Medicine Bow and the Virginian

We left Cheyenne and traveled highway 30 through Medicine Bow to Rawlins, WY where we had reservations for one night.     We stopped in Medicine Bow to visit the museum and also the famous Virginian Hotel from the 1902 western novel by Owen Wister.   The Virginian is a 1902 novel set in the Wild West.    It describes the life of a cowboy on a cattle ranch and was the first true western novel ever written.

Today Medicine Bow consists of the museum, the hotel, a couple of garages, post office and a few homes.   We toured the museum and the cabin of the author, Owen Wister and then stepped across the street for lunch at the Virginian Hotel.   The hotel has an ornate dining room names The Owen Wister Room, a casual dining area and bar.    We toured the two floors of rooms and then took pictures outside.

The Virginian was adapted for the movie and stage and became a TV show from 1962-1971 starring
James Drury and Doug McClure.   It is loosely based on the Wister novel.  

From there we continued on to Rawlins, commenting on our way that the highway seemed deserted with the exception of 2 bicycle riders, a few motor cycles and 2-3 cars.   Best not have car trouble out here!  We also saw many pronghorns grazing along the road.