City East Of Twin Falls ID Still Celebrates Butch Cassidy Robbery
Celebrations are inspired by many different occasions, and most signify something of a positive nature. It's not common though you see a city's source of pride stem from an armed robbery by a group of dangerous outlaws. Welcome to Montpelier.
When people talk of famous outlaws, names like "Billy The Kid," "The Dalton Gang" and Bonnie and Clyde probably enter into discussion. Butch Cassidy and his "Wild Bunch Gang," also reigned terror around the turn of the twentieth century in the United States, and one of the banks they robbed in a city 200 miles east of Twin Falls still stands to this day.
Montpelier, Idaho, is just a couple hours drive southeast of the Magic Valley, and is home to the Bank of Montpelier, which was established in 1891, according to visitidaho.com. In the summer of 1896, it was the sight of a robbery by Cassidy and his crew. It's the only known building the famous outlaw hit that still remains standing to this day.
You can no longer apply for a loan there or anything, but the building does house a museum and gift shop, and is annually celebrated by its townsfolk in period attire. People do pass through from time to time to also investigate the location for any remnants of Cassidy's ghost.
Visitors to the building can still get a glimpse of the original vault that was Cassidy's target that day. An August 13 reenactment of the robbery also takes place every year. For fans of the wild west time period, it's a must visit.