Entry No. 23 — the Fort Collins file — filed under: haunted
Greeley History Museum — Rattlesnake Kate's Snakeskin Collection
On October 28, 1925, Katherine "Rattlesnake Kate" Slaughterback killed 140 rattlesnakes near Hudson, Colorado — first firing her .22 Remington until she ran out of ammunition, then bludgeoning the rest with a signpost while her young son watched from horseback. She later fashioned the skins into a full flapper-style ensemble: a dress, snakeskin shoes, a rattle necklace, and a headband containing 37 rattles. Before her death in the 1950s she donated the outfit to the Greeley Municipal Museum. Today it hangs in a light-filtered, climate-controlled display at the downtown Greeley History Museum, accompanied by a taxidermied rattlesnake and personal artifacts within the permanent "Utopia: Adaptation on the Plains" exhibit.
The move: Start with the snakeskin outfit — it will generate strong opinions — then wander the broader exhibit on Greeley's Union Colony founders. Grab lunch or a beer in downtown Greeley afterward and keep debating whether Kate was badass, disturbed, or both.
📍 Before you go Open Friday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; closed Monday through Thursday for general visitors (group visits by prior booking on weekdays). Admission is free. The museum is in downtown Greeley, street parking is straightforward. The snakeskin collection is part of the permanent "Utopia" exhibit — no special ticket or reservation needed. Call 970-350-9220 to confirm hours before driving out, as schedules have changed recently.
- 📍 Greeley
- 💸 $
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 714 8th Street, Greeley, CO 80631
Hours: Added 2026-06-11 — confirm current hours before you go.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Proof: source 1 · source 2 · source 3 · source 4
last checked: 2026-06-11