At Cowboy Al’s Wild West Museum, the story begins the moment you walk through the door.

The first thing Al Singer points to is a photograph of himself as a young boy on horseback. “I’m Al Singer,” he says. “And when I was very, very young—between the ages of three and eight—I wanted to be a cowboy. Growing up in the Bronx, the best way to do that was to start a cowboy collection.”

Today, Al is 91 years young—and that childhood dream never faded. With the help of his sister, who was three years older, Al began collecting and preserving pieces of the Old West. Together, they made scrapbooks filled with comic book covers, never imagining their future value—only that they added color and excitement to the pages. “We had Tom Mix, Roy Rogers, the Lone Ranger, Kit Carson, Buffalo Bill, Annie Oakley,” Al recalls.

He looks back to his childhood and the classic westerns. “I used to run home just to listen to the Lone Ranger on the radio,” he says. “When it moved to television, he became my favorite—he and Tonto. They accepted people for who they were, not because of religion or color.”

Those lessons stayed with him—and became the foundation of what would one day grow into Cowboy Al’s Wild West Museum. The idea took shape years later, at the encouragement of his children.“My son and daughter said, ‘You’ve got this collection spread out everywhere,’” Al laughs. At the time, the family no longer had horses on the property. Once home to 15 Arabian horses—six born right there—the barns and cottage were empty. “When we started turning the cottage into rooms, not even thinking it was a museum, we couldn’t believe how much we had,” Al says. “We filled eight rooms—and still had so much more.” That’s when his son had another idea. “Let’s convert the barn,” he suggested. “It already had that western look.” The old stables became exhibit rooms, expanding the collection even further. Today, the museum features 20 rooms filled with western memorabilia—and it continues to grow.

For Al, the cowboys he admired weren’t just characters. They were heroes. “They stood up to bullies. They helped people who were disabled or in trouble,” he says. “They believed in supporting the marshals, in doing what was right. The Lone Ranger never shot to kill—he believed in justice, not revenge.” Those values became family lessons. “Help people. Do what’s right. Treat everyone the same,” Al says. “That was the Code of the West. No discrimination. That’s what America gave to the world.”

Today, Cowboy Al’s Wild West Museum is about more than history—it’s about memories. “This is a memories museum,” Al says. “When people come here and remember growing up with these characters, it’s something special.”

Looking back, Al says the West shaped the life he cherishes today. “It’s been a wonderful life,” he says. “I never thought at 91 I’d feel this good. I’ve been blessed. And I think the West helped give me that—the ability to enjoy life.”

Cowboy Al's Wild West Museum is set on 42 acres in Litchfield. There is no admission fee to visit, but reservations are required. Call 201-888-9353.