Buffalo, Wyoming Chamber of Commerce

	Old photo of Buffalo, Wyoming facing north on Main Street
Official site of the Buffalo, Wyoming Chamber of Commerce 55 N. Main Street, Buffalo, Wyoming 82834 Telephone: 800-227-5122 or 307-684-5544 E-mail: buffalochamber@wyoming.com

History books and Western novels have all tried to capture the past of Johnson County, but it is only when you are here that you can really experience the American West as it was and still remains today in our community. Here many of the great Indian Wars were fought, the famous Bozeman Trail runs through our midst and was the site of the Johnson County Cattle War.

Just a reminder, our living history is all around us and most areas are public, while others are privately owned. Please, before you visit, call the Chamber of Commerce in Buffalo (800-227-5122) or Kaycee (307-738-2444) to find out when and how some of the sites on private lands may be visited, and when the public sites are open for the season.


Fort Phil Kearny, one of the three forts built as the U.S. Army moved north to protect immigrants on the Bozeman Trail, is located at the foot of the Big Horns which was then Crow land. This, the largest stockade post of its time, was under daily attack by Lokota and Cheyenne warriors during its brief two year existence. Fetterman Monument - On December 21, 1866, Captain W. J. Fetterman and 80 men, including two civilians, were lured over Lodge Trail Ridge, ambushed and killed by 2,000 Lakota, Cheyenne and Arapaho warriors. Crazy Horse, who would become better known in later years, was instrumental in setting the successful trap for Fetterman and his command. This was the worst defeat suffered by the U.S. military at the hands of the Indians until ten years later at the Little Big Horn.	Fort Phil Kearny
Wagon Box Fight - On August 2, 1867, Captain Powell and 31 other soldiers were able to withstand a large Indian attack led by Red Cloud and his nephew. The woodcutting detail had been recently supplied with the newly converted Springfield breech loading rifles. This new firearm technology and the protection the circled wagon boxes were influencing factors in this famous battle.


Hole-in-the-Wall Country	Hole-in-the-Wall and Outlaw Cave - The Hole in the Wall is closely associated with such names as Butch Cassidy, the Sundance Kid and the Wild Bunch along with other lesser known outlaws who frequented this area of southern Johnson County while evading the law. The entire area west of Kaycee is referred at as the Hole-in-the-Wall Country. The Hole-in-the-Wall area is characterized by spectacular red rock buttes and wide open spaces. Indian Rock Art Cave - Located on BLM lands. There are 17 motifs of late prehistoric fine line work. A large warrior picture plus others are visible on the ceiling of the cave.


Johnson County Cattle War - In the late 1880's, anger was growing between large and small cattlemen in Wyoming. Small ranchers believed new laws were giving unequal rights to large ranchers. Large ranchers thought many small ranchers were stealing their cattle. In 1892, the Wyoming Stock Growers Association, whose members operated large ranches, decided to take matters into their own hands. With the approval of many state officials, a train left Cheyenne on April 5th carrying 25 hired Texas gunmen and over 20 Wyoming ranchers, stock detectives, and others. This group became known as the "Invaders." They were headed north to Johnson County, Wyoming to kill or drive off men who were suspected rustlers. The Invaders’ first stop on the morning of April 9th was the KC Ranch near Kaycee, Wyoming. Inside a cabin at the ranch were Nate Champion, who was probably wanted by the Invaders, and Nick Ray. Ray was shot as he left the cabin and died soon after.	Sign describing the killing of Nate Champion and Nick Ray in Kaycee, Wyoming.
Champion held Ray’s killers off for several hours until a burning wagon was pushed into the cabin. He was killed trying to escape the flames. The Invaders then moved to the TA Ranch south of Buffalo, Wyoming. News of the events at the KC Ranch quickly reached Buffalo. Sheriff Red Angus led over 200 citizens to the TA Ranch and surrounded the Invaders on April 11th. Federal troops from Fort McKinney, Wyoming arrived on April 13th to escort the Invaders to safety at the request of Acting Governor Amos Barber. There were no convictions for the deaths of Ray and Champion.

Jim Gatchell Museum and Hoofprints of the Past Museum - Many historical artifacts and other displays can be seen at the Jim Gatchell Museum in Buffalo and the Hoofprints of the Past Museum in Kaycee. The Jim Gatchell Museum recently received the designation as a nationally accredited small museum.

Jim Gatchell Museum - Buffalo	Hoofprints of the Past Museum - Kaycee