Museum of Northwest Colorado - Downtown Craig

04/14/2026

If you haven't seen this jaw-dropping presentation on Harry Tracy before, now's your chance! TONIGHT at 6:00 at the new distillery in Downtown Craig (406 Yampa Ave.)- hope to see you there!

6 PM TONIGHT at Dummy and Crane

Harry Tracy was not just another outlaw story. He was Northwest Colorado’s, and arguably the nation’s, most exceptional outlaw.

Join us tonight for History Night as Paul Knowles, Assistant Director of the , brings Tracy’s story to life through a visual presentation covering his jaw dropping exploits, including the ones that happened right here in our backyard.

This is the man who sparked one of the largest manhunts in U.S. history. A 1902 newspaper claimed Jesse James looked like a Sunday school teacher in comparison. Charming when it suited him. Ruthless when it didn’t. Always one step ahead… until he wasn’t.

We’ll be pouring a taste of Harry Tracy Rye with A blend with a little heat, a little smoothness, and a finish that will remind you how the story ends.

Come grab a drink, take a seat, and step into a story that still feels a little too wild to be true.

02/13/2026

Join us for the Grand Opening of our new exhibit on February 27th from 5:30-7:30. This event celebrates Moffat County history on the day of our 115th anniversary of countyhood.

To commemorate this milestone, we will start with a brief talk at 5:45 and follow with a community photo at 6pm.

The first 50 people through the doors will receive a free Moffat County Pin.

01/21/2026

Yampa Valley's "Lettuce Boom"
NEW PHOTO ACQUISITION!

Yampa Valley's “lettuce boom” began in 1921 near Yampa, CO and marked the region’s first truly successful cash crop, broadening an economy long centered on livestock and hay. The industry gained immediate attention when Frank and John Kenley, along with Fred Halstead reported earning roughly $3,000 (roughly $55,000 today) from just three railroad carloads grown on a five-acre plot. Their success sparked rapid expansion throughout the county. By 1924, thousands of acres were under cultivation and growers were shipping lettuce and spinach by rail for about $3 ($55 today) per crate. The returns were so strong that many local young people financed their college educations by farming small, independent tracts.

The prosperity proved short-lived. By 1928, repeated plantings had depleted the soil, and a destructive disease known locally as “slime” or slime mold spread through the fields. A severe freeze, combined with the rise of refrigerated trucking and national chain stores, finally collapsed the market in the late 1930s. Most growers returned to hay and cattle, though a handful of large producers continued through the 1950s.

This spectacular 1923 photo captures the W.B. Ross lettuce operation about 1.5 miles south of Yampa (looking north).

*A special recognition to the late Rita Herold for her tireless research into the fascinating history of South Routt.

12/31/2025

See you in the new year!

12/24/2025

Newest Acquisition!
Craig, CO Saloon Artifact

Just in time for Christmas, the museum was able to acquire this unassuming coin purse. Why is it special? Because it is a very rare artifact from one of Craig's earliest saloons!

Pictured here is a coin purse in the shape of a Christmas stocking from the Ledford & Kittell Corner Grocery in Downtown Craig, CO. But don't let the name fool you- by "grocery" they really meant "saloon" and "alcohol of all varieties sold by the bottle". Also pictured is a very rare, Ledford & Kittell "Good For 1 Drink" token from our collection.

The Ledford & Kittell Saloon was one of Craig's most popular watering holes in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Established by partners John Ledford and Irving Kittell shortly after settlement began, it quickly became a central social gathering place for ranchers, cowboys, and townspeople in what was then a rough, frontier community. Its prominence reflected the vital role saloons played in frontier towns as hubs of news, business, and recreation in the form of billiards. The Ledford & Kittell also helped anchor Craig’s budding commercial district and offered a lively locale for conversation, drinks, and the everyday bustle of a developing Colorado town. Ledford went on to become Moffat County's first sheriff in 1911, while Kittell decided to keep the establishment for a few more years and even began offering "real" groceries

12/04/2025

Routt County Photo Mystery SOLVED!

There exists a fascinating, albeit macabre, photograph that has intrigued our museum for years. The photo, a weathered human skull resting on a rock alongside other items, resides in an album at the Hahns Peak museum. It belonged to the Haughey family while living in Hahns Peak around 1905 before moving to Craig.* Unfortunately, the lack of photo descriptions made us doubt we'd ever solve the mystery of this amazing photo. Thanks to the digitization of our local newspapers, however, we just stumbled upon a local 1905 article that officially solves the mystery of what, when and where the photograph was from.

A human skeleton and other items were discovered in 1904 by children exploring up today's Seedhouse Rd. in North Routt County. The items consisted of a frying pan, old horse bit, homemade saddle and a heavily weathered muzzleloader rifle. It was estimated then that the items dated as far back as the mid-1860s. If true, this would make the individual among the earliest Europeans to visit that part of the country and perhaps even one of the first gold prospectors to Hahns Peak. The identity of the individual, however, is likely lost forever. But as today's discovery proves, we never say never when it comes to uncovering previously lost history.

Below is an excerpt from the 1905 article:

“The first thing that attracted their attention was a piece of iron projecting from the debris. Taking hold of it, with very little effort it was removed. It proved to be a frying pan. This was clear evidence that someone in the somewhat distant past had been there. The father, being informed of this, made further search, and lo! a complete skeleton of a human being was unveiled. A saddle was found and nearby was an old fashioned, very heavy curb bit. His gun was found. Everything was in a state of decay. Who this man was and where he was from no one knows, and there is no clew with which the shrewdest detective could ever unravel the mystery.”

*The Haugheys were a prominent Craig family. The Hahns Peak Historical Society generously gifted a copy of the album in hopes of more being discovered about the family and the album's contents.

11/25/2025

The Museum will be closed Thursday through Sunday for the Thanksgiving holiday. We will see you all December 1st!

11/21/2025

As the holidays quickly approach, let us never forget Craig's famous "Turkey Drop"!

09/24/2025

𝗝𝗘𝗥𝗘𝗠𝗜𝗔𝗛 𝗝𝗢𝗛𝗡𝗦𝗢𝗡: Behind the LOCAL Scenes!!
In 𝗕𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗻’𝘀 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗸 with the late 𝗥𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝗱𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗱

Did you know that the opening scene of Jeremiah Johnson, one of the most iconic films about the West, was filmed right in our back yard in 1971? This behind-the-scenes 8mm home movie was taken in Little Hole on the upper reaches of Brown’s Park on the Green River (see the “FASCINATING SIDE NOTE” below). It shows many of the characters of the film, including the recently deceased Robert Redford.

Robert Redford fell in love with this area’s history during his filming of the 1969 movie Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. He later spent a lot of time in and around Brown’s Park while researching his 1976 book The Outlaw Trail: A Journey Through Time.

𝗙𝗔𝗦𝗖𝗜𝗡𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗦𝗜𝗗𝗘 𝗡𝗢𝗧𝗘!!
This 8mm movie was shot by the granddaughter of Josie Bassett — Jane (MacKnight) Redfield. Josie was the remarkable woman of the West who, while growing up in Brown’s Park, became well acquainted with several of the most famous outlaws of the day, including Butch Cassidy himself. While filming this 8mm movie, Jane even convinced Mr. Redford to give her a ride on the back of his motorcycle between takes!

08/29/2025

✨You’re Invited! ✨
Join us for a special presentation by Bob and Gerri Sweeney, founders of the Craig Daily Press (est. 1960).

They’ll share the story of how the newspaper began and its impact on our community. This event celebrates the addition of the Craig Daily Press (1960–1982) being added to the free Colorado Historic Newspaper Collection—preserving local history for generations to come.

📍 Yampa Building, 755 Yampa Ave. Craig, CO
📅 Saturday, August 30, 2025
🕜 1:30 PM

📰 Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection is an online database that houses millions of digitized newspapers from various titles and years across Colorado. The site is FREE TO ALL!
https://www.coloradohistoricnewspapers.org/

🎥 Presentation will be recorded and available online within 2 weeks

Hosted by:
🤠 Preserving the Last Frontier
🏛️ Museum of Northwest Colorado

08/28/2025

We are sad to announce the passing of one of the nation's most influential presences in western and outlaw history, Jim Dullenty. In 2018, Jim donated his extensive 50+ year collection of research materials including rare photographs, notes, drafts and correspondence to the Museum of Northwest Colorado in Downtown Craig.

Born in 1941 in Montana, Jim eventually became the editor of 3 of the nation’s most well-known western history magazines: TrueWest, Frontier Times and Old West. He was also the founder of Western Outlaw and Lawman History Association (WOLA) and co-founder of the National Association for Outlaw and Lawman History (NOLA) which today are collectively known as the Wild West History Association. Jim was even awarded with the Montana Newspaper Association’s highest honor, the President’s Award, in 2017.

Jim’s meticulously researched book, Harry Tracy: The Last Desperado, is THE cornerstone book of one of the west’s most fascinating outlaws. Tracy's first of many murders occurred right here in NW Colorado and his full gun rig is on display in the museum.

We are forever indebted to Jim’s passion and contributions to the nation’s most revered history. We are honored to house his life’s work and are proud to ensure his legacy by making it available to western researchers, authors and academia.

Full obituary: https://bitterrootstar.com/2025/08/jim-dullenty/