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Museum of Northwest Colorado - Downtown Craig

Name: Museum of Northwest Colorado - Downtown Craig
Address: 590 Yampa Avenue, Craig, CO, 81625, US
Telephone: (970) 824-6360
Price range: $

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Museum of Northwest Colorado - Downtown Craig

One of the largest collections of cowboy gun, spur, leather and other paraphernalia on public display

The Museum of Northwest Colorado is located in downtown Craig, Colorado and is open year round with FREE ADMISSION. It features local, regional and traveling exhibits and is home to the world renowned Cowboy & Gunfighter Collection. The museum is housed in a beautifully restored 90 year old armory complete with an exquisite old stage. The museum also serves as a regional research facility with extensive resources including many primary sources, documents and photographs. The exceptional Cowboy & Gunfighter Collection represents a fifty year effort by Bill Mackin to gather and preserve fine, old cowboy gear. The guns, gun leather, chaps, spurs, saddles, and other accoutrements now represent one of the world’s finest collections of western Americana. Other exhibits include the newly installed Locked Horns exhibit, which is a re-creation, with an interactive element, of an actual fight to the death by two mule deer south of Craig. Other exhibits feature Moffat Road railroad history, the history of the local coal mining industry, and a display of Native American artifacts. Other traveling and special exhibits are on display throughout the year.

09/25/2026

MUSEUM MARVELS #7 of 50
Ready to Fire & Left for Decades!

𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘺𝘱𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘳𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘭, 𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘶𝘮, 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦'𝘴 𝘢 𝘨𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵.

So how do we determine a “Museum Marvel” artifact? It’s typically a combination of rarity, value, beauty and history. But every once in a great while an item doesn’t need any of that. This artifact, for instance, isn’t exceptionally rare nor especially valuable. And it’s certainly not beautiful. But as for its story- yeah, we don’t have a clue about that either.

Despite all of that, if this r***e could talk, you'd ABSOLUTELY want to listen. Here's why:

Reason #1
These are the rusted remains of a Wi******er Model 1873 – “The Gun That Won the West”. It is one of the most emblematic artifacts of the American West.

Reason #2
It was found smack-dab in the middle of major outlaw country (Brown’s Park, Colorado) in the mid-1960s by Jack Leonard. Laying on the ground under some sagebrush, it had obviously been there a VERY long time. Brown’s Park in the late 1800s was occasionally a wild place. It was frequented by various outlaws including Butch Cassidy, Tom Horn, Elzy Lay and many more. It was also home to more than a few infamous shootings.

Reason #3
This r***e is fully-cocked and ready to fire. Nobody walks or rides with their r***e at full-cock unless they are anticipating its imminent use. Even then, you wouldn’t just set it down and accidentally forget about it since your fi***rm could mean the difference between life and death. So why was this r***e, an invaluable item of the day, simply left laying on the ground, ready to fire, for decades? Shootout? Ambush? Revenge? Robbery? Animal attack?

We will likely never know what was occurring that fateful day long ago. But that doesn't change the fact that this Wi******er most certainly carries an amazing story forever locked away in it's rusted bones. Because of that, we hold it in very high esteem. Thankfully we have very vivid imaginations!

What's your guess?

Make sure to follow us for dozens more jaw-dropping artifacts in our Museum Marvels series.

09/18/2026

MUSEUM MARVELS #6 of 50
RARE! No Holster. No Draw. Just Shoot.

𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘺𝘱𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘳𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘭, 𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘶𝘮, 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦'𝘴 𝘢 𝘨𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵.

Even though quick-draw duels were, in reality, exceptionally rare in the West, the Bridgeport Rig was built with just such an encounter in mind: shoot faster than the other guy.

Invented in 1882 by Texas sheriff Louis Flatau, the Bridgeport Rig replaced a revolver’s hammer screw with a much larger protruding stud. The modified fi***rm would then slide into a steel clip mounted onto a gun belt and, once in place, could be simply rotated and fired. No holster. No draw. Just rotate and shoot.

ANY Bridgeport Rig is considered extremely rare. However this one is truly extraordinary, as it is quite possibly the finest example that still exists.

Even so, it gets even better.

The belt on this rig was made by famed Cheyenne, WY saddle maker J.S. Collins, whose work is associated with some of the West’s most famous figures (Buffalo Bill, Theodore Roosevelt etc.). Any example of Collins’ work is highly coveted and rare–much less when one of the West’s most extraordinary contraptions is slapped onto it!

While the design saw limited civilian and law-enforcement use, the U.S. military was decidedly unimpressed. One of the most common complaints was that the fi***rm could easily be damaged while dangling off the hip with virtually no protection from weather, saddle gear, and other obstacles.

One military report was especially blunt:
“No trooper who has regard for his horse would shoot from the hip.” And, "The revolver would require constant watching to prevent loss during a day’s ride.”

Though the original idea never gained traction on the frontier, more than 140 years later the Bridgeport Rig remains one of the rarest and most fascinating attempts to gain an edge in a gunfight.

09/11/2026

MUSEUM MARVELS #5 of 50
Ann Bassett’s Murdered Love - Mat Rash

This rare image was Ann Bassett’s personal photograph of her purported love interest, Mat Rash, who was killed in 1900. The consensus was that Mat and Ann's friend, Isam Dart, were shot by the West’s most infamous gun-for-hire, Tom Horn, after being paid by the Two Bar ranch. After their deaths, Ann was frequently accused of stealing Two Bar cattle.

As mentioned in our last Museum Marvels ( #4), “Queen” Ann Bassett was eventually arrested and tried in Craig, CO in 1911 after accusations from cattle baron and Two Bar owner Ora Haley. It was believed that Ann’s years of suspected rustling was a form of retaliatory justice after Mat and Isam’s murders. She was ultimately acquitted.

Later in life, Ann wrote in her notebook (now in the museum’s collection) an extremely revealing glimpse into her character, motivations, and even her view that women were superior - by a long shot. In it, she also offered a nearly full confession.

“…men enjoyed the pastime sport of having me arrested and dragged through the courts for various alleged crimes against the lordly Two-Bar – many of which I was as guilty as hell!”

She continued, “Let men brag about their brute strength, yet when they get mired up to the ankles they invariably SOS the women, exactly as I do, knowing when one’s knees get to wobbling, they can back up against the supporting cast of woman’s strength. For despite several errors, women are still a length ahead in this human race, two years old or over.”

There aren't many lines to read between there!

This photograph of Mat Rash was taken shortly before his death in 1900 and is one of the only known photographs of him. It was donated by Bill Haworth, Ann’s great-nephew along with several other of Ann’s personal effects.

09/03/2026

100 YEARS AGO!
Craig's Legendary 3-Year Shutout Streak

In 1926 the Craig High School “Mavericks” accomplished something only a handful of football programs in the entire nation can claim. Not only did they go undefeated for the whole season, but they never allowed a single point. But the story doesn’t end there- not even close!

The day before the final game of the 1926 season, the Craig Empire newspaper wrote, “If Craig High comes through tomorrow’s game with Steamboat Springs unscored upon, it will establish a new record for Maverick football teams and put the “1926 eleven” on a pedestal where it is likely to remain for many, many years. And the Mavericks say they can do it and go down in history as the team that was never scored upon”.

And the Mavericks did it. They came through with a 10–0 victory and became one of very few teams in high school history to finish a season without allowing a single point—a feat that has been matched in Colorado only twice in the 100 years since. Well… actually three times, if you count the Mavericks’ very next season!

In 1927, Craig still refused to allow opponents to score. Hayden had the best chance to take the Mavericks down when they forced a 0-0 tie in the final game of the season. With both teams desperately wanting the win, a rematch was scheduled and Craig won 13-0. Yet again, they allowed 0 points in an entire season.

Astonishingly, the 1928 season started out just as before. Craig continued to completely shut down the competition as they beat Steamboat, Hayden and Oak Creek. It all finally came to an end in October of that year when Meeker gave the Mavericks a dose of their own medicine with a 0-27 defeat. Craig’s streak had ended at 17 straight shutout games. Unfortunately, Colorado doesn’t recognize a shutout record across multiple seasons. If they did, the Maverick’s dominance would likely stand above them all.

1926 SEASON
Craig/Meeker 18-0
Craig/Hayden 26-0
Craig/Meeker 3-0
Craig/Steamboat 15-0
Craig/Oak Creek 45-0
Craig/Oak Creek 40-0
Craig/Steamboat 10-0
Craig/Hayden (Hayden Forfeit)

1927 SEASON
Craig/Steamboat 6-0
Craig/Hayden 18-0
Craig/Oak Creek 13-0
Craig/Meeker 13-0
Craig/Hayden 0-0
Craig/Hayden 13-0

1928 SEASON
Craig/Steamboat 12-0
Craig/Hayden 6-0
Craig/Oak Creek 25-0
Craig/Meeker 0-27

PHOTO CAPTION
Top row L-R: James Sheeks, Tom Johnston, Coach Schwab, Hersh Beaver, Bob Helm. Middle Row: L-R: Phil Albritton, Fred Harris, Joe Carroll, Byron Simons, Blakely Hamilton, Cassidy Thompson. Bottom Row: L-R: Loyd Slaight, Ray Kusey, Earl DeLong, Dard Albritton (Captain), Harold Shrewsbury, Walter Welch, Clayton Davis.

08/31/2026

MUSEUM MARVELS #4 of 50
The Badge That Arrested Ann Bassett

𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘺𝘱𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘳𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘭, 𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘶𝘮, 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦'𝘴 𝘢 𝘨𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵.

In 1911, Moffat County, Colorado formed and John Ledford was appointed as its first sheriff. Ledford was a well-known pioneer in northwest Colorado who had previously driven the mail stage and co-owned a popular saloon in Downtown Craig.

As luck would have it, one of Ledford's very first arrests would be one of his most memorable. With a shiny new badge upon his chest, he made his way to Brown’s Park where he was to arrest “Queen” Ann Bassett. Ann was accused of cattle rustling by the cattle baron, Ora Haley, of the Two Bar Ranch.

Ora Haley had been waiting years for an opportunity to take Ann down. She had been a thorn in his side ever since the killing of her love interest, Mat Rash, by the West's most infamous gun-for-hire, Tom Horn, in 1900. Horn was very likely hired by Mr. Haley to eliminate Mat and, just a couple months later, Ann's friend Isam Dart.

During her arrest (at today's Smelter Ranch), a few of Ann’s cow hands tried to physically block Mr. Ledford. However, after 20 years as a saloon owner, he was not easily intimidated. Ledford pulled his double-barreled sh***un and threatened to take as many men as he could before they got him. The arrest was allowed to proceed.

At Ann’s trial in Craig, Ora Haley was put on the stand. Ann’s attorney prodded Haley’s ego by asking if his cattle operation in NW Colorado large. Haley boasted that his was the largest. Haley was then asked if he would share with the jury how large it was, to which he proudly claimed that he ran 10,000 head – the most in the region. To this, Ann's attorney incredulously asked why Mr. Haley, just four months prior, had only claimed 5,600 head for tax purposes. From that genius baiting, Haley lost credibility and the case immediately turned - Ann was ultimately found not guilty.

You could probably count on one hand how many women were ever arrested and tried for cattle rustling. Ann and her sister Josie would count for two of them. Though both sisters were acquitted, Ann later admitted she was "guilty as hell".

After two terms as sheriff, John Ledford became a rancher until his death in 1937 at the age of 77. His badge and the sh***un used to arrest Ann Bassett are currently on display in the museum.

08/28/2026

History continues tonight at Moffat County High School.
See you there!

08/26/2026

MUSEUM MARVELS #3 of 50
John Cox Spurs - From Convict to Craftsman

This set of Colorado State Penitentiary prison spurs are some of the best known to exist and are nothing short of jaw dropping.

Before they became known for making license plates, prisoners in the early 20th century were frequently known for producing highly artistic cowboy paraphernalia. When it came to spurs, it was hard to find much finer than those produced at Colorado State Penitentiary in Canon City.

The fact that these were made at the Canon City prison makes them museum worthy, but the quality of craftsmanship puts them in a league of their own. There is one prisoner in particular at Canon City that was known for this type of quality: John Cox.

John Cox arrived in the Colorado State Penitentiary in 1897 and was in for life. His sentence stemmed from an argument over a game of pool at a saloon in Altman, CO. During the argument Cox pulled his pistol on Robert Daily. Daily then opened up his coat and dared Cox to shoot him – Cox happily obliged.

In 1909 a new warden named Thomas Tynan arrived at Canon City. He was determined to put the prisoners to work at something that benefited both them and the state by making crafts that could be sold in the prison’s gift shop. John Cox, with his meticulously detailed spurs, quickly became the prison’s star spur maker. He died in 1940 and his spurs are now a highly coveted and rare find.

These particular spurs were owned by Bob Fulton, a sheriff of Garfield and Rio Blanco Counties, and his brother-in-law, Wh**ey Eliason, who was famous as a cowboy for the K-T ranch.

08/19/2026

Where in Moffat County?
Do you know where this historic photo was taken?

Here is the current "Where in Moffat County" image in the most recent Craig Press. New images are added every week as well as the answers to the previous week's image.

Feel free to make your guesses here!

08/02/2026

We will be closed on Monday August 3, 2026 in observance of Colorado Day.

Colorado Day is August 1st and commemorates the 150th anniversary of the state of Colorado. This year is also the 250th anniversary of the United States marking a Sesquisemiquincentennial Celebration (say that ten times fast!) across Colorado this year.

We hope you enjoy the celebration for our Centennial State, and we will see you at the museum on Tuesday.

07/29/2026

Address

590 Yampa Avenue
Craig, CO
81625

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm
Saturday	10am - 4pm

Telephone

(970) 824-6360

Website

http://www.museumnwco.org/

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