Johnson County, Wyoming -- tucked away between the rolling plains of the Old West and the towering peaks of the Bighorn Mountains. It's a land rich in both history and scenery. A place of sheep herders and cattle barons, renegades and rustlers. Where Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid holed up after their outlaw exploits. Where miners consumed with gold rush fever passed through on the Bozeman Trail. Where some of the most famous Indian battles in American history occurred.   And where the Johnson County Cattle War, a range land dispute which historians often deem one of the most notorious events in our history, left its mark here in the late 1880s ... and that Owen Wister wrote about in his epic American novel, The Virginian.  Johnson County is a place of legend and living history surrounded by one of the last best unspoiled places in the American West. (from the official Site of the Buffalo, Wyoming Chamber of Commerce
55 N. Main Street, Buffalo, WY 82834  Phone: 800-227-5122

Johnson County is surrounded by:

Sheridan County to the north

Campbell County to the east

Converse County to the southeast

Natrona County to the south

Washakie County to the west
 

Towns in Johnson County:
Buffalo and Kaycee

  Johnson County, formerly Pease County was named Johnson
  honor of E.P. Johnson an attorney of Cheyenne, Wyoming
  It was created December 8, 1875 (as Pease County) and
  organized May 10, 1881. Buffalo is the county seat. The
  name of the county was changed by the 1879 legislature.

 

 

 

“Timeline of the Johnson County Cattle War”

1889-July 20--Lynching of Jim Averill and Ella Watson (Cattle Kate) on the Sweetwater.	1886-1887--Disastrous winter
1890--Statehood	1891, June 4--Lynching of Tom Waggoner near Newcastle
1891, November 1--Nate Champion and Ross Gilbertson attacked at Hall cabin on Powder RIver	1891, November 26--Orley "Ranger" Jones bushwacked at Muddy Creek.
1891, December 1--John Tisdale bushwacked at the divide south of Buffalo.	1892, March 23--Gov. Barber ordered the National Guard to obey only state orders.
1892, April 5--special train in Cheyenne	1892, April 6--Special train in Casper
1892, April 7-8--Invaders arrive at TTT Ranch, day of rest.	1892, April 9--Attack at dawn on the KC cabin where Nick Ray and Nate Champion were killed.
1892, April10-13--Seige of the TA Ranch.	1892, April 15--Funeral for Champion and Ray: April16 Coroner's jury and 39 invaders indicted.
1892, April 19--Invaders moved to Ft.Fetterman; April 22 moved to Ft.Russell, Cheyenne.	1892, May 9--George Wellman shot
1892, July 5--Preliminary hearing in Laramie changed venue to Cheyenne;  August 10 Invaders released on own recognizance;  Texans left.	1893, January 21--Case was dismissed
With permission from Johnson County Library

 

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IndianRockArtCaves Seventeen prehistoric rock drawings including a large warrior figure dominate this inspiring cave, located in the heart of the Hole in the Wall. FortReno Once a fort which served to protect travelers along the Bozeman Trail from Indian Attacks and to maintain a military presence in the area, FortReno was evacuated in 1868 when a peace treaty with the Indians was agreed upon. FortPhilKearny FortPhilKearny, one of the three forts built as the U.S. Army moved north to protect immigrants on the Bozeman Trail, is located at the foot of the Big Horns which was then Crow land. This, the largest stockade post of its time, was under daily attack by Lokota and Cheyenne warriors during its brief two year existence.  Crazy Woman Battlefield When a military supply wagon bound from fortReno to Fort Phil Kearny in July of 1866 neared Crazy Woman Crossing of the Bozeman Trail, Indians attacked the expedition and a day long siege began. Late in the afternoon, soldiers from Fort Phil Kearny arrived and rescued the wagon train. This particular crossing of the Bozeman Trail was a favorite ambush site of the Indians. FettermanMonument On December 21, 1866, Captain W. J. Fetterman and 80 men, including two civilians, were lured over Lodge Trail Ridge, ambushed and killed by 2,000 Lakota, Cheyenne and Arapaho warriors. Crazy Horse, who would become better known in later years, was instrumental in setting the successful trap for Fetterman and his command. This was the worst defeat suffered by the U.S. military at the hands of the Indians until ten years later at the Little Big Horn. Wagon Box Fight On August 2, 1876, Captain Powell and 31 other soldiers were able to withstand a large Indian attack led by Red Cloud and his nephew. The woodcutting detail had been recently supplied with the newly converted Springfield breech loading rifles. This new firearm technology and the protection the circled wagon boxes were influencing factors in this famous battle. Dull Knife Battle In November of 1876, on the Red Fork of the Powder River, the beginning of the final chapter of the Indian Wars took place when Colonel MacKenzie and the U.S. military attacked Chief Dull Knife and the northern Cheyenne, driving them from the Powder River country. Soon after this battle, many hostile Indian groups began to surrender and transition to reservation life began   TA Ranch In April of 1892, a group of Wyoming cattleman and their hired guns from Texas took refuge at the TA Ranch just south of Buffalo. Here the cattlemen were attacked by angry homesteaders, townspeople and rustlers. After three days, the cattlemen surrendered to federal troops from FortMcKinney and the final chapter of the famous Johnson county Cattle War was started Hole in the Wall The Hole in the Wall is closely associated with such names as Butch Cassidy and the Wild Bunch along with other lesser known outlaws who frequented this area of southern JohnsonCounty while evading the law. The entire area west of Kaycee is referred at as the Hole in the Wall Country. OutlawCave Another place associated with the Hole in the Wall country and notorious outlaws. The Middle Fork of the Powder River where the cave is located is also know for its Indian lore. The RockArtCave is nearby

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GENEALOGY TRAILS AND HISTORY GROUP.
 Home of FREE GENEALOGY.We would like to help you find, preserve and remember your ancestors and record the role they played in creating this great state of Wyoming. My name is Jo Ann Boyd Scott. I grew up on a ranch in southern Montana and went to high school in Sheridan, WY. I do lookups, e-mail me. Because we are a new website, we are looking for county hosts. If you would be interested in volunteering, please visit our Volunteer Information Page and get in touch with Kim. Enough html knowledge to build a basic webpage is required, along with a desire to transcribe data. I will help you get started or help me as a co-host on any county but Sheridan. Subscribe to mailing list.This site is continually growing, check back

 

JOHNSON COUNTY, WYOMING