20 Historic Wild West Towns You Can Still Visit

There are at least 20 historic Wild West towns you can still visit today. All of them have a history you can feel.

Cody, Wyoming

Founded by Buffalo Bill Cody, this place was destined for greatness. That, and the fact that oil was discovered near Yellowstone made this one of the most lively towns of the Wild West.

Amarillo, Texas

Unlike several locations, much of Texas’ claim to fame in the Wild West is wrapped up in cattle. The wide open spaces that have been used for cattle ranches for so long are what help make Texas the state it is.

Bandera, Texas

In the Wild West, this was given the nickname of the Cowboy Capital of the World. This town was a staging ground for cattle drives leading back to the 1800s.

Tombstone, Arizona

There are a couple of big reasons why Tombstone became a big deal in the Wild West. One is the silver mining that dominated the town, and the other is the shootout at the O.K. Corral.

Bodie, California

This ghost town once hosted roughly 60 dance halls and saloons. People do have a chance to come and take in the sights, but apart from the history to be absorbed, there’s nothing much to see.

Pendleton, Oregon

Between rail workers and traders, this place was home to many people who ended up in the West for one reason or another. The Woolen Mills is still working, but otherwise, this is a quaint place that one can visit as a testament to the Wild West.

Bisbee, Arizona

This place allows tourists to visit the old copper mine provided they wear a hard hat, which is pretty cool. You can also take walking tours to discover what it was like in the Wild West back in the day.

Virginia City, Nevada

Discovering something as important as the Comstock Lode, which made Virginia City a boomtown, was one of those occurrences in the Wild West that people depended on. There’s plenty to do in this location that adheres to the town’s history, and some stuff that’s just for fun.

Idaho City, Idaho

Vigilante law was born in this town, but thankfully things have changed. The local museum offers a look at what the town was like back in the Wild West, and Pioneer Cemetery features a forest of gravestones dating back to the 1860s.

Fort Worth, Texas

An Army outpost back in the mid-19th century, this place was later a livestock center. Now people can walk the streets and experience reenactments along with many other attractions.

Virginia and Nevada City, Montana

Gold strikes helped a lot of towns in the Wild West while others had to rely on other sources of wealth. Virginia City was even a territorial capital at one time.

Fort Smith, Arkansas

One has to remember that the West was at one time far closer to the nation’s eastern border. Further West was still uncertain territory for a lot of reasons, but this was a kind of gateway for miners heading out to the true West.

Sacramento, California

There are plenty of places in California that were key to the history of the Wild West. The state has a rich history when it comes to shaping the West after all, and the historic buildings and landmarks that are located up and down this state are proof.

Cripple Creek, Colorado

At one time this place was known as the world’s greatest gold camp, and it yielded millions of ounces that drew untold numbers of people. Today, the Butte Theater is a great source of income since plenty of people still travel to catch a show.

Sidney, Nebraska

One of the biggest claims to fame of this place is the fact that it was the site of several clashes between settlers and the indigenous folk. Today one can look over the graves of many individuals that lived back in those furious days.

Oatman, Arizona

Route 66 has a few famous stops, and this was one of those that was thriving thanks to mining. Today, it’s history that’s shown through the sensationalist lens that so many Wild West towns have fallen behind.

Durango, Colorado

There’s a lot of history that flowed through Colorado and stuck around to be viewed by those who came later. Riding through the historic areas of this place is enough to see how things have changed over the years.

Deadwood, South Dakota

Deadwood boomed from a small camp to a fully-fledged town after gold was discovered. The most interesting aspect is that the show and movie that were created based on this place weren’t entirely fabricated.

Dodge City, Kansas

This is another location that became known for several different things, not the least of which was the presence of legendary lawman Wyatt Earp. Even a replica of Front Street from back in the 1870s exists for people to witness.

Abilene, Kansas

There’s an emphasis on how lawless this place was since it’s been immortalized in history. There are plenty of chances for a photo-op for tourists coming through.