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The small Nebraska town of Ogallala was once one of the wildest of the West.
Overview of Ogallala
Ogallala was a stop on the Pony Express and was later founded in 1868 as the terminus for cattle drives from Texas. Cowboys would come north to ship cattle east on the Union Pacific Railroad, which reached the town on May 24, 1867. They were greeted with saloons, gambling halls, and wild women.
The town was laid out in 1875 and incorporated in 1884. It earned the nicknames “The Town Too Tough For Texas” and “Gomorrah of the West”.
Front Street
These days, Ogallala is much quieter, but visitors can get a small taste of the Wild West by visiting Front Street. This steakhouse and saloon puts on the Cowboy Revue — complete with gunfights and dancing girls — between Memorial Day and mid-August.
Front Street also features the Cowboy Museum, which displays authentic local artifacts and antiques from Ogallala’s cowboy past. Admission is free (as of February 2026).
Boot Hill in Ogallala, Nebraska
For me, the most interesting place in town is Boot Hill. This was Ogallala’s only cemetery from 1874 to 1884. Over 100 people were buried there, including unknowns, drifters, and cowboys who were buried with their boots on, hence the name. Many were killed in gambling disputes, others in railroad accidents or drunken rages. What makes it significant is that there were only about 130 permanent residents at the time, proving that Ogallala was as rough a place as it gets.
Boot Hill has been excavated and most of the original bodies have been moved to the modern cemetery, but a few replica grave markers remain. An interpretive panel at the bottom of the hill tells some very interesting stories about it. There’s also Trail Boss, an impressive sculpture of a Texas Trail cowboy on his horse looking out over the horizon towards Texas. It was made by Robert Summers and installed in 2007.
Mansion on the Hill
Near Boot Hill is the beautiful Mansion on the Hill. Built in 1887 during Ogallala’s days as a cow town, it now serves as a local history museum. Admission is free but donations are accepted. It operates between Memorial Day until two weeks after Labor Day, and is closed Mondays.
Lake McConaughy
Tourism to Ogallala got a boost when the Kingsley Dam was built and the artificial Lake McConaughy was formed. It’s Nebraska’s largest lake, offering opportunities for boating, swimming, fishing, and birdwatching — more than 300 species of birds have been spotted there. There’s also good duck hunting in the area. Visit the official website for more information on what to do at and around the lake.
The dam is 162 feet (49 meters) tall, 3.1 miles (5 kilometers) long, and 1,100 feet (340 meters) wide at its base. The hydroelectric power plant is Nebraska’s largest, capable of producing Lake McConaughy is on the west side while Lake Ogallala is on the right side.
Lake McConaughy Visitors Center
The Lake McConaughy Visitors and Water Interpretive Center is located near the southeast corner of the lake. It features exhibits on the construction of the dam and how it affects the environment. It’s open daily year-round.
In front of the building is an eagle sculpture, while in the back is an interpretive panel about the Mormon Trail passing through the area from 1847 to the late 1860s. It’s part of the Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail.
