History of Old Trail Town
Old Trail Town preserves the lifestyle and history of the Frontier West through a rare collection of authentic structures and artifacts.
Bob Edgar, historian, archaeologist, and preservationist, founded Old Trail Town in 1967. His lifework was recovering the Old West through stories, artifacts, and buildings. His objective was to preserve historical structures that had been abandoned and in jeopardy of destruction and to present them to the public as they once were.
Old Trail Town stands on part of the original townsite of "Cody City," laid out by Buffalo Bill Cody in 1895.
At the time Bob acquired the property it included a single one-room log cabin built by Vic Arland in 1883. This became the home of the Edgar’s for eight years.
By 1969, Bob had relocated another six cabins to the property. As word spread of his preservation efforts, people came to him with offers of cabins. He saved what he could, and Old Trail Town continued to grow.
Old Trail Town now comprises twenty-eight buildings dating from 1879 to 1901 and is the largest collection of its kind in Wyoming.
Old Trail Town is also home to an immense collection of horse-drawn vehicles and artifacts. In addition, the Museum of the Old West contains cased displays of artifacts from the early pioneers and Native American cultures.
The Old Trail Town cemetery is the final resting place of famous and infamous celebrated pioneers. On the west edge of town is a memorial built by and dedicated to Mountain Men.
Not only are the physical remnants of the Old West preserved here, but also the history of that era. And, most importantly, the spirit of the Old West.
Museum of the Old West dba Old Trail Town is a non-profit 501(c)3 educational facility continuing Bob Edgar’s dedication to the Preservation of Wyoming History.
