Top Western Towns in the U.S.A.

 After a quick and cheap breakfast at City Brew - a coffee chain, founded in Billings/MT in 1998, with retail locations in Montana, Wyoming & North Dakota - we headed out on I-25. Beautiful sunny weather again, and a nice drive. Not much traffic here, and, 80 mph (130 kmh) speed limit. 

 

 

First stop: Kaycee, to honor Chris LeDoux, a famous singer and rodeo bareback rider, who lived in this small town consisting of a main street with a handfull of buildings, among them a post office and a bar, and this park for LeDoux. 

Buffalo is nestled in the foothills of the  Big Horn Mountains and landscape is much more diverse, hilly and green than before. Lots of great murals, public art and the famous Occidental Hotel, where we once stayed and ate steaks long time ago! 

Also, Craig Johnson, the author, is at home in this area and his novels take place in Durant, for which Buffalo was the "model". Merchandise and books are being sold in a store on Main Street (left photo below).

 

 

On to Fort Phil Kearny (right), an outpost of the U.S. Army from the late 1860s. It was the largest of the three stockaded fortifications along the Bozeman trail, a trail used by gold diggers to get to Montana. The fort played an important role in Red Cloud's War, the so-called Fetterman Fight in 1866.  

Before heading into Sheridan, we explored the great new Brinton Museum in Big Horn. At our last visit there was only the ranchhouse with a Western Art collection, now they have a top-notch modern building and have included a phenomenal Indian Collection (Gallatin Collection) as well, in a gallery called "To Honor The Plains Nations". The museum is nestled in a beautiful landscape (left photo) there are trails and a bistro on the upper floor with a terrace. 

 

 

Next "True Western Town": Sheridan. Buffalo Bill hung out in Sheridan, the famous Sheridan Inn was his "retreat" and place to entertain and enjoy life. The old bar is still there, but unfortunately not in operation at the moment.

Sheridan is home to King’s Saddlery - nowadays a complete Western tack store,  founded by the famous saddle maker Don King, who, at the same time, created a wonderful chaotic museum (photo below). We met the owner in 2006 (he passed away in 2007) and had a memorable tour with him. This time we were lucky that the store was open on a Sunday because of an Antique Car Group passing through. Don King began his saddle making career in 1946 and shortly thereafter opened the first store. Many of his famous rodeo saddles are exhibited in the museum! Grandson Bob King is nowadays heading the Rope Shop. With a huge rope inventory and a reputation for quality, King Ropes are shipped worldwide. 

And, last but not least, Sheridan has a unique Main Street, with great public Western Art (bronze sculptures), with the historic Mint Bar, the WYO Theater and lots of great old buildings. 

Stayed in a fancy apartment complex called "The Nelson Inn", including containers and a garage containing guest rooms. Fancy rooms, called "Industrial Wild West", in a bold, creative style: