Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Still the heart of downtown, the Irma is starting to show her age a little bit. The rooms
are basic but still charming, and it's fun to stay in Buffalo Bill's original suite or imagine
the royalty that stayed in many of the other rooms. You don't need to spend a night, though,
to get a real sense of the history. Visitors can enjoy a drink at the bar or a full meal at
The Irma
(7am-2pm and 5pm-9pm Mon.-Sat., 7am-2:30pm and 5pm-9pm Sun. mid-May-
Sept., 5:30pm-8:30pm Fri.-Sat. Oct.-mid-May, $10-34), serving breakfast, lunch, and din-
ner, which is known for prime rib and delicious steaks. The atmosphere alone is worth the
price of the meal.
Heart Mountain
Heart Mountain
lies halfway between Cody and Powell and takes its name from the twin
summits atop the mountain range that resemble a heart. Driving east on U.S. Highway 14A,
the mountains become clearly visible. The range is a puzzle for many geologists and has in-
spired heated debate. It seems to be part of rock formations found in Yellowstone National
Park, 60 miles away, but how they ended up in their present location is unclear. Further-
more, it is an “upside down” mountain, with strata of limestone appearing at the top with
younger strata below.
Heart Mountain was the site of a Japanese American internment camp during World War
II. Between 1942 and 1945, more than 14,000 people of Japanese descent (at least two-
thirds of whom were American citizens) were relocated to this isolated terrain. Confined by
barbed-wire fences and armed prison guards, they did their best to create a sense of com-
munity and normalcy under difficult living conditions. Of the 120,000 people detained in
the 10 internment camps across the country, not one was ever found guilty of espionage or
conspiring with the enemy. The camps were a result of heightened wartime hysteria, the
fear-mongering of politicians, and acute racism.
