John Loucks fought the Sioux during their 1862 uprising in the Dakotas. Twenty years later, he platted out his vision for a town on a piece of...
Crown Jewel of the Big Horns
read more
True Western Towns
10 for 10: Grapevine, Texas
1. See a Victorian Christmas come to life at the 1859 Nash Farm. You can make traditional handmade Christmas ornaments, hear holiday stories and...
10 for 10: Santa Barbara, CA
1. Santa Barbara was founded at Presidio de Santa Bárbara in 1782 when the Spanish established the last of four fortresses in Alta California to...
10 for 10: Bismarck, ND
1. Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park provides the finest example of living history on the Northern Plains. Besides the reconstructed Custer House...
10 for 10: Prescott, AZ
Touring our #1 Town of the year, Prescott, Arizona. 1. Hit the 1877 Palace Saloon on legendary Whiskey Row and belly up to the bar where Buckey...
Ellensburg, Washington
Come winter, you’ll find Ellensburg locals at the elk feeding station, where elk come up close to the Yakima River Canyon scenic route. When autumn...
Llano, Texas
Families of foxes and armadillos sometimes dart across Patty Schneider Pfister’s backyard. Llano, Texas—population 3,232—is not quite the frontier...
Pocatello, Idaho
“The cowboy factor seems to be a common thread in our daily life,” admits Margaret A. Barrett, director of the Bannock County Historical Museum. “We...
Amarillo, Texas
“The neat thing about Amarillo is, there are still cattle drives right outside our windows.” That praise comes from Randy Whipple, president of the...
Top 10 True Western Towns of 2011
Given to towns that have made an important contribution to preserving their pasts. We hope this award will not only encourage federal, state and...
Elk City, Oklahoma
Dr. L.V. Baker, a fourth-generation native and owner of Safari B Ranch, believes Elk City to be as unique as the residents of his exotic ranch. Elk...
Fort Davis, Texas
“Most people still don’t believe that there are mountains in Texas,” says Larry Francell, the just-retired director at the Museum of the Big Bend in...