There are many things to love about this tiny little Western town. When you roll up on the town, cruise control set at 70, the first sign of civilization is the 30 miles per hour speed limit sign. As you rapidly decelerate ad wake from the stupor of the long, empty drive, JB’s comes up on the right. You make quick note of the abandoned cottages just short of them, and then…the Virginian. The impressive building towers up ahead, the only building of its height in the one-story town.

As you approach the run-down restaurant, though, you will see a wooden log cabin, recently refinished, and a small railroad depot with a bright red metal roof across the street. In front of the two buildings is a freshly-painted sign labeling the Medicine Bow Museum. As you pull in, you note a small pyramid of petrified wood and a sign listing all the local cattle brands. You wander outside for a bit, peeking inside the sheepherder’s wagon and marveling at the tiny size of the antique camper.

Inside, a friendly old woman greets you with energy, offering you a tour. She walks you through the building, sharing facts and stories about the family that lived there and telling you about the dangers of the speedy trains as the railroad moved from coal to diesel. Her hands gesture as she describes the effort made to roll the building back from its original place within arms reach of the tracks.

Next, you move through the master bedroom and the door constructed just for the museum patrons, envisioning the passengers that once waited here for their train. In the office, you learn about the airmen and railroad men that helped form this country, watching trains roll by and feeling the shake of their weight close by. You listen to the tinny rattling of glass as you view the world as the station agent once did.

Finally, you wander into the freight room, the perennial coating of dust only barely kept at bay by the diligent efforts of its caretakers. You examine many tools, unique and common, but all old and hand crafted. You learn here about the everyday people, the ranchers and firefighters of Medicine Bow, and the one-of-a-kind problems ranchers solved there with a variety of handmade tools.

At the end of your tour, you walk around to the railroad car, examining the torn and dusty seats and imagining the people who long ago rode on them. On your own, you walk through the Owen Wister cabin, looking at articles of everyday life and reading the plaques dedicated to those who preserved its history.

At last, with a recommendation from the tour guide and several books under your arms, you head to the C Spear for the best food in town.