I grew up with an uncle who was into everything western. When I was in my mid-twenties, I treated my uncle to a day out at the Gene Autry Western Heritage Museum. My uncle, whom I adored, had recently recovered from major heart surgery and I was sensing that my time with him was slipping away ( he lived over another decade!) and I made it a special outing. It was one of my best days with my uncle.
Flash forward to my first trip to Colorado with Dan and the discovery that we were near Buffalo Bill’s grave. William F. Cody ( Buffalo Bill) was one of the most famous western showmen, who took his Wild West extravaganza all over the world. When he died, he was buried on the top of “Look Out Mountain,” which is near Golden, Colorado.
We visited on a chilly, windy day in October and I wore an enormous gray scarf that I haven’t worn in a long time. My blood has definitely thickened since moving to Colorado, and I have even shoveled snow in a tee-shirt and jeans!
Here are some snaps from the top, including the views.
We walked up a short set of stairs to Buffalo Bill’s grave. He was buried in 1917 with much fanfare and pageantry befitting of the showman.
Next, we visited the Buffalo Bill Museum. The museum is relatively small, yet packed with informative displays about Buffalo Bill and Colorado. Admission was only five dollars. If you’re not interested in the museum, you can visit Lookout Mountain and the grave site for free.
This picture of my husband just makes me smile.
One of the more interesting items in the museum was a book that lists all of Buffalo Bill’s tour dates around the world. We discovered that he had a show in Dan’s hometown of Newbury, England, on June 10, 1904.
As expected, the museum had a lot of guns, bullets, and old west style clothes.
We spent about an hour at the museum. It’s definitely worth the stop, if you’re nearby and interested in history. Buffalo Bill was a colorful character who still looms large in American culture and learning more about him was interesting. I look forward to going back and taking more time to pour through the exhibits. If you’re looking for stunning views, Lookout Mountain is a must-visit.