Carol Shirey’s parents retired to Buffalo, Wyoming, over 10 years ago. She had made the trip from Los Angeles, California, and, most recently, Fort Worth, Texas, to visit for short periods over the years.

“I always felt like I fell into a comfortable rhythm within days of arriving, and my trip was over way too soon. When the pandemic freed me from the office’s constraints, and I realized I could work anywhere, Buffalo, Wyoming, was the one place that I wanted to be,” she said.

When asked what connects her to this part of the country, she had one perfect word: Simplicity.

“The slower pace. It’s a pause. Maybe it’s the sun sinking behind the Bighorns that stops me in my tracks. Or the friendly smiles from folks lingering outside the Occidental, but something changes my trajectory, slows me down in the best way possible. Opens the door to physical and mental health, creativity, connection, and fellowship,” said Shirey.

You’ll find Shirey hitting the local trails when she’s in town — an activity she can easily do since going hiking here is not a production requiring a two-hour car drive. Ten minutes after she shuts down her computer, she is blazing up a trail, letting all the day’s distractions slip away.

When she’s not exploring the natural side of Johnson County, she’ll be on Main Street in Buffalo, her favorite spot in town.

“When I drove into Buffalo, I purposely exited early so I could drive down Main Street. It was evening, the town was quiet, and I immediately felt the stress melt away,” she said.

Claudia Todd made her first trek out west in June 1999 all the way from Germany. She was looking to experience a guest ranch and ride horses and found so much more. In less than a week, she knew she wanted to move to Buffalo, Wyoming.

“When I came back to the United States to go skiing in Colorado in 1999, I took a side trip to Buffalo and realized I HAD to move,” said Todd.

Even though her loved ones in Germany thought she was crazy to give up her life in Europe for something so different, she made the move, and today is the manager of Buffalo’s Civic Center.

“I made friends in the summer of 1999 and loved the way of life, the Western hospitality, and the Bighorns right in the backyard,” she said.

Today she spends her time horseback riding in the Bighorns and enjoying the nature that surrounds her. When her friends and family visit from Europe, she takes them to Crazy Woman Canyon and lets them drive a pickup. Target shooting is a must since Europeans are not allowed to carry guns. She also takes them downtown, where she knows almost everybody. 

“Buffalo is a small enough community to know and care about people. I feel at home here; there’s a strong sense of being included. It has a small-town atmosphere with western hospitality and good people,” she said.

“Buffalo is a small enough community to know and care about people. I feel at home here; there’s a strong sense of being included. It has a small-town atmosphere with western hospitality and good people,” she said.

Ralf Reisinger found himself in Johnson County, Wyoming, in August 2020, where he spent several months running his western apparel company and playing in the great outdoors. Originally from Bavaria, Germany, he came out west to visit family and could see himself calling Buffalo home.

“I haven’t moved yet, but I am strongly considering it. The hometown and small-town feel are appealing, where honest, helpful, and friendly people make up the community,” explained Resinger. What you see is usually what you get here. I have the feeling the people I met and made friends with in Johnson County are more honest and tell you what is really going on.”

Growing up in Europe watching classic western movies, Resinger has a keen idea what a western town should look and feel like. He considers Johnson County the real America with cowgirls and cowboys, horses and craft beers, and the Bighorn mountains for all kinds of outdoor adventures. 

“I live in Fort Myers, Florida, and it has grown so much that there is no longer a feeling of community here. In Johnson County, the people are still friendly, greeting strangers and living by strong values,” he said. “I’m considering moving my family to Buffalo to experience this every day. Hopefully, we will be able to do our part to maintain and deepen the great experience I had spending time in Johnson County.”