.44 Caliber Colt Dragoon
Any Dragoon is considered scarce today. This particular Dragoon on display in our extensive firearm collection (a first model, serial #2068 manufactured in 1848) has a story behind it as well. It belonged to Thomas Corless – a well-known Mormon pioneer. He used it in the defense and battle at the Mormon outpost, Ft. Lemhi, near Salmon, Idaho, in 1858 against Shoshone and Bannock Indians. Corless is quoted as saying that after the battle he noticed a bullet had passed right through his tie. The fort was abandoned and the Mormons escaped to Salt Lake. It was the only settlement the Mormons lost to hostile opposition in the State of Deseret.
Gallatin Leather Holster
Colorado State Penitentiary Prison Spurs
Moffat County Sheriff’s Badge
Mat Rash
Fast-Draw Artifact from the Old West
Rusted Relic Rifle
August Buermann Spurs
One of the world's rarest Winchesters
Buffalo Bill’s Saddle – Made in Craig, CO
Jail-Stamped Leg Irons
Fast-Draw Shoulder Holster
The Yellowboy – Where Winchester Began
A Prisoner's Nightmare
Harry Tracy: The most underrated outlaw...by far
A Crown Jewel of Engraved Colts
RARE "Bad Bob" Meldrum Holster
Relic from the Last True Mountain Man
Brigham Young’s “Destroying Angel”
A Scarce Box of Model 1866 Ammunition
Cuffs Worn by Isam Dart When Murdered by Tom Horn
Incredible Pair of circa 1880s Cowboy Boots
Exceptionally Rare Buffalo Bill Poster
“Wild Horse Jack's” Remarkable Chaps
Charles Lindbergh’s Letter from the Sky
Ann Bassett: Queen of the Cattle Rustlers
The World’s First Wildlife Photographers
Augusta Wallihan’s .40 Caliber Hepburn Rifle
10,000 Year Old Bison Skull with Human Cut Marks!
Meeker Massacre Witness Account & Photos
Buster Brown’s Rare and Amazing Saddle
An EXCEPTIONALLY RARE piece of local currency
A Very Significant Firearm
Yampa Valley’s First Photo
Rare Stock of NW Colorado’s
Silent Film Company
RARE Stagecoach Artifact
1,680 Year Old Basket
Yampa Valley Trading Post Ledger (1870s)
The Isam Dart Tintype - FOUND!!
In 2016 the museum acquired Isam Dart's leather cuffs - he was wearing them when murdered in 1900 by infamous gun-for-hire, Tom Horn. The exhaustive research to assure the cuff’s authenticity led to a 1960s archive of a Denver reporter's notes. One note casually referred to “Mrs. Stanton” owning the original Isam Dart tintype photo.Who was Mrs. Stanton? Why did she have Isam’s original photo? Where was she now?!The museum discovered that a Bess Stanton had passed away in Utah in 1974 with no heirs. Interestingly, Mrs. Stanton was born in 1887 to the Allens - early settlers in Brown’s Park, CO where Isam lived and died. But what ever happened to Bess' belongings?Remarkably we found Bess’ attorney still practicing law. The attorney remembered that Bess’ friend Dick Bennett was the executor of her estate. Though the Bennetts had also passed away, they had a daughter alive and well – Joan Radosevich. She and husband Alex had also been longtime residents of Brown’s Park.Upon identifying Joan, a phone call was quickly placed with a simple question: “Do you happen to own a photo of a black cowboy named Isam Dart”? The rest is history.Joan and Alex recently donated an entire binder of items once owned by Mrs. Stanton to the museum. It contains not only the Isam tintype, but other highly significant items including 2 handwritten letters by Matt Warner – Butch Cassidy’s right hand man. In one letter Matt even talks about Tom Horn trying to kill him as well!So what do we know about the Isam photo? In 1890 Isam skipped bail while awaiting trial in Hahns Peak, CO for arson. He laid low in Denver for a couple of years where he had his picture taken by African American photographer John Green. Isam then mailed it to his friends, Bess’ parents, the Allens. Written on the original tintype sleeve in Bess' hand is: “Given to John C. Allen and wife around 1892”.