Top 10 True Western Towns of 2008
Categories: Featured Travel Stories
By: TW Editors 01/02/2008
Towns to Watch
BRACKETTVILLE, TX
Brackettville is a strange mix of history and legend. The history is Fort Clark, founded in 1852 as a frontier post in southwest Texas that later became home to the famed Buffalo Soldiers. Many buildings have been preserved and restored as part of a historic district. The legend is Alamo Village, just a few miles north of town, one of the most active movie locations in the Lone Star State. Visitors can see where John Wayne’s The Alamo and parts of Lonesome Dove (among others) were shot.
CALDWELL, KS
Last year, a local family finished an unusual monument to a recently lost loved one. The family restored the Border Queen Bordello, a landmark in this former cowtown. That “do it yourself” attitude toward historic preservation is pretty much the rule in this town of 1,280 folks. Caldwell is on the Chisholm Trail; it was the starting point for the last U.S. land rush in 1893 and more than a few gunfights took place there. Check out the Cherokee Strip Visitors Center and Museum.
CODY, WY
Buffalo Bill is all over this town that he helped found in 1895. He built the Irma Hotel in 1902 and named it after his daughter. He was the force behind construction of the nearby dam that bears his name in 1905. Even his boyhood home was moved to Cody. But the jewel in the crown has to be the Buffalo Bill Historical Center, “five museums under one roof” that form one of the most complete Western collections anyplace. The old showman himself would have to be impressed.
COFFEYVILLE, KS
Okay, so the Dalton Gang wasn’t exactly welcomed with open arms when they attempted to withdraw bank funds in October 1892. Overall, Coffeyville is a visitor friendly town. The annual Dalton Days is a major attraction, as is the Dalton Defenders Museum. The plaza—where both banks from the attempted robbery were located—is little changed; same goes for Death Alley, where gang members and townsmen met their maker in the bloody shoot-out. Three of the outlaws stuck around; their grave is at Elmwood Cemetery.
CREEDE, CO
Creede hit the jackpot when silver was discovered in 1890, drawing in fortune seekers including Soapy Smith, Doc Holliday and the assassin of Jesse James, the coward Robert Ford. The last mine closed in 1985, and tourism is the game for the southwest Colorado burg. Creede offers many attractions:?a well-preserved downtown, the historic museum in the old train depot and a mining museum in (naturally) an old mine. The heritage is rich, befitting a Western boomtown.
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Trinidad Colorado! Great choice! Thank you TW editors for choosing Trinidad ... now everyone knows what we've known for a long time. And thanks to all the Trinidad folks who helped you gather the information you needed.
As a Native of Colorado, western slope, I appreciated your choosing Durango and Trinidad! Creede (?) don't know that one, but if it's in Colorado it's got to be OK. However, since Denver is no longer a "cow-town" and the City has become a "little L.A.", we now live in Cody, Wyoming, which IS a cow-town. I am glad to see that others are also seeing the beauty in Cody. Talk about ART, some of the best western art is right here with our galleries and, of course, the Buffalo Bill Historical Center.
Plus, we're only 50 miles from Yellowstone National Park - the recreational opportunities are endless including a number of guest ranches. Come see us; and when you decide you want to stay, come see me at Homestead Realty.
Posting above by stjomo is completely toxic. I have restored one of the oldest homes in St Joseph and can tell you the interest from San Diego, California & Los Angeles is quite stimulating. I have had many guest from the California area visit my home and I have taken most of those guest on a tour of St. Joseph, Missouri and they were awed as if they had seen the glory of God. They wanted to get out of our car and take home tours right there on location. They said St. Joseph is like a fairy tail book with castles upon castles.
I have visited San Diego & Los Angeles and found it to be of no comparison though there are some beautiful architectural structures in Balboa Park in San Diego and a couple of other buildings but in St. Joseph it is spread over the better half of town. One of my friends from the west coast stood in my yard extending each of her arms out, grinning from ear to ear saying, "I had to head east to find the gold."
I had some historians from California asking if they could photograph my yard as their ancestors use to own a Victorian boot company here and they told me my home in Los Angeles would cost 1.2 million as they just looked at one like ours.
Some described the homes in our area as jewels they were interested in investing in. Some were amazed that my home was built in 1848 so I showed them the abstract and the blue print of our Princess Ann. They didn't realize that architecture followed the life of Queen Ann so they were thinking all the houses that have cones on the roofs were the oldest and surprised that many of the homes with mansard roofs were actually older as the Queen Ann's were built in the 1860's.
I had one person from California tell me she was originally from Idaho and I ask her if she was familiar with William Ridenbaugh, "No she replied but she mentioned the Ridenbaugh Canal and I told her you are in the home of the Ridenbaugh's and the Ridenbaugh you have mentioned is the son of William Ridenbaugh whom started the St. Joseph News Press and it was his son that build the Ridenbaugh Canal.
My friends from San Diego were surprised to learn that it was seven nuns from Kirksville Missouri that founded their town. They were amazed to learn that some of the most elite of society has come from Missouri and not surprisingly many from St. Joseph.
You will not be disappointed to visit St. Joseph, Missouri as it is totally exciting here, from a photographers point of view. ;>)
So glad to see that Trinidad is finally getting recognized for the historical architecture and scenic beauty that we have enjoyed for years. www.SouthernColoradoRealty.com is a great way to check out real estate listings in the Trinidad, Colorado area.
PROPERTY VIDEOS at www.ranchviews.com
Las Animas County and Trinidad Colorado are great places to live and retire. We came here 9 years ago and found incredible land, lower prices, and taxes so low that they almost don't exist.
The area weather is great with an even four season climate. 82 degree average summer temp and 50 degree average winter temp. It snows and stays around long enough for you to have some hot chocolate and say ahhhh isn't that nice. Then, the snow goes away.
Check out some PROPERTY VIDEOs at www.ranchviews.com
Todd Gatza
Broker
Trinidad Land Realty
719 680 0690
You also forgot to mention that the hanging site of Horn is on the second floor of the original courthouse. Just outside the door to the D.A.'s office
st. Joseph is nothing like the city described in this article. The two preservation societies mentioned have disbanded in frustration. Downtown is a ghost town( not one you would like) and preservation is at an all time low. Yes, there are lovely historic homes, if you want to wear blinkers while you drive by crumbling ruins of amazing homes which abound en route to the few which are treated with dignity. If you spend your money to come see a piece of the Old West, you will be in for nothing but disappointment. Try the other nine cities, and skip St. Joseph. We are too busy destroying our heritage here to bother with tourists.