Top 10 True Western Towns of 2008
By: TW Editors 01/02/2008
Towns to Watch
GUTHRIE, OK
One of our favorite Old West places, downtown Guthrie is the largest historic district in the country. Block after block, it’s like stepping back into 1900—thanks to the savvy planning and work of citizens and officials. A visit to the Territorial Museum is a must; check out its silent films featuring authentic lawmen and outlaws. The 89er Celebration, held each April, commemorates the Land Rush that started in Guthrie; it includes a parade and a PRCA rodeo.
HELPER, UT
Our 2007 Top True Western Town isn’t large (about 2,000 residents), but it has a big commitment to preserving its heritage. Original Victorian buildings grace the downtown, with the centerpiece being the Western Mining & Railroad Museum, housed in the 1914 Helper Hotel. Exhibits feature a simulated coal mine, authentic rail cars and the 1897 robbery at nearby Castle Gate by Butch Cassidy and Co. The Wild Bunch chief reportedly visited Helper on several occasions; what better endorsement is there?
LONE PINE, CA
The tree from which the town is named is long gone, but much of its history still lives on in the frontier-style buildings dating back to the 19th century. The natural beauty is astounding, with both Mt. Whitney and Death Valley close by. Lone Pine is probably best known for its annual film festival (October 10-12 this year), which helps honor the area’s movie heritage, dating back to 1920. Gene Autry, Roy Rogers, Hopalong Cassidy and Clint Eastwood all did Oaters here. It just looks and feels Western.
NORTHFIELD, MN
A Western town? Yep—it is west of the Mississippi (barely). And it was the site of the James-Younger Gang raid of 1876. The town celebrates that each September with the Defeat of Jesse James Days, perhaps the best re-enactment you can find. The Northfield Historical Society has a great museum featuring photos from the robbery and the eventual capture of the Youngers. The First National Bank has been restored to look the way it did the day the gang was shot to pieces.
SILVER CITY, NM
The one-time home of Billy the Kid is a preservation success story. Some 40 years ago, the downtown was filled with boarded up buildings. Today, that same area is a national historic district, with numerous old buildings transformed into modern businesses of all kinds. The Silver City Museum (housed in an 1881 home) celebrates the area’s varied heritage—Hispanic, Indian and American. And the Western New Mexico University Museum features a remarkable collection of prehistoric pottery and artifacts.
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