A Tour Through Cody Yellowstone’s Historic Buildings

There’s an authenticity to the American West that you can sense the moment you set foot in Cody Yellowstone. While we have plenty of museums to explore, history here doesn’t always fit so neatly in a museum case. In fact, it’s often found in the buildings, the saloons, and on the trails blazed by pioneers, presidents, and outlaws.

In many ways, Cody Yellowstone is a living museum of Wild dreams and Western grit — one that tells the stories of outlaws and aviators, writers and gamblers, fools and dreamers. And few things tell these stories more vividly than the historic buildings that dot Sheridan Avenue and beyond. 

So saddle up! Today, we’re taking you on a tour of Cody Yellowstone’s compelling historic buildings, each with its own story to tell.

The Irma Hotel

Buffalo Bill Cody built The Irma in 1902, naming it after his beloved daughter. The hotel has two sections: the original wing and a newer section, as well as a popular restaurant and lounge. In the restaurant, the Cherrywood bar was a gift from England’s Queen Victoria to Buffalo Bill. Today, you can grab a drink, sit where cowboys once kicked off their boots, and enjoy what many call the best prime rib in Wyoming.

Pahaska Tepee

Just outside Yellowstone’s East Entrance sits Pahaska Tepee, Buffalo Bill’s personal hunting lodge. This is where Buffalo Bill brought his hunting pals – including Theodore Roosevelt and the Prince of Monaco – to spend time in the great outdoors, as well as share stories of his exploits across the Wild West. The famous showman was named “Long Hair” by American Indians in the region, which in their tongue was pronounced “Pahaska.” The rustic log lodge displays many gifts given to Cody by guests. Modern cabins, a restaurant, and a gift shop make this a great stop before heading into the park.

Kirwin Ghost Town

Tucked nearly 10,000 feet up in the Absaroka Mountain Range, Kirwin was once a booming mining community, until avalanches and isolation turned it into one of Wyoming’s most fascinating ghost towns. Here, you can explore the storage and shop facilities, cabins, sheds, mining offices, and various collapsed structures. For an even deeper dive into unexpected history and a genuine look at what could have been, take a short hike beyond the town to see the foundation of a cabin that was being built by Amelia Earhart and intended to be her summer home before her disappearance. 

The Chamberlin Inn

Agnes Chamberlin was the owner and proprietress of the Chamberlin Inn, now a centrally located boutique hotel that is a popular gathering place. She opened the hotel as a boardinghouse in 1900 and gradually expanded the building and added touches of luxury. The hotel was the place to be and be seen, and she often hosted high-profile guests like Ernest Hemingway, who penned part of Death in the Afternoon here — likely with a stiff pour in hand. 

The J.H. Vogel Building

The J.H. Vogel Building holds more secrets than most. Once a furniture store by day and a morgue by night, it still houses its original freight elevator that hoisted caskets to a second-floor viewing room. Visitors and locals alike report unexplained creaks, chills, and the occasional ghostly presence. Today, it’s home to The Cowboy Palace—but its echoes linger.

Old Trail Town & Museum of the Old West

This enclave of 28 authentic frontier buildings includes one used by Butch Cassidy and his infamous Hole-in-the-Wall Gang. One of the town’s many gravesites belongs to Jeremiah “Liver Eating” Johnston, portrayed by actor Robert Redford in the 1972 film.

Heart Mountain WWII Barracks

During World War II nearly 14,000 (120,000 total at various camps in the West) Japanese Americans were forced from their homes – primarily in California – and dropped off at what was basically an open field where they lived in hastily built, poorly insulated barracks until the war ended. The barracks were sold off for $1 each after the war, and many could be found in the region being used as barns, warehouses and outbuildings. Two of the barracks were reclaimed and reconstructed on the site where the original structures sat.

The Poker Church

About the last thing you might expect from a group of raucous men playing poker in Cody in 1902 would be for them all to pledge that the winner of the game would put all of his winnings towards the church of his choice. But these men had wives who wanted more churches in the burgeoning town. When Buffalo Bill’s friend George Beck won the game, he pledged his winnings to build the Christ Episcopal Church, which locals know fondly as simply the “Poker Church.”

Smith Mansion

One of Cody Yellowstone’s more curious buildings, this multi-story log house is perched on a cliff on the southern side of the Buffalo Bill Scenic Byway in the small town of Wapiti. The house was built by hand by a local Cody resident named Lee Smith, who remained resolute in his project for several decades. He lived in the home with his wife and two children, despite the fact that it never had electricity. On a windy day in 1992, Smith fell to his death from the roof of the house. The structure today appears to be on the verge of collapse, earning it the nickname “Crazy House.”

Buffalo Bill’s Boyhood Home at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West

Before he became a legend of the Wild West, Buffalo Bill Cody was simply a boy growing up in Iowa. His boyhood home, built in 1841 by his father Isaac, was transported to Cody in 1933 as a tribute to his formative years. Today, you can see the original structure nestled within the lush Cashman Greever Garden at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West. Step through its threshold and you’ll step back into a childhood that shaped a showman.

Cowboy Bar & Café

Located in Meeteetse and in business since the 1890s, the Cowboy Bar has seen its share of outlaws and has the bullet holes in the walls to prove it. Butch Cassidy was a regular patron and was arrested once as he walked out of the bar. Amelia Earhart drank there in 1934 while staying at a local guest ranch. More recently, an escaped prisoner from Arizona spent two evenings soaking up as many local stories as he could shortly before he was recaptured.

Cody Country Art League & Visitor Center

This popular Cody destination was the original location of the Buffalo Bill Museum, which is now one of the five museums under the roof of the nearby Buffalo Bill Center of the West. The building was modeled after Buffalo Bill’s TE Ranch on the south fork of the Shoshone River. Today, the Art League showcases the creations of local and regional artists while the visitor center provides helpful tips and information to Cody Yellowstone visitors.

Cody Heritage Museum

One of Cody’s earliest Sheridan Ave. buildings, this tiny museum was once the home of Charles DeMaris, who came to Cody after hearing about the healing powers of the nearby hot springs. His health improved after soaking in the springs, so he built a hotel and bathhouse near the springs while living in the Sheridan Ave. home. Today, the Cody Heritage Museum displays town history through memorabilia and curated exhibits that capture life in early Cody with clarity and care.

Carnegie Library

Now the site of the Millstone Pizza Company, the Carnegie Library was the brainchild of a group of intellectually inclined Cody women who promoted literacy to residents of Cody in the early 1900s. The library was funded in part by a contribution from Andrew Carnegie. After several decades, the original library building was demolished due to irreparable termite damage, and a new building was erected in its place. The library was moved to another location in 2008, and that’s when the popular pizza restaurant was established in its place.

Sear Roebuck Houses

Long before digital blueprints and two-day shipping, Sear Roebuck sold entire home kits by mail. Cody still boasts some of these early 20th-century catalog homes—assembled by hand, board by board. Today, you can spot their distinct style on Cody Trolley Tours, a charming glimpse into America’s first generation of DIY homebuilding.

Build Your Own History in Cody Yellowstone

Whether you’re walking in the footsteps of Buffalo Bill or following your curiosity into the backcountry, Cody Yellowstone’s historic buildings offer a rare chance to see the past, not just read about it. 

Request your free Cody Yellowstone Vacation Planner today and start planning your journey through the historic heart of the Wild West.