
Buffalo Bill Center of the West. Photo: Lisa Evans
In this episode of Big Blend Radio’s Journey Jukebox travel podcast, travel writer Lisa Evans shares her adventures in Cody, Wyoming. Located right outside Yellowstone National Park, Cody is far more than just a quick pit stop—it is a vibrant destination steeped in Western history, craftsmanship, music, rodeo, and living heritage.
Celebrating American Adventures Month and America 250, this episode invites listeners to discover how Cody embodies the spirit of the American West.
LISTEN TO THE PODCAST EPISODE:
📌Exploring Cody’s World-Class Museums & Historic Sites
1. Buffalo Bill Center of the West
A hub of culture and history, this world-renowned institution actually houses five separate, full-scale museums arranged in a wheel-and-spoke design:
Buffalo Bill Museum: Showcases personal artifacts of William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody and legendary sharpshooter Annie Oakley.
Plains Indian Museum: Explores the traditions, cultures, artifacts, and historic realities of the Plains Indian nations, concluding with contemporary Native American art. Features outdoor bronze sculptures of iconic figures like Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse.
Draper Natural History Museum: A multi-level, immersive altitude-based journey detailing the wildlife, habitats, and ecosystems of the region, featuring taxidermy displays and live raptor rehabilitation presentations.
Whitney Western Art Museum: Houses historic masterpieces by legendary artists such as Frederic Remington and Thomas Moran, complete with a massive picture window looking out onto the famous statue of Buffalo Bill on horseback.
Cody Firearms Museum: Features over 10,000 historic and modern firearms spanning from the Revolutionary War to present day, offering interactive drawers and vast displays.
Bonus Feature: The onsite research library houses rare manuscripts, historical maps, and vintage photographs from the Wild West era.

Heart Mountain - Photo: Lisa Evans
2. Heart Mountain WWII Japanese American Confinement Site
An essential and moving piece of American history, this Interpretive Center stands where 468 barracks once held over 10,000 Japanese Americans during World War II.
Agricultural Resilience: Confinement site members farmed the land so successfully under agricultural director James Ito (father of Judge Lance Ito) that they produced surplus food shipped to other assembly camps.
The Mineta-Simpson Institute: Commemorates the lifelong bipartisan friendship between Norman Mineta (a camp detainee who became a U.S. Cabinet Secretary) and Alan Simpson (a Wyoming Boy Scout who became a U.S. Senator), who worked together to pass the 1988 Civil Liberties Act.
Crow Nation Connection: Onsite presentations by Johnny Tim Yellowtail of the Crow Nation draw powerful parallels between the displacement of Native Americans and Japanese Americans, concluding with traditional songs and dances inside historic barracks.
Old Trail Town - Photo: Lisa Evans
3. Old Trail Town (1890s)
A collection of 28 authentic, relocated historic frontier buildings arranged in a western streetscape:
Walk into the actual Hole-in-the-Wall Cabin used by Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.
View Rosie’s Roadhouse and Brothel, old mercantile stores, the Coffin School, and authentic historic saloons.
Explore mountain man gravesites, horse-drawn buggies, and historic stagecoaches.

Bar inside the historic Irma Hotel. Photo: Lisa Evans
Hands-On Frontier Experiences & Hospitality
By Western Hands: A unique gallery and workshop space dedicated to preserving Western functional art. Master juried craftsmen create one-of-a-kind custom tables, desks, leatherwork, and furniture while mentoring the next generation of artists and teaching public workshops.
Cody Firearms Experience: A safe, hands-on range experience where visitors can shoot historic firearms under strict instruction—from an 1873 Winchester rifle (Annie Oakley's favorite) to a genuine Gatling gun.
The Irma Hotel: Built by Buffalo Bill and named after his youngest daughter, this historic hotel features the famous, ornate cherrywood bar gifted to Buffalo Bill directly by Queen Victoria after she attended his Wild West Show in England.
The Chamberlin Inn: A charming historic inn where author Ernest Hemingway stayed while finishing manuscripts, featuring his preserved room and signed register.
Cody Cattle Company & Stampede Rodeo: Enjoy a chuckwagon-style dinner and a live musical performance featuring classic country, rock, and Western hits, followed by an evening of real bucking broncos, roping, and bull riding at the nightly Cody Stampede Rodeo.

Cody Cattle Company live entertainment before rodeo. Photo: Lisa Evans
🗺️ Cody, Wyoming Travel Planning Resources
Lisa's Article on By Western Hands:
Irma Hotel: https://www.irmahotel.com/
The Chamberlin Inn: https://chamberlininn.com/
Heart Mountain WWII Japanese American National Historic Landmark: https://www.heartmountain.org/
Buffalo Bill Center of the West: https://centerofthewest.org/
The Cody Cattle Company: https://thecodycattlecompany.com/
Cody Stampede Rodeo: https://www.codystampederodeo.com/
Cody Firearms Experience: https://www.codyfirearmsexperience.com/
By Western Hands: https://www.bywesternhands.org/
Old Trail Town: https://oldtrailtown.org/
🎵 Journey Jukebox Music Playlist
🎧 Listen on Spotify: Journey Jukebox Spotify Playlist
Lisa’s Cody playlist features a diverse blend of regional and Western artists, including hard-rocking Righteous Vendetta, singer-songwriter Kaylen Beasley, and traditional country artist Luke Bell, giving the episode its custom musical backdrop.
Follow the Writer: Lisa Evans Travel Features
Listen & Subscribe: Journey Jukebox on Podbean
Music Companion: Journey Jukebox Spotify Playlist
Read the Issue: Journey Jukebox Podcast Magazine