In a recent article on Mental Floss, two maps were shown that highlighted what each creator thought should be the most popular tv show set for each state. Although many states had two contenders, like Baywatch and The Brady Bunch for California and The Dukes of Hazzard and the Walking Dead for Georgia, Wyoming had one winner. The Virginian.

I’ll be honest. I know the Virginian Lodge from many hill climb excursions in Jackson Hole, but had never heard of the tv show. After some quick research I realized why, it aired a few years before I was born.

The Virginian was an American Western tv series that ran from 1962-1971 and in total had 249 episodes. It was based on the Shiloh Ranch in the 1890s in the Wyoming territory. In the last season the name changed to The Men of Shiloh.

Filmed in color, which was still fairly new for it’s time, The Virginian was the first 90-minute western series on television. It was widely successful and is television’s third longest running western.

Do you know of any other Wyoming tv show sets? Let us know.