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Just one block away from the Occidental Hotel, the Gatchell Museum is a great place to get a rich overview of the Indian Wars and of the entire history of Powder River Country. The collection was begun in the early part of the 20th Century, when local pharmacist Jim Gatchell started trading prescriptions and sundries for Indian artifacts, cowboy gear, guns, and historic memorabilia. Since Gatchell's customers and friends included such famous figures as Curley (Custer's favorite Crow scout) and Frank Grouard (who may have caused the murder of Crazy Horse), Gatchell was able to amass an incredibly important collection that soon filled the walls and shelves of his drug store. Since Gatchell's death, local citizens have continued to donate their most precious historical possessions to the Gatchell Museum -- and the result is a collection that may be the best of its kind in the American West. |
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