Miners and Stockmen’s Steakhouse & Spirits, Valentine’s Day & the Pony Express

In 1884 the town of Hartville was born, named after Major (Brevet Lt. Col). Verling K. Hart when Wyoming was still a territory.  Hartville, Wyoming, population 62, incorporated in 1911, was a thriving area during the copper and iron mining days.

The ore from Hartville to Badger Wyoming used 10 ore wagons and sixty horses.  By 1900, the railroads arrived.

Miners and Stockmen’s Steakhouse and Spirits is the oldest business in Wyoming and certainly the oldest in Hartville, Wyoming, population 62.  It is now a quiet community.  Except at the Steakhouse.  It is the only business left and is still open Thursday through Sunday 5:00 – 10:00 p.m.  Reservations aren’t mandatory but highly recommended. 

 They are known for serving top-grade steaks, along with 35 kinds of whiskey.  Oh – and you might want to order your dessert early because it is in such high demand you might miss out.  You won’t leave hungry.  Only with a desire to come back as soon as possible.

 It has served thousands of men- immigrants from all over the world -scratching a living out of the earth, as well as cattle rustlers.  There used to be maybe a dozen bars serving nearly 800 people. It was a rough and rowdy place, as most mining towns were in that era.  The last shootout on Main Street was in 1912.

The town housed several bordellos, dance halls, and gambling facilities.  It also boasted an opera house with live vaudeville productions, two newspapers, stables, cafes, bakeries, and several mercantiles.

They managed to build a school that doubled as a church on Sunday.  As you can see in my photo there are bars on the small block building behind the restaurant.  The jails held many, many unruly drunks – until Prohibition came to town. (It was either going to jail or church on Sunday!) Then the restaurant (not the current building) became just a restaurant with a hidden stairway to the basement where drinks were still served to a few. After Prohibition, the stairwell was no longer needed, and it became a restaurant and bar again.

When the mines closed in 1980 the town was in danger of losing its post office.  Some of the creative people in town, headed up by Daniel Offe, decided on a commemorative stamp in hopes of securing the future of their mail service.  They chose one for Valentine’s Day.  The stamp is a little different each year and is collected by people worldwide.

Pony Express comes into play in this event.  They ride into Hartville with all the valentines they’ve collected from neighboring areas of Guernsey and Platte County.  The children especially love this event as they get to pet the horses and experience history in the making.   It doesn’t hurt any that Offe’s 90-year-old mother makes cinnamon rolls for the occasion.  Along with coffee and visiting it’s an event to remember.

My maiden name is Hart, so reading about the history and the steakhouse piqued my interest considerably.  We made dinner reservations and headed across the state to sample the outstanding food and spent the previous night in Guernsey, about five miles from Hartville.  The weather had gotten so bad that we decided to head for home.  A very disappointing development.   I want to go back someday and sample that wonderful food.  It’s definitely on my bucket list.

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