DUBOIS — In 1890, Butch Cassidy owned a small spread outside Dubois. He often came into town to buy food staples at Welty’s General Store. Welty’s doesn’t sell food anymore, but you can still get other things there. And it’s not the only place Butch would recognize if he were still around.

That’s one reason why Dubois is second among True West magazine’s Top True Western Town 2011. Pendleton, Ore., came in at No. 1. The only other Wyoming town to make the list, Buffalo, came in at No. 7.

The towns are featured in the January/February 2011 issue, already on newsstands. True West editors determine winners for this annual award based on criteria that demonstrate how each town has preserved its history through historic buildings, museums and other institutions, events and promotions of historic resources.

“I feel this is an unprecedented opportunity for our town,” said June Bonasera, director of Main Street program. “Dubois has been honored for two years in a row for our efforts to preserve the town’s western culture.”

True West’s article includes “Towns to Watch” for good works in historic preservation, as well as several legendary Old West locales that folks should visit in 2011.

Much of Dubois’ local history efforts are based at the Dubois Museum Wind River Historical Center, which offers tours to nearby Native American petroglyphs, teepee rings and ancient bighorn sheep traps. The center also displays seven historical cabins on its grounds.

The True West article states, “… the town regularly preserves its local heritage at annual events, ranging from the Swedish Smorgasbord to celebrate the Scandinavian heritage of loggers, to Pack Horse Races to the Circle-Up Chuckwagon Dinner Show. It’s obvious that the locals put a lot of sweat equity into preserving their town.”

With ongoing preservation efforts, Dubois’ Main Street program collected $37,000 for two projects last year. The first project developed design guidelines for private owners of historic buildings and sites. The second project went to hiring a consulting firm to nominate three or four downtown structures to the National Register.

True West magazine, with an annual circulation of half a million, is in its 58th year of presenting the true stories of Old West adventure, history, culture and preservation.

On the web: www.truewestmagazine.com/stories/best_of_the_west_2011/1695/
www.duboiswyoming.org/
www.buffalowyoming.org/

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