Wild West Towns
There are many places across the country that can take you back in time to the Wild West. From Arizona and Wyoming to Colorado and Kansas, you can visit a variety of Western places. Check out these different Western towns you can visit to relive the days of outlaws and gunslingers.
Kansas
Cowboys drove longhorn cattle through Abilene, Kansas between 1867 and 1871. Now, tourists gather on Main Street of Old Abilene Town to celebrate and remember the Chisholm Trail and the Wild West. With gunfight re-enactments and sarsaparilla drinks, people can watch Can Can dancers at the Alamo Saloon. Other popular events in this town include The Wild Bill Hickok Rodeo and Chisholm Trail Day Festival.
Dodge City is another great Wild West town to check out. It got started in 1847 when Fort Mann was built to protect those on the Santa Fe Trail. Although Fort Mann only lasted a year, another fort was built, the railroad appeared, and cows were shipped to Dodge City. Now, it is a bit more modernized but it still has that Wild West touch to it.
Colorado
Colorado has many different Wild West towns that are sure to take you back in time, like Trinidad. This town was established along the Santa Fe Trail during the 1860s, with The Baca House being the oldest house in this town. The A.R. Mitchell Museum of Western Art is located on Main Street and it has a large collection of photos and original paintings of the West.
Durango and Silverton are two beautiful towns in Colorado where the spirit of the Wild West runs through the streets. The Narrow Gauge Railroad links these two towns, which gives you the best method of travel and you can see some beautiful views. Traveling on this train will make you feel like you’ve gone back in time.
Wyoming
Cody, Wyoming was inspired by Buffalo Bill Cody, which makes this town as Western as they come. There are many museums throughout this place, filled with historic Wild West information. Cody is also known as the “Rodeo Capital of the World”.
Located in the foothills of the Big Horn Mountains, more than 600,000 visitors a year can agree that Buffalo is another amazing Wild West town. Here you can find the Jim Gatchell Memoral Museum and check out the story of Northeastern Wyoming. Learn about Indian wars at the Fort Phil Kearny State Historic Site and visit the TA Ranch. Check out the charm and historic buildings of downtown also.
Arizona
Oatman isn’t as well-known but, this town has just as much Wild West history as the others. Its named after Olive Oatman, who was a settler’s daughter that got kidnapped for slavery. This revived ghost town has wild burros walking around and buildings that will take you back in time.
Tombstone, Arizona was founded in 1879 and is home to the OK Corral site. There, people do daily re-enactments of the famous shootout between the Earp brothers, Doc Holliday, and others. This town hosts many annual events that feature mock shootouts, such as Helldorado Days that began in 1929. Other Wild West places to visit here are the Tombstone Courthouse State Historic Park, Crystal Palace, and St. Paul’s Episcopal.
Where Will You Go?
There are many other Wild West towns that you can visit throughout the country. It may seem like a lot but, that’s what road trips are for! Map out the various Wild West towns and check them off as you learn more and more about gunslingers, outlaws, and life in the Wild West.
https://truewestmagazine.com/top-10-true-western-towns-2018/