The Sweetwater County Museum Foundation is hosting a special fundraising event to commemorate the 55th Anniversary of the movie Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. The event will feature special guests, a catered dinner, and movie showing.

Bill Betenson, Butch Cassidy's great-nephew, will reflect on the making of the movie and provide commentary regarding its historical accuracy. Betenson's great-grandmother, Lula Parker Betenson, was Cassidy's sister and served as a consultant to actors Robert Redford and Paul Newman during the filming of the movie. Betenson is a noted historian and author of Butch Cassidy, My Uncle and Butch Cassidy: The Wyoming Years.

Whether in fact or fiction, many of Cassidy’s and Sundance's adventures took place in Sweetwater County, at places like Tipton, Rock Springs, the Currant Creek Ranch, and elsewhere. It is said that Robert Leroy Parker, alias Butch Cassidy, got his nickname “Butch” when he was working as a butcher in a meat market in Rock Springs. It is also well known that Sweetwater County lawyer Douglas Preston represented Butch, Matt Warner, and other members of the Wild Bunch in several legal cases. Some historic accounts tell of Cassidy meeting Preston at Boars Tusk for counsel and to pay legal fees.

"An Evening with Butch & Sundance" will begin at 6 PM with dinner and Betenson's presentation and will conclude with showing the movie. 

Proceeds from this event will support efforts to refurbish exhibits in the museum’s galleries and at venues across Sweetwater County. For more information, contact the Sweetwater County Historical Museum at (307) 872-6435.