The Little Town with the Big Heart

Buffalo is the greatest little town. When we were coming out west on vacation 17-18 years ago, we were always headed up to Flathead Lake in MT to charter a fishing boat to catch and release those big old lake trout.  We were definitely leaving Maryland because the air and population were quickly killing me with no immune system. We had sorta decided to move to Missoula, MT but every time we would arrive each summer, it just seemed exponentially bigger. That’s what we were trying to get away from.  Because of the mileage, we always stopped twice in Buffalo, on the way there and again on the way back. We always stayed at the Wyoming Motel across from Col. Bozeman’s so we could get a nice little breakfast before heading off again.

So, we’re sitting in Bozeman’s having breakfast and I tell Rob that I don’t want to move to Missoula, it’s turning into what we’re trying to leave and he asks where would I prefer? I say “What’s wrong with Buffalo? It has everything…library, hospital, POOL, mtns, YMCA…heck, even the bartender down at the local bar (Century) remembers us every time we come through town.”  So we head back east and start planning. The following year we come out and as we reach a pullout right in front of the Bighorns, there are 3 rainbows stretched across the valley floor in front of Buffalo and those big shining mountains!  Three years later we moved here and Rob got a job over the phone at Col Bozeman’s, the very place that conversation took place! It was hilarious, Rob has always worked local gov’t but he was awesome with the restaurant staff. That carried us thru for 2 years until he became the first County Planner for our 4,186 sq MILE county, which he does to this day.

Buffalo is a small town. Now most of you, when you think small town, you know there’s another one in another mile or two….not in Wyoming! When that highway sign says “next services 60 miles” you sure better take heed, cuz the only thing you’ll run into maybe a pronghorn antelope or two thousand but no gas, no people.  Buffalo (pop 4,100) is 35 miles from Sheridan (pop 14,000) and 45 miles from Kaycee (pop 230). There is NOTHING in between except ranches and wildlife.  Sometimes, when they close the highway due to snow, it’s a lovely feeling knowing you are absolutely cut off from the rest of the world!

Now, the people of Buffalo…wow.  Awesome folks and we got every kind here. The locals who have lived here all their lives are salt of the earth, hardworking, honest, loving, give you the shirt off their back sorts…real cowboys and cowgirls, who work very hard to keep their ranches going. Then you have the ones who have sought refuge here, like us, and love it just as fiercely. We have a huge artistic bunch here..potters, painters, sculptors, photographers.  And, we have the biker group, who love to ride in the mtns and like living close to Sturgis. And then there’s the outdoor enthusiasts, who have every implement of mass distraction..snowmobiles, snowshoes, 4 wheelers and of course, we all hunt, pretty much. But those of us who live here only hunt what we eat. We have a nice population of Moose, a large pop of Elk and gorgeous mule deer, white tail deer and more pronghorn antelope than anywhere in the country. We also have a pretty transient population of workers that come thru to work the methane fields and mines, the good ones stay.

The amazing thing is that all of these people get along…the rednecks and the stiff shirts, the bikers and the cowboys, the ethereal artists and the rough rodeo stock and we actually LIKE EACH OTHER!

I was, at first,  afraid that my having AIDS would not be looked upon kindly here, but me being me, couldn’t keep it a secret…that’s not me. It was 1998 when we first moved here and education was still sporadic as to transmission and such, so I was very hesitant. But I dove in anyway.  And guess what, no one had a problem!  One old guy was telling AIDS jokes in the bar one night and Rob very gently pulled him aside and told him about me and the poor cowboy about imploded and apologized so much I thought he was gonna keel over. He still comes up to me every time I see him and sincerely asks how I’m doing. Sometimes the best education is a walking one! It still amazes me when someone I’ve known for years says they didn’t know I was sick…..this town does have it’s own gossip pipeline, if you don’t know what you’re doing, just ask your neighbor, he’s got it all written down….

Well, I could just go on and on this morning but I’ll let you rest your eyes a bit for now. All I have to say about Buffalo could never be put on paper, you have to see it for yourself. I’ve never lived anywhere as long as I’ve lived here and this is HOME to me and the people here are my family, every pea-picking one of them. When someone’s in trouble, we all gather the wagons here. We just had a benefit not long ago for Joe Jarvis for medical expenses and the first item up for bid at the auction was a pan of cinnamon rolls…..went for $600…..that’s Buffalo!