Day Three - On the Road with Dominique

Buffalo Bill Cody formed and platted this town – and, of course, named it Cody. This town certainly wants to live up to his honor.

Palladin the Pancake Maker

Our Couch Surfing host Paladin started our day with a good pancake breakfast. I hope he has found the cantaloupe I was going to bring to share but forgot and left it in the apartment refrigerator.

Palladin and Donna at Breakfast

The Buffalo Bill Center of the West is a remarkable place. Five museums in one right here in this town of 5000.

BBC of the West

I learned even more about the old showman than what I remember from visiting his home in Nebraska or his burial site near Golden, Colorado.

For years, Cody folks and Colorado folks fought over where his remains should lie. The Cody die hards even dug up his grave a few times and transported the corpse up to Cody. What I do know is he died in the home of his sister on Lafayette street in Denver, Colorado. I know this because former friends of mine purchased and renovated that home in the 1980s.

The sculpture in the BB Center garden could compete with Santa Fe or Palm Springs - just not as many pieces.

The Unknown

What a View

They have excellent exhibits of Native Americans of the Plains.

Beautiful Photo Portrait

They also have a very fine display of Western Art. Some of it was even contemporary! - including one of my favorites, Bradley's Tonto Dreams. He based this painting on Rousseau's The Sleeping Gypsy.

Tonto Dreams Original

We skipped the firearms exhibit, but did wander through the Natural History museum looking for a porcupine.

Old Trail Town Not Open

Unfortunately, Old Trail Town does not open until later in May. All of these structures have been transported from around the state and lovingly rebuilt right here down the road from Walmart.

Ol' Bill didn't stop at showmanship. He convinced the government to build what was then the highest dam in North America.

Damn Deep Dam

This was an interesting spot to visit to learn of the difficulties with Mother Nature, poor supervisors, and unskilled labor in getting it built.

Keeping Retirees Busy

It was constructed to provide irrigation to the valley above Cody. It continues to keep that a fertile ranching area and to provide retirees with a place to work and to visit.

Just a Preview of What's to Come

Now we are on our way to spend two days enjoying the scenery of Yellowstone.