Located near the east gate of Yellowstone National Park and situated on the spot where Western scout and showman William “Buffalo Bill” Cody laid out the town that would be named in his honor, Old Trail Town in Cody, Wyo., is an authentic adventure into America’s storied past. Featuring original buildings from the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries as well as thousands of artifacts, Old Trail Town preserves the Wild West lifestyle in a carefully curated ghost town.

Protecting the past

          Old Trail Town was the brainchild of Bob Edgar, a local archeology and history buff who was dismayed by the disappearance, due to decline and decay, of vintage structures that used to dot the Western landscape. In 1967, he began scouring rural Montana and Wyoming in search of period edifices, which he carefully dismantled and transported to Cody. They were reassembled, restored and staged with period furnishings, when available, and other accoutrements.

          Edgar died in 2012, but the 6-acre complex he began now holds 26 buildings including a general store; a 1901 carpentry shop once operated by George Taggart; the 1884 “Coffin” School, named in honor of Alfred Nower who died of gangrene in the cabin after accidentally cutting his leg while hewing logs; an 1885 Bonanza Post Office; and an 1898 blacksmith shop, as well as the 1883 “Hole in the Wall” cabin, which served as a rendezvous point for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Each building has been thoroughly researched to give visitors plenty of information about the people who lived or worked in the structures as well as those who frequented the establishments as patrons.

          The most recent addition to the Old Trail Town collection is Rosie’s Roadhouse and Brothel, which opened in Arland, Wyo., in 1890. Earning a rough reputation in addition to its racy one, the cabin was lost over time only to be rediscovered in 2018 and transported to Old Trail Town a year later. In 2021, the crowd-funded restoration work on the cabin began and in May, the space was opened to the public.

          According to Larry Edgar, Bob’s brother and treasurer of the Old Trail Town organization, the only buildings missing from the site are a church and a jail. Rest assured, if either of those two structures can be located, he will happily make room for them.

Plenty to peruse

In addition to the historic buildings, Old Trail Town also boasts an Old West Museum that includes prehistoric tools, Native American beadwork and a horse-drawn hearse from the late 1800s. The site also contains the gravesites of six men and one woman associated with the area.

The most famous person among the deceased is Jeremiah “Liver Eatin’” Johnston, 1824-1900, a trapper who returned from a routine trip to find that his wife and unborn child had been murdered by a group of Crow Indians. The loss led to his personal revenge war against the tribe, which lasted for approximately 12 years before he enlisted in the cavalry to fight in the Civil War. His story was chronicled in the 1972 movie “Jeremiah Johnston,” in which Robert Redford played the titular role.

          Folks en route to Yellowstone call Old Trail Town a must-see for history buffs and a great place for the whole family to spend an hour or two. Heather Craige, a teacher at Burnsville Elementary School in Burnsville, N.C., visited the site in 2021 and said in a review that she enjoyed the opportunity to walk through the antique structures, see the various artifacts and learn more about the men and women who made up the Old West. “I loved the experience of feeling like I was walking through a ghost town.”

          Chad Newton visited the attraction during its 50th-anniversary celebration in 2017, and although that wasn’t his first time, he said he always enjoys going back to inspect the buildings and learn a little more about the local history.

          “The people that run the place are very nice people indeed. I hope it remains around for a very long time. A must-stop if you are visiting Cody,” he wrote on the Old Trail Town website.

          Bob Elwell of Blue Ridge, Ga., stumbled upon Old Trail Town while driving through Cody during a road trip with his wife. In his 2023 post, he said he appreciated the level of detail included in the displays. “It’s worth the time and the small entrance fee.”

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