor. Today Old Trail Town preserves the lifestyle and history of the Frontier West through a rare collection of authentic structures and furnishings. From remote locations in Wyoming and Montana there historic buildings were carefully disassembled, moved and reassembled here at Old Trail Town by Western historian Bob Edgar and friends.
Located here also are thousands of historic artifacts from the Old West and gravesitse of several notable Western figures. Among them is the grave of mountain man John Johnson, who was portrayed by the actor Robert Redford in the 1972 motion picture "Jeremiah Johnson."
Here too are the original cabins used by Old Western outlaws Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and a Wyoming saloon frequented by Cassidy's "Hole-in-the-Wall Gang." Also on this site is the log cabin of "Curley" - a Crow Indian army scout who helped guide Lt. Col. George A. Custer and the U.S. 7th Cavalry to the battle of the Little Big Horn in 1876. Old Trail Town exists today as a memorial to the unique American experience known throughout the world as the "Old West."

Erected by Old Trail Town.

Topics. This historical marker is

Paid Advertisement

Click on the ad for more information.
Please report objectionable advertising to the Editor.

Click or scan to see
this page online

listed in this topic list: Notable Buildings.

Location. 44° 30.925′ N, 109° 6.21′ W. Marker is in Cody, Wyoming, in Park County. Marker is on Demaris Drive near West Yellowstone Avenue (U.S. 14). Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1831 Demaris Drive, Cody WY 82414, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. John Jeremiah "Liver Eating" Johnston (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Jim White (about 400 feet away); Phillip H. Vetter (about 500 feet away); Trail to Old Cody City (about 500 feet away); Sampson E. Stilwell (about 500 feet away); W.A. Gallagher and Blind Bill (about 500 feet away); Belle Drewry (about 500 feet away); The American Mountain Man (about 500 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Cody.

More about this marker. This marker is located at the end of Demaris Street and at the entrance to Old Trail Town.

Regarding Old Trail Town. Captions and sub-captions for the buildings in Old Trail Town have been taken from "A Guide To Old Trail Town and Museum of the Old West."

Also see . . . Old Trail Town - Wikipedia. Trail Town began in 1967
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, September 13, 2015

2. Old Trail Town Marker
through the efforts of Bob W. Edgar, (born January 1, 1939), an archeologist and a native of the Big Horn Basin region of Wyoming. Edgar explored the area and worked for seven years for the large Buffalo Bill Historical Center in Cody. He realized the need to gather the historic buildings and relics and display them at a common site, the actual location where Buffalo Bill Cody and his associates had surveyed the first town site, "Cody City". (Submitted on November 27, 2015, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.)

Old Trail Town image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, September 13, 2015

3. Old Trail Town

Taggart Carpenter Shop -- 1901 image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, September 13, 2015

4. Taggart Carpenter Shop -- 1901

One of the first buildings built in Cowley, Wyoming. It was used by George Taggart, a Mormon pioneer who came to the Big Horn Basin by wagon train in 1900.

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, September 13, 2015

5. Taggart Carpenter Shop -- 1901

Morrison Cabin -- 1884 image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, September 13, 2015

6. Morrison Cabin -- 1884

Built at the foot of Copper Mountain east of Shoshoni, Wyoming, by Luther Morrison about 1884. Morrison brought some of the first sheep into central Wyoming in 1882.

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, September 13, 2015

7. Morrison Cabin -- 1884

Coffin School -- 1884 image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, September 13, 2015

8. Coffin School -- 1884

Built in 1884 at the W Bar Ranch on the Wood River. Named from the tragic death of Alfred Nower who died of gangrene in this cabin after he cut himself in the leg while hewing logs.

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, September 13, 2015

9. Coffin School -- 1884

The Shell Store -- 1892 image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, September 13, 2015

10. The Shell Store -- 1892

Built in 1892, this was the first store in Shell, Wyoming.

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, September 13, 2015

11. The Shell Store -- 1892

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, September 13, 2015

12. The Shell Store -- 1892

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, September 14, 2015

13. Old Trail Town

Hole in the Wall Cabin -- 1883 image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, September 13, 2015

14. Hole in the Wall Cabin -- 1883

This two room log cabin was built on Buffalo Creek in the "Hole-in-the-Wall" country in 1883 by Alexander Ghent. It was a rendezvous for Butch Cassidy, the Sundance Kid and other outlaws of the region.

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, September 13, 2015

15. Hole in the Wall Cabin -- 1883

Mud Springs Cabin -- 1897 image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, September 13, 2015

16. Mud Springs Cabin -- 1897

Used by Kid Curry and the Sundance Kid as a hideout before they attempted to hold up the Red Lodge Bank, Red Lodge, Wyoming.

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, September 13, 2015

17. Old Trail Town

Livery Barn -- 1890 image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, September 13, 2015

18. Livery Barn -- 1890

Built on Clarks Fork Canyon about 1890

The Rivers Saloon -- 1888 image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, September 14, 2015

19. The Rivers Saloon -- 1888

The Rivers Saloon was built at the mouth of Wood River, west of present Meeteese, Wyoming. It was frequented by cowboys, gold miners, outlaws, and other colorful characters of the Old West. Bullet holes can still be seen in the door. It is the oldest remaining saloon in northwest Wyoming.

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, September 14, 2015

20. The Rivers Saloon -- 1888

Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on November 27, 2015, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 536 times since then and 20 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20. submitted on November 27, 2015, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.