Buffalo Bill, Sundance Kid, Indians & Other stuff!!!

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Buffalo Bills Dam

We came across the dam in the early evening.
Alas, it was too late for the tour of the visitors centre.
After a quick look around we headed onwards to pastures new, in the hopes of finding somewhere to stay for the night.

Unfortunately we couldn't find anywhere and had to pull into the side of the road.
Our trusty sleeping bags came in handy, yet again!!!

Next morning, we headed off to Big Horn.....

Big Horn

A place of many indian battles.
We throughly enjoyed our day travelling through this canyon.
There was so much to see and a lot of history to digest after our visit to the visitors centre.

The colorful cliffs lining the canyon contain fossils, relics of when this region was a shallow sea, a coastal area of tropical marshes and dinosaur inhabited conifer forests

(Located in north-central Wyoming, the Big Horn Mountains are a sister range of the Rocky Mountains. Conveniently located half-way between Mt. Rushmore and Yellowstone National Park. No region in Wyoming is provided with a more diverse landscape - from lush grasslands to alpine meadows, from crystal-clear lakes to glacial carved valleys, from rolling hills to sheer mountain walls nearly half a mile high. )

Fort Phil Kearny

We came across this place and thought we'd check it out.
Having arrived not knowing anything about it's history.
We watched an informative video at the Interpretive Centre.
We soon learned about the infamous"Fetterman Massacre".
The fort was burnt down, so there is only the outline to be seen.


(The Fort was built of pine logs, cut and hauled from the foothills of the Big Horns, about seven miles west. A train of up to 90 wagons was employed to haul logs from the Pinery (near where Story, Wyoming is today). Carpenters, blacksmiths, wheelrights, harness makers and other workmen came as civilian employees. Mowing machines, plows and garden tools were introduced into the virgin wilderness. Four blockhouses were built to protect the woodchoppers and teamsters employed. The first 6 months after the posts was established there were 154 persons killed by the Indians, and about 700 head of cattle, mules and horses captured.)

Sundance

Decided to visit Sundance after seeing posters, advertising their Museum.
(And guess what? - It's free admission)

One burning question needed answering...

Was the town called after the infamous "Sundance Kid"?
Or was he called after the town?

We soon learnt from a well informed curator, that the town was called after the indian dance "Sun Dance".
And that The Sundance Kid was from Sundance, so hence the name....

The Vore Buffalo Jump.

We came across this place by accident and were amazed to see the buffalo bones, uncovered as we stood watching...
Over a three hundred year period, this natural sink hole was used by indians, to herd buffalo to jump to their death.
Thereby enabling them to feed and clothe the tribe.

(In 1989, the family of Woodrow and Doris Vore donated this amazing archeological treasure to the University of Wyoming. The agreement stated that the site would be developed for its great scientific, educational and economic potentials.)

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Photos

Buffalo Bills Dam
Named after the famous old West figure William "Buffalo Bill" Cody who founded the nearby town of Cody and who owned much of the land now covered by the reservoir formed by the dam, which also bears his name.

Buffalo Bills Reservoir.
Along the Buffalo Bill Cody Scenic Byway on the U.S. Highway 14-16-20 traveling along the North Fork of the Shoshone River. Taking you through Wapiti Valley to Yellowstone National Park's east entrance.

Packing up, after a night in the car...
Guess we got caught out!!
"Sleeping bags came in handy again"
Didn't realise we were so far from the next town.

Big Horn National Forest.
Big Horn Mountains are a sister range of the Rocky Mountains.

Looks safe enough to cross...
Some of America's most famous Indian battles took place in these mountains.

Some of America's most famous pioneers explored this mountain wilderness...
Including Jim Bridger, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, and Buffalo Bill..

Beef trail..
A livestock drive trail...

Copman's Tomb
Named after a pioneer "Wolfgang R Copman", who's ashes were scattered over the mountain when he died.

Bighorn Basin..
The presence of humans goes back more than 10,000 years...

Indian country..
It is land held sacred by the Cheyenne, Crow, Sioux, Arapaho, and Eastern Cheyenne Indians -- a land of spilled blood on which Native Americans fought some of their most desperate battles against the U.S. military.

Deep Canyons and high mountains...
Make this place well worth a visit...

Fort Phil Kearny,
Only a mock up as the original was burnt to the ground. But you can see the outline of where it once was.

The meaning of the feathers! Interesting stuff!!!
A. Red spot - "Killed an enemy.
B."Killed an enemy and took his scalp".
C. 3rd coup (worn with notch in front)
E. 4th coup(notched several times)
F.5th coup.
G. "Has been wounded many times" (split feathers)
H. Two red stripes - 3rd coup.

How the soldiers would have looked.
The "Interpretive Centre" at Fort Phil Kearny, is located 2 miles from Exit 44, off U.S. Hwy. I-90, between Sheridan & Buffalo, Wyoming

On December 21, 1866,
Lakota Sioux, Northern Cheyenne and Arapaho warriors staged an ambush some three miles from Fort Phil Kearny.

Overlooking "Massacre Hill"
Captain William J. Fetterman and 80 men were decoyed over Lodge Trail Ridge by a small number of Indians led by the young Lakota Sioux warrior, Crazy Horse.

One night stop...
A town called Buffalo...

The Sundance Kid!
The museum is in the basement of the courthouse. And it houses the original court papers. (Sundance WY, is where the Sundance Kid was from).

Comments

[leishea]

want to know more..
i would like to know more about the meanings of the different feathers and what the repersent..if you could give me info. about it or help me find another place to find out more i would very much like that. thank you for your time.