BUFFALO — When summer hits this small mountain town, a full-to-bursting Occidental Saloon isn’t an uncommon sight during Buffalo's annual Longmire Days, which celebrates the “Longmire” books and TV series created by local author Craig Johnson.
The saloon is the nerve center of the Western downtown, a nexus of historical buildings that have changed little since the late 1800s.
Bullet holes still pock the walls of the saloon and the hotel is so full of artifacts it has museum status, even as it accepts guests for the night — just as it did when Butch Cassidy was still stomping around Wyoming, racing horses and then robbing trains and banks.
The Occidental’s historical cachet is a draw every summer, pulling in tourists and creating something of a scene, particularly on Thursday nights when the hotel’s co-owner, Dave Stewart, and some of his fellow musicians pull out their guitars for a jam session that packs the house and sells out the hotel.
But Saturday night, the overflowing crowdedness of it all had a sharper edge.
People streaming out of the saloon were more than equally replaced by the people who were streaming in — and doing a double take once they made it past the doorway to the middle of the bar.
There, casually enjoying cocktails and conversation as if he were not famous at all, was Robert Taylor, the actor who played Sheriff Walt Longmire for six seasons of the popular television hit “Longmire” series.
Taylor held court at the end of the bar, chattering casually with a group that included “Longmire” author Craig Johnson’s agent Gail Hochman.
He seemed completely unaware of the hubbub around him, even though he was definitely at its center.
People wearing King Ropes ball caps and Longmire T-shirts pretended not to stare, even as they were surreptitiously taking short videos of the star in action.
Others, a little bolder, simply stopped to chat with Taylor and took the opportunity to ask for a selfie or an autograph.
Taylor would eventually tire of this endless stream of people wanting a moment of his time — but it took hours.
In the meantime, he never uttered an impatient word to the adoring fans jockeying for a slice of his time and attention.
He was in his element here — the fictional Absaroka County sheriff come to life once again. The fans of the show, who had traveled from coast to coast and all places in between, absolutely loved it.
What’s more remarkable is how this scene has repeated itself for the last 15 years running.
Sheriff Walt Longmire continues to solve Western mysteries in Johnson’s long-running series of novels, which are perennially New York Times Best-Sellers. His latest, “The Brothers McKay,” came out in May.
In it, the sheriff has to solve the murder of a guy everyone hated.
While the books are going strong, it’s been nine years since the last new “Longmire" episode aired on television, yet fans are still coming to Longmire Days and clamoring to meet Taylor.
For his part, Taylor is here every year, without fail.
He has even turned down work that would conflict with the timing of Longmire Days, when Buffalo briefly becomes the fictional town of Durant, county seat of Longmire’s Absaroka County, and the town swells to roughly twice its normal size.
“I love coming to Wyoming,” Taylor told Cowboy State Daily. “I love seeing my friends. I love seeing Craig. (Longmire) was a wonderful part of my life, and I’m just never going to let it go.”
Author Craig Johnson stops to talk with fans Terri Behm and Ken Dambrosio after the "Two Walts" panel during Longmire Days in Buffalo. Behm is wearing a King Ropes hat from King Saddlery in Sheridan. (Renee Jean, Cowboy State Daily) 
Walt Longmire actor Robert Taylor stops to take a selfie with a "Longmire" fan during Longmire Days in Buffalo. (Renee Jean, Cowboy State Daily) 
Louann Stephens tells behind-the-scenes stories from the popular "Longmire" television series during Longmire Days in Buffalo. (Renee Jean, Cowboy State Daily) 
Louanne Stephens poses with fan Dennis Litton during the annual Brunch with Ruby during Longmire Days in Buffalo. (Renee Jean, Cowboy State Daily)
Intimate Moments, Not Just Autograph Lines
For many of the people who crammed into Buffalo over the weekend, it is the unscripted bar scene that defines the allure of Longmire Days more than any other.
It’s more intimate than an autograph line and more surprising than scheduled Q&A or insider panel, particularly to those newer to Longmire Days.
“I mean, you couldn’t go anywhere else and get that kind of access to such people,” Betty Abbott told Cowboy State Daily. “That’s what’s cool.”
Her husband, Ken, was equally impressed with Craig Johnson’s presence during Longmire Days.
“I’ve never seen anybody so tireless in my life, staying a whole week here,” he said. “We don’t see the private side, but the guys just like — does he sleep? he’s always going. It’s just fascinating to see.”
Suzanne Peters, a first-time Longmire Days visitor from North Carolina, meanwhile, was absolutely shocked when she bumped into Taylor right off the bat, the first morning of the event.
“We’re staying at the Occidental,” she told Cowboy State Daily. “We come down into the saloon every day, and there’s Rob sitting there having breakfast with the owner Dave Stewart.”
Peters didn’t rush the star.
“We tried to be respectful,” she said. “You know, if he engaged, we were going to engage.”
Not only was Taylor open to talking with Peters, but he was asking her questions about her Longmire journeys and who she’d come to the event with.
“He was really excited when he found out my sister-in-law was a teacher,” Peters said. “I’ve been sending my sister all these really cool pictures, because Rob is really generous with the pictures. And so is Craig.”
During the autograph session, Taylor remembered Peters’ sister-in-law, and wrote a particularly nice message in her book about the importance of teachers in society.
“So I got to come out and meet my favorite author, and I got to talk to Rob Taylor, who I think is a really cool actor and everything,” Peters said with a beaming smile. “He’s been everything I expected. A very nice guy.”
Buffalo Is Durant
Walk down Main Street during Longmire Days and it’s hard to tell where the Craig Johnson stories end and Buffalo begins.
And Johnson wouldn’t have it any other way.
“So much of the charm of Longmire Days resides right here in Buffalo,” Johnson told Cowboy State Daily. “People wander around and feel like they’re walking around in Absaroka County. They think they’re in Durant, and they expect Walt Longmire to come walking down the sidewalk and see them at any time. And I don’t blame them because he’s actually out there walking around.”
Johnson has been upfront that he’s weaving his story around a real-life place, a place his readers can visit. The name of the county and the town might be fictional, but street names are the same, as are trail numbers.
That makes it easy for tourism officials to direct visitors to all the sights within the Longmire universe.
“It’s kind of ready-made to be a tourism asset for the state,” Johnson said. “And I’m always proud of that because Wyoming is, I mean 22 novels and three novellas and a collection of short stories later, I still love the place, and I’m not going anywhere.”
Walt Longmire actor Robert Taylor chats with fans as they pass by in the Occidental Saloon during Longmire Days in Buffalo. (Renee Jean, Cowboy State Daily) 
Ken and Betty Abbott, from Cheyenne, were enjoying their second trip to Longmire Days. (Renee Jean, Cowboy State Daily) 
Louanne Stephens, who played Ruby in the hit television series, "Longmire," passes out bracelets to guests of her brunch during Longmire Days in Buffalo. (Renee Jean, Cowboy State Daily)
Not Just A Vacation
For many Longmire fans, that “tourism asset” has become something like a pilgrimage.
Peters, for example, traveled all the way from North Carolina for the event. She bought her all-access ticket the minute dates were announced and booked a room at the Occidental right away.
Longtime fans Terri Behm and Ken Dambrosio, meanwhile, came all the way from New Hampshire for the occasion. When they couldn’t find a room in Buffalo, they booked in nearby Sheridan instead, driving down each day.
“The magic of Longmire is a little difficult to articulate,” Dambrosio said. “Longmire itself is such a compelling show, and the characters were so rich. I really enjoyed it. So I was on the list of people who were hoping it would be revived when it initially got the boot. And then it did and we were all excited and just loved it.”
When Dambrosio heard about Longmire Days for the first time, he knew it was something he wanted to come and see.
“We’re from New Hampshire, so it isn’t next door,” he said with a chuckle. “So we were looking for a reason to come out.”
There have been false starts a few times, including a wedding. This time they decided to “just do it.”
The extra attention from the celebrities, who included A. Martinez (Jacob Nighthorse), Louanne Stephens (Ruby), as well as Taylor, has made the trip feel worthwhile.
“They’ve done a lovely job, kind of having opportunities to get to know the characters, and hear about why it was special for them,” Behm said. “And I feel like the people who choose to come to a fan event like this, they’re going to be the ones who like fans and interact with them well. So it’s been nice to see that.”
Chasing A World That Still Makes Sense
Ask enough people why they’re so attached to a sheriff from a fictional Wyoming county, and sooner or later the conversation slips from television and celebrities into something akin to longing for a world that still make sense, where things work they way they should.
“I’m not attracted to bad people doing bad things,” Behm said. “I can take a flawed hero who sometimes makes a poor choice … but at their core, they’re trying to do right.”
That’s harder to write, Behm added. But it’s far more satisfying in the end.
“These are layered characters,” she said. “But to me, they’re so much more compelling than, like Yellowstone, where they’re all kind of at their core not great.”
That flawed human who is still good-to-the-core is part of the attraction for Peters as well.
“If you wrecked your car on a dark road somewhere, you’d be so relieved if Walt pulled up,” she said. “He’s the kind of guy you’d want to come help your kids if something went wrong.”
In a world where the real-life headlines often feel upside-down, Longmire is offering a universe where decency, fairness and hard work still count. Where justice might be messy, but is never meaningless.
That’s what Louanne Stephens, who plays Ruby likes about “Longmire,” her self.
“It’s the same old thing I’ve always said,” she said. “Except for Nighthorse, everybody in this show is trying to be good, trying to do their best and falling short. And that’s unique now, too, because all the big shows, everybody’s bad.”
The shows basically decent values are part of what Behm believes makes the event feel like such a second home — even for first-time visitors like herself.
“You feel like those who are drawn to this, you’re probably going to get along with,” she said. “It’s a sense of community.”
"Longmire" author Craig Johnson talks about the publishing world during Longmire Days in Buffalo. (Renee Jean, Cowboy State Daily) 
The Occidental Saloon was standing room only during much of Longmire Days in Buffalo. (Renee Jean, Cowboy State Daily) 
The official Longmire beer and some onion rings — the dinner of Longmire Days champions. (Renee Jean, Cowboy State Daily)
A Stand-In Steps Into The Spotlight
That sense of community extends far beyond Buffalo. It’s wrapped around the lives of everyone who has ever been part of producing the television show, “Longmire.”
That brings some unusual guests to the event every year, guests who are completely unexpected, and fun.
Enter Rosie Palmer, stage left. She was the stand-in for Katee Sackhoff, a role that ultimately earned Palmer her first speaking line.
“I’m interviewing a cop who is in plainclothes about a murder that happened that morning,” she told Cowboy State Daily. “It was hair, makeup, everything. And my name’s in the credit. Season six, episode eight, about 20 minutes in.”
It was a story of persistence, more than anything else — a decade of showing up on time, being willing to do the work, and becoming the kind of casting extra directors knew they could rely upon.
Palmer has been in more than 50 television and film scenes, including “Breaking Bad.” But her favorite of them all has always been Longmire.
“I’ve wanted to come here for years,” Palmer said. “I’ve heard about it, seen it on Facebook. Buffalo is a trip. This is an amazing town, amazing people. All these people who are joined here together that love Longmire — it’s amazing.”
Palmer loved Longmire so much, she arranged her entire year around being in that particular show. Even though she didn’t know if there would be another episode, still she kept that timeframe open every year so she could take a role.
“Every script, the stories that are in there, the plots — they’re amazing,” she said. “I learned so much … I was so blessed to be there to stand in, and be able to do this job. I loved every minute. Every minute.”
Keeping Longmire Love Alive
Extras and stand-ins had to abide by very strict rules, including that they would not speak to any of the actors, unless those actors talked to them first.
Palmer also kept a different pair of shoes for every stand-in role, shoes that helped make her the right height for each part.
“This is a person who loves Longmire with all their heart,” she said. “Where I work, I serve food, Cinnamon, Sugar and Spice. And I wear a Longmire rubber band up here, and I wear my pin.”
She pointed to a Longmire pin on her shirt, which looks a little like a Sheriff’s badge.
“I always wear my pin to work,” she said with a beaming smile.
It’s her way of keeping Longmire alive, and sharing it with others who may not have discovered it yet.
“I’ve never seen a community like this around a show,” she said. “Everybody loves it. They are passionate. They know the shows, the episodes.”
Taylor, she added, was the very heart of the show when it was filming, and has continued to be so for all the Longmire fans.
“He had so much love and compassion for all of us,” she said. “He was beloved by everyone.”
In a weekend full of sheriffs, deputies, and bestselling authors, Palmer stood out, a symbol of the heart that has built a show that draws people in from thousands of miles away and keeps them coming back to Buffalo for 14 years now.
The notoriety no longer belongs only to “Longmire.” It belongs to the fans, who are determined to keep the beating heart of this cult classic Western mystery series alive.
Renée Jean can be reached at renee@cowboystatedaily.com.
