Wyoming Boondocking - Day 11: The Occidental Hotel in Buffalo

 Warning: In an apparent overreaction to not being able to take any pictures within the Gatchell Museum yesterday, I may have gone overboard with pictures of the museum rooms in the Occidental Hotel.

Truly though, there was a wealth of historical artifacts, photographs and settings, it's well worth a visit and it won't take you long to enjoy.

But first, I woke to a very hazy sunrise, I don't smell smoke so I figure it was haze....

Before I rode into town, I went to check within the Circle Park Road Dispersed Camping area where I'd been camping.  It was even more crowded!  Never go camping over a long holiday weekend!

The small tent in center is about where Umarang

had been located.

The view from near my old campsite, two of

the site hoggers still hadn't shown to occupy their sites

Anyways, I then got back on US Hwy 16 and headed on in to Buffalo.  I parked near the Occidental Hotel, right in front of City Hall as it turned out:

I entered the hotel lobby and first walked up/down the narrow hallway behind the Front Desk which was heavily decorated with vintage photographs:

Parlor?

Hello!

Sometimes, the justice system actually works, as slow as it can and was in this case:

The Invaders

I read somewhere, no one smiled for pictures back

in the day, as they had to hold still for a long time....

Or, they could be tired from rounding up cows....

One-armed bandit?

After a major flood, main street in front of the hotel

As a reviewer on google joked:

She didn't look at all like Doris Day!

One can see how he came about his nickname

Only dissapointing part of the "Famous Guests" section was the photos weren't necessarily taken when they were actually being guests of the Occidental Hotel....still, pretty neat.

Next up, views of the hotel's very nice lobby:  

I wonder how many "Wish you were here" postcards

were written on this writing desk over the years?

Handily, the saloon is next door and can be accessed via the Hotel as well.  It being mid-morning on a Sunday, no liquor to be had but still a neat saloon with a very historical ambiance, hunters would be right at home, PETA people, not so much:

Pretty sure the Cheetah is an imported trophy....

1908: Opening Day of the Saloon

The view of the saloon from the front door

The first time they saw a train, it must have blown

the minds of  Native Americans....

Hello again

The Virginian Restaurant was closed at this time, it seems

pretty small place but the reviews of the food are good.

Located by City Hall, is this bell....

And here, was its purpose.....a simpler time indeed!

Driving along Main Street after leaving the Occidental Hotel, I spied more bronze statues:

So, that's it for my deeper dive into Buffalo's tourist attractions.  I headed out of town on US Hwy 16, exploring each forest road exit I saw, some of them not marked at all.  They all eventually either dead-ended, got really rough and rocky or stopped at private property fence lines.

There was one short road though, that led to a very nice moto-camping type of site.  I highly doubt I'll ever camp in willingly in a tent again but if I did, it'd be at a spot like this one:

Today is definitely cooler and windier than yesterday, the temperature is in the mid-60s and sunny as I finish typing this at 4PM and it's supposed to get much cooler tomorrow with rain turning to snow as the afternoon progresses.