There have not been many tales so riveting such as those of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, American legends who escaped the Wild West for the plains of Patagonia. Robert LeRoy Parker, or Butch Cassidy, along with Harry Alonzo, or the Sundance Kid, were notorious leaders of the Wild Bunch gang. By the turn into the new century, they were already well known as expert bank robbers and train raiders. 

But in 1901 the US law was closing in on them, so they decided to erase their tracks and escape to Argentina. Here I’m presenting Butch Cassidy’s story in Argentina and where you can visit their cabin to know more. 

A Fresh Start in Buenos Aires

In March 1901, the pair, accompanied by Sundance’s companion Ethel (Etta) Place, stepped off a steamship in Buenos Aires. Under the aliases James Ryan and Harry Place, they melted into the city’s bustling immigrant population, taking rooms at the Hotel Europa. In an era when European settlers were flooding into Argentina, three English-speaking newcomers hardly raised an eyebrow.

Previous Most Notorious Heists

Prior to their trip to Argentina, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid had an esteemed list of criminal activities in their past. Their Wild Bunch gang undertook some of the most audacious heists ever in the history of the United States.

• This includes details such as the use of dynamite to rob the safe on the June 1899 Union Pacific train where they were able to make off with $30,000 in cash and bonds.
• The explosion was so tremendous that it obliterated the whole car. Cassidy and Sundance did this near Wilcox, Wyoming, and their next stop was the Nevada First National Bank in Winnemucca August 1900 where they made off with over $32,000 in gold coins and never fired a shot.
• Before their escape to Argentina, they did their last major robbery in Montana at the Great Northern train. In this case, they were able to obtain a whopping $65,000 and this was in 1901. They also pulled off a series of minor bank robberies in Wyoming and Colorado but these did not involve much resistance.

From Outlaws to Ranchers in Cholila

Their transition from outlaws to ranchers began through a fortuitous connection with George and Ralph Newbery, American expatriates who helped many English-speaking immigrants navigate Argentine bureaucracy. The Newberys guided them toward Patagonia’s Chubut Province, where vast tracts of land promised the possibility of a fresh start. By year’s end, they had acquired a 5,000-hectare ranch near the small settlement of Cholila.

Butch Cassidy in Argentina: Life on the Patagonian Frontier

Life in Cholila seemed to offer everything they’d hoped for. They built a four-room log cabin with a spectacular view of the Andes Mountains, raised cattle, and cultivated friendly relationships with their neighbors. 

Local accounts describe them as hardworking ranchers who spoke decent Spanish and participated in community life. Ethel Place became known for her excellent bread, while Butch’s charisma and business acumen earned him respect among local settlers.

However, the straight life proved harder to maintain than perhaps they’d imagined. Reports began surfacing of bank robberies and train heists across Argentina and neighboring countries that bore striking similarities to the Wild Bunch’s methods. While never conclusively proven, evidence suggests that Butch and Sundance had returned to their old ways, using the remote ranch as a base of operations.

The Final Chapter

The past finally caught up with them in 1905. Whether tipped off by local authorities or their own sources, they learned that investigations were closing in. They sold their ranch to a local family and vanished into Chile, leaving behind their brief experiment with legitimate ranching.

Their subsequent movements became increasingly difficult to track, with various accounts placing their deaths anywhere from a 1909 shootout with Bolivian cavalry to a 1911 bank robbery in Uruguay. Some stories even suggest Sundance survived and returned to the United States, living under the name Harry Long until as late as 1957.

A Living Legacy

Today, their original cabin still stands near Cholila, a testament to their remarkable attempt at reformation. Preserved as a historical site, it draws visitors from around the world who want to stand where these famous outlaws once sought peace. The cabin’s rustic walls and stunning mountain backdrop offer a tangible connection to one of the most fascinating chapters in both American and Argentine history. In 1969, the film version of “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford nailed this period in popular culture, although highly romanticized and deviating from a lot of fact.

Can you visit the Butch Cassidy Cabins in Cholila? 

Yes, you can visit Butch Cassidy’s cabin in Cholila, Argentina! Here’s what you need to know:

The cabin is located about 7 kilometers outside of Cholila in Chubut Province, Patagonia. Known locally as “El Rancho Butch Cassidy,” it was declared a National Historic Monument by Argentina in 1999 and has been preserved as a historical site.

• The cabin sits on private property, so visitors need permission to access it
• Best reached by car or organized tour from Cholila or nearby Esquel
• Drive time is about 25 minutes from Cholila town center
• The dirt road to the cabin can be rough, especially after rain
• Best visited during summer months (December to March) due to weather conditions

What You’ll See:

• The original four-room log cabin structure
• Some period furnishings and historical displays
• Stunning views of the Andes Mountains that Butch and Sundance would have seen
• The surrounding ranch land where they raised cattle
• Interpretive signs (in Spanish) explaining the site’s history

Where to Eat in Cholila: From Patagonian Lamb to Traditional Asado

After exploring Butch Cassidy’s cabin, you’ll find Cholila offers a taste of authentic Patagonian cuisine. 

• Don’t miss the local specialty, cordero patagónico (Patagonian lamb), slow-roasted over open flames until perfectly tender. 
• For a true Argentine experience, join a traditional asado, where various cuts of meat are expertly grilled by the asador (grill master) on a parilla (grill), served with chimichurri sauce and local Malbec wine.
• Local delicacies also include trucha (fresh trout) from nearby mountain streams, wild mushrooms gathered from the Andean forests during season, and homemade pasta dishes reflecting the region’s Italian heritage. 
• For something sweet, try tortas fritas (fried pastries) with local honey or dulce de leche, particularly delicious when paired with mate, the traditional Argentine tea that kept pioneers like Butch and Sundance warm during Patagonian winters.

There’s something poetic about notorious outlaws finding salvation in one of the world’s most inhospitable corners.Their time in Patagonia represents a unique intersection of the American frontier spirit and Argentina’s own pioneer period. While their ultimate fate remains shrouded in mystery, their Patagonian chapter endures as a compelling blend of documented history and frontier legend, proving that sometimes the most fascinating stories are those that blur the lines between myth and reality.