Hoofprints of the Past Museum

Hoofprints of the Past Museum Our mission is to preserve, protect, and share the history of Kaycee and the American West.

The Hoofprints of the Past Museum was founded over 20 years ago by a group of local volunteers to preserve the unique cultural heritage of Kaycee and the surrounding countryside. That unique western history includes:
• The Bozeman Trail
• Early Settlement and Fort Reno
• Native Americans and the Dull Knife Battle
• The Johnson County Cattle War
• Famous Outlaws

The stories of these western events are shared through displays at the museum, in an historic building in downtown Kaycee. Our collection includes artifacts from famous local individuals and events, as well as a large number of Native American arrowheads. And unlike many museums today, Hoofprints of the Past does not hide away its artifacts in storage, but shares them with the public through a number of old-time displays including a:
• School house
• Mercantile Store
• Post Office
• Blacksmith shop
• Sheepwagon
• Doctor’s buggy

The Museum also has held a number of events for the public that help share local history, such as:
• Tours
• Western Plays
• Musical Performances
• Historical Presentations and Book Signings

The museum has produced DVD’s of many of these events, which are for sale in our museum store. Our store also carries a large number of books on local history, western posters and art, cards, and t-shirts.

In our last post we mentioned the community building that was at Nine Mile and the huge fairs that were held there. Here...
10/09/2026

In our last post we mentioned the community building that was at Nine Mile and the huge fairs that were held there. Here is a schedule for one of those fairs, which apparently drew hundreds of people.

This building may not look it, but at one time it was the Community Building used at the Nine Mile Community north and e...
10/07/2026

This building may not look it, but at one time it was the Community Building used at the Nine Mile Community north and east of Kaycee. That community was filled with homesteads and families from around 1900-1930, and there was enough rain to support dry farming. Wheat was raised and brought into the Kaycee Flour Mill. Huge fairs were held, as well as other community events, supported by this building. After all of this ended in the "dirty thirties," the Koch family brought it to their ranch, and protected it with the tin, which is why it still stands today. We appreciate Emma Koch sharing this history with us.

This shows the Mayoworth School and Teacherage buildings in October 1949. It was located roughly at the intersection of ...
10/05/2026

This shows the Mayoworth School and Teacherage buildings in October 1949. It was located roughly at the intersection of the Mayoworth and Mesa Roads on North Fork of the Powder River and upriver from the former Mayoworth Post Office and Store. Erma Cash Carr attended such a school, and later taught students there. She wrote, "Everyone brought a lunch to school, usually in a tin to***co box. In winter it was not unusual to find our sandwiches and apples frozen. The heat did not extend to the back of the room." Also, "Year readers were basic and we did have a few extra readers for quicker students.... All of the stories had obvious morals, they also had long words and we were required to know their meaning."

Patty Wilson and Kyle Mediate of the Fort Phil Kearney Frontier Regulars presented Living History at lunch on our recent...
10/02/2026

Patty Wilson and Kyle Mediate of the Fort Phil Kearney Frontier Regulars presented Living History at lunch on our recent Pioneers of Powder River Tour. We hope you enjoy it as much as everyone on the tour that day. We would like to thank all our speakers, volunteers, landowners and attendees who made the tour possible. Thank you!
https://youtu.be/8ZlVo8F_e6s

Last week we posted about the Lund family and D.S.P. and Mette, who established the Kaycee Meat Market. Here are some ph...
09/30/2026

Last week we posted about the Lund family and D.S.P. and Mette, who established the Kaycee Meat Market. Here are some photos of that building over time as it was operated and changed by different people and for different purposes.
First State Bank- 5th building.
Pharmacy operated by T.J. Gatchell before he moved his business to Buffalo.
Kaycee Meat Market before the 2002 Flood.
Cleaning up after the 2002 Flood of the Kaycee Meat Market, which was later town down.

Due to all the comments regarding the fond memories of Virgil (Babe) Lund, here is a photo of him in the Kaycee Meat Mar...
09/28/2026

Due to all the comments regarding the fond memories of Virgil (Babe) Lund, here is a photo of him in the Kaycee Meat Market many years ago.

We would like to thank the Johnson County Recreation District for funding new display lighting in the museum's display B...
09/27/2026

We would like to thank the Johnson County Recreation District for funding new display lighting in the museum's display Bedroom. It has made a tremendous difference in this space and for viewing these displays.

When you live in a small community, with families who have lived in the area for several generations, occasionally I am ...
09/25/2026

When you live in a small community, with families who have lived in the area for several generations, occasionally I am struck by the resemblance of ancestors to descendants. This is Jens (1841-1914) and Karen Lund (1843-1913), who came to American from Denmark and moved to North Dakota. Their son was D.S.P. Lund, who married Mette Marie and came to Kaycee, Wyoming in 1926. D.S.P. and Mette Lund operated a creamery on the north end of Jim Sellar's Kaycee Mercantile and delivered cream to Midwest. They developed a grocery business and moved into the former First State Bank/Gatchell Pharmacy and operated the Kaycee Meat Market. Eventually their son Virgil (Babe) took over the business which operated for many years in Kaycee.

Sorry for the delay in posting everyone. Experiencing some Facebook issues. Hopefully these are resolved soon.
09/23/2026

Sorry for the delay in posting everyone. Experiencing some Facebook issues. Hopefully these are resolved soon.

George Peterson was one of the earliest residents in Kaycee, and involved in many of the historical firsts and incidents...
09/09/2026

George Peterson was one of the earliest residents in Kaycee, and involved in many of the historical firsts and incidents in the area. Peterson built the second building in town, a saloon and was one of the owners and investors in the Kaycee Commercial Company, the first mercantile store in Kaycee. Peterson also owned the building south of the current post office which was a blacksmith shop for a time and operated the first post office in Kaycee in 1901 (probably out of his bar). Peterson was accused by the big cattlemen in 1889 of stealing one cow and was acquitted, which infuriated the big cattlemen so he was likely on the kill list of the Invaders. Peterson later purchased the Kaltenbach place west of Kaycee which was the scene of a shoot-out between the Hole in the Wall Gang in 1897. He married the great niece of Jim Bridger, Elisa Bridger Peterson. He was a historic early resident of Kaycee, and we are fortunate to have a few items that belonged to him in our collection.

Address

344 Nolan Avenue
Kaycee, WY
82639

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 9am - 5pm
Sunday 1pm - 5pm

Telephone

(307) 738-2381

Website

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