A Twist of the West - new and old in Cody

Jul. 20, 2010 - Mindi C. wrote:

Warning – one night in Cody is not enough! We knew better, but a really tight schedule made us do it. So, after a classic prime rib dinner at the historic Irma Hotel, we had to choose between the Cody Night Rodeo and the Dan Miller Cowboy Review – Dan and his amazingly talented team won out this time, and they rewarded us well. Along with other visitors from all over the world (Dan talks to everyone before the show), we were treated to several hours of great music and humor. We especially enjoyed Dan’s talented daughter and her fiddle playing.

A good night sleep at the Best Western Sunset Motor Inn had us ready for a far too quick tour of the town’s highlights. We started at Cody’s best kept secret – Old Trail Town. Located at the original town site surveyed by Buffalo Bill Cody, this collection of over 25 historic buildings offers a chance to see how the region’s early miners, trappers, outlaws and even respectable types lived. The grave of mountain man “Jeremiah” Liver Eating Johnson drew us to spend some time studying the lives of all the inhabitants of Trail Town’s cemetery – another grave marker offered an uncommon last name shared by my traveling partner – sending her on a new quest into her family history.

We reluctantly left Old Trail Town as we had just a few hours to spend at Cody’s most famous attraction; the Buffalo Bill Historical Center. This incredible facility actually houses five unique museums and deserves two days of your attention. Having visited the Center before, I was struck by the work that had been done recently to update and make the Whitney Gallery of Western Art more interactive and kid friendly. The relatively new Draper Museum of Natural History is a model of how to engage visitors of all ages and encourage a deeper understanding of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. The Plains Indian Museum displays an astounding array of items and helps to understand the context in which they were used. The Cody Firearms Museum houses the most comprehensive collection of American made firearms in the world. And then there is the Buffalo Bill Museum, filled with memorabilia from the entertainer’s life and legend.

Good thing there is a nice little restaurant right in the Center; you’ll need to “come up for air” every once in a while. I’d suggest taking advantage of the fact that your admission is good for two days; take a break and do some “retail therapy” – check out the great art galleries and shops downtown!