Cody, WY

The day before we went to the Relocation Center at Heart Mountain, on our way into Cody, there's this neat little dam about 5 miles west of town. 

From Wiki:  Buffalo Bill Dam is a concrete arch-gravity dam on the Shoshone River in Wyoming. It is named after the famous Wild West figure William "Buffalo Bill" Cody, who founded the nearby town of Cody and owned much of the land now covered by the reservoir formed by its construction. The dam is part of the Shoshone Project, successor to several visionary schemes promoted by Cody to irrigate the Bighorn Basin and turn it from a semi-arid sagebrush-covered plain to productive agricultural land.  Known at the time of its construction as Shoshone Dam, it was renamed in 1946 to honor Cody.

All of the water used (except for occasional rain) at the Relocation Center came from the irrigation canals from this reservoir.

The reservoir is small in comparison to some of the behemoths we have seen, but nonetheless serves a vital link in the production of farms/ranches thru out the area surrounding the town Mr. Cody founded.

Over the years, large pipes have been installed and water flows down and towards the town and beyond.  Heart Mountain is in fact about 15 miles on the other side of Cody, so you get a sense of how far the little reservoir's waters reach out thru the labyrinth of canals.

Above, from atop the dam looking east towards Cody.  Pretty rugged terrain had to be chiseled away to build the dam.  The contractors struggled during the five year period.

Above, looking west.  I didn't brave the lofty scene very long on the dam as I am not fond of these situations at all.  Nancy on the other hand has no problems, or less perhaps.  Below, the visitor center is just beyond Nancy.

Above, a monument has been erected behind the Center of the West Museum complex in Cody, goatee & all.  Below is his hotel, The Irma. 

From Wiki:  The Irma Hotel is a landmark in Cody.  It was built by William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody, the city's co-founder and namesake who named it after his daughter Irma Cody. A focal point is a famous back bar made of cherry that was a gift given by Queen Victoria to Buffalo Bill.

And below is a blurry pic of the bar.  I didn't want to flash the patrons.

Below, you might be able to make our his goatee just below the hat.

We did spend the night at the Walmart in Cody before going to Heart Mountain the next day, but did not make it to the Museum complex, as it was a little pricey for us, and the mixed reviews convinced us to pass on this.  Oh well, perhaps next time.

Our visit to Cody was short, but we now have that checked off our list.  It was a rather small town, but different, definitely western.  My stepfather told me stories of his hunting trips here decades ago.  Mountain lion was his choice of game, but I don't think he ever got a shot at one. 

So, that about wraps up this short blog on Cody, WY.  Till next time (Wind Cave NP), RVing Beach Bums.