Butch Cassidy and the Wild Bunch galloped through the American West in the late 1800s. They pulled train and bank robberies from Idaho to Colorado, Utah to New Mexico, and Nevada to Montana.
Cassidy began his long run of successful robberies at the Montpelier, Idaho Bank. Today, that bank is the location of the Butch Cassidy Museum attraction.
Linda’s Pick of the Exhibits
When it comes to the old west, I’m a fan. End of story. So, when I learned about the Butch Cassidy Bank Robbery Museum on our drive through Idaho, I had to stop!
The historical documentation and photos that covered the walls were my favorite part of this museum. As a researcher, I’m always keen to read primary source materials. And I’d already read a lot about Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid while writing my outlaw books.
Several of the Wild Bunch outlaws, including the Sundance Kid, were part of the plots in my novels. My nonfiction book, Station No. 1 on the Outlaw Trail, covers the outlaw trail they rode that ran from Mexico to Saskatchewan.
What outlaw books has Linda written?
I loved doing the research for these outlaw books as it took me to Saskatchewan’s Big Muddy many times. The full and half day tours out of Coronach all included stops at the cave hideout.
Caves in Saskatchewan, you ask? Yes, the badlands have caves.
The Big Muddy is made up of badlands, which were a great place for outlaws to skip across the U.S. border to hide in. When pursued in Canada, they just slipped over the border to the U.S. side to avoid capture.
The Books
What’s in the Butch Cassidy Museum?
The Butch Cassidy Museum’s claim to fame is that it’s in the original old west bank building robbed in 1896.
Fast Fact: The Montpelier Bank is the last standing bank verified to have been robbed by Cassidy.
When you visit the museum, you walk on the same hardwood floor that Butch did when he held it up.
You can also see the steel bars in front of the bank tellers’ cages.
Why is Butch Cassidy famous?
According to Biography.com, Butch Cassidy had the longest stretch of successful train and bank robberies in American history. Cassidy, along with members of his gang, the Wild Bunch, made headlines across the country. However, they always managed to elude their would-be captors: sheriffs, deputies, and the Pinkerton detectives.
Butch Cassidy committed many types of crimes, starting with the pair of overalls he stole as a 13-year-old. The story goes that, in need of clothes, he rode into town after a day’s ranch work. However, the Utah store was closed. So, he broke in and left a sheet of paper with his name and an IOU note. The owner had him arrested anyway.
Butch Cassidy is credited with five bank robberies according to the museum’s research:
- June 34, 1889 – San Miguel Valley Bank in Telluride, Colorado (approx. $21,000)
- August 13, 1896 – The Bank of Montpelier in Montpelier, Idaho ($7,142)
- September 19, 1900 – First National Bank in Winnemucca, Nevada ($32,640)
- February 14, 1905 – Banco de Tarapaca, Rio Gallegos, Argentina (approx. $20,000)
- December 19, 1905 – Banco de la Nacion, Villa Mercedes, Argentina (approx. $14,000 pesos)
Story of the Day Butch Cassidy Robbed the Montpelier Bank
On August 13, 1896, Cassidy and his outlaw gang stopped at the hitching rail across the street. It was just minutes before the bank’s closing time.
Fast Fact: The robbery is said to have taken place at 13 minutes after 3 o’clock, right after the 13th deposit of the day for $13.
An outlaw pointed a gun at the pay teller, A. N. Mackintosh. Mackintosh leaned up against the wall while Cassidy scooped money up into a gunny sack.
Cassidy ended up with around $7000 before calmly walking out the door.
Bob Meeks held the horses across the street.
According to some accounts, a little boy noticed the commotion and ran into the Barber Shop.
The boy yelled, “Robbery! Robbers! Somebody is robbing the bank!”
That didn’t stop Cassidy. He rode off into the not-yet-sunset on his horse.
Bub Meeks was the only one caught shortly after the crime.
Fast Fact: Meeks was sentenced to 35 years in prison for his part in the Montpelier Bank Robbery. He was sent to the Idaho State Penitentiary at just 19. He tried to escape a number of times, once even trying to commit suicide by jumping off the prison wall!
Linda’s Road Trip Tips
A lot of this trip through Idaho we went south down I-29. We found two great museums: The Museum of Clean and The Potato Museum before taking Hwy 20 into Montpelier.
The museum is also a good stop on your way to Yellowstone National Park if you’re heading north.
While you’re in Montpelier, you can stretch your legs on a walking tour.
The Montpelier history tour connects you to the city’s history with Brigham Young and the Mormon settlers. Although we didn’t have time to stop, there’s also a Rails and Trails Museum in Montpelier.
If you’re looking for a cold one and some lunch, check out the Butch Cassidy Saloon. It’s two blocks east of the museum and was created by Radek Konarik, who also established the museum.
Who Should Visit the Butch Cassidy Bank Robbery Museum?
The Butch Cassidy Bank Robbery Museum is a fun stop for anyone traveling through the area. And even more fun if you’re a fan of old west stories.
Cassidy is a big part of western outlaw stories, so most people will be familiar with his name and activities.
It only took us about half an hour to go through the museum. However, if you want to read more of the materials (I was already familiar with many), it will take longer.
How Do You Visit the Montpelier Butch Cassidy Museum?
The Butch Cassidy Bank Robbery Museum is located in the original Montpelier Bank robbed in 1896 in Montpelier, Idaho.
Street Address: 833 Washington St, Montpelier, Idaho.
Parking: There's lots of street parking directly in front of the museum.
The museum is open seasonally, from May through September. Check the website for specific days and hours.
Keep up-to-date with what’s happening with the Butch Cassidy Museum / Bank of Montpelier Facebook page.
Take a virtual tour of the Butch Cassidy Museum on YouTube.
Plan your visit to the Butch Cassidy Museum with Google maps.
Read More Museum Reviews for Idaho
Check out more reviews for museum attractions in Idaho on guide2museums.com.
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