Wild West shows were traveling vaudeville performances in the United States and Europe that existed around 1870–1920. The shows began as theatrical stage productions and evolved into open-air shows that depicted romanticized stereotypes of cowboys , Plains Indians , army scouts, outlaws, and wild animals that existed in the American West . While some of the storylines and characters were based on historical events, others were fictional or sensationalized.
102-698: Gordon William Lillie (February 14, 1860 – February 3, 1942), known professionally as Pawnee Bill , was an American showman and performer who specialized in Wild West shows and was known for his short partnership with William "Buffalo" Bill Cody . In 2010, he was inducted into the Hall of Great Westerners of the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum . Pawnee Bill was born on February 14, 1860, in Bloomington, Illinois . His father Newton operated
204-399: A Cheyenne warrior. In 1883, in the area of North Platte, Nebraska , Cody founded Buffalo Bill's Wild West , a circus-like attraction that toured annually. (Contrary to the popular misconception, the word Show was not a part of the title.) In 1886, Cody and Nate Salsbury, his theatrical manager, entered into partnership with Evelyn Booth (1860–1901), a big-game hunter and scion of
306-660: A touring show which traveled around the United States, Great Britain, and Continental Europe. Audiences were enthusiastic about seeing a piece of the American West . Emilio Salgari , a noted Italian writer of adventure stories, met Buffalo Bill when he came to Italy and saw his show; Salgari later featured Cody as a hero in some of his novels. In December 1872, Cody traveled to Chicago to make his stage debut with his friend Texas Jack Omohundro in The Scouts of
408-664: A "Feejee Indian from Africa". The Esquivel Brothers from San Antonio. Wild West shows contained as many as 1,200 performers at one time (cowboys, scouts, Indians, military, Mexicans, and men from other heritages) and many animals, including buffalo and Texas Longhorns. Some of the recognizably famous men who took part in the show were Will Rogers , Tom Mix , Pawnee Bill , James Lawson, Bill Pickett , Jess Willard , Mexican Joe , Capt. Adam Bogardus , Buck Taylor, Harry Henry Brennan (father of modern bronc riding), Grover C. Brennan, Ralph and Nan Lohse, Antonio Esquibel, Capt. Waterman and his Trained Buffalo, and Johnny Baker. Johnny Baker
510-785: A flour mill in Bloomington; the mill burned to the ground in 1876. The family then moved to Wellington, Kansas , where Gordon developed a love for the West. By the age of 19, he was working on the Pawnee Indian agency in Indian Territory . In 1883, he was given the chance to work as the Pawnee interpreter with Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show . His work with the show was the origin of his nickname as "Pawnee Bill". After courting for two years, Lillie married May Manning in 1886,
612-533: A highly qualified status that treated them as valuable military assets without the designation or retirement benefits of officers. Nevertheless, they were treated as high-ranking military officials and had status of officers alongside their native American brethren. The brief argued for retroactive restoration of the Medal of Honor to Buffalo Bill, and the Department of Defense required the appeal to be adjudicated by
714-482: A large part of Wild West shows and attracted many spectators. One such performer was Annie Oakley , who first gained recognition as a sharpshooter when she defeated Frank Butler , a pro marksman at age 15, in a shooting exhibition. She became an attraction of Buffalo Bill's Wild West show for 16 years. Annie was billed in the show as "Miss Annie Oakley, the Peerless Lady Wing-Shot". Calamity Jane
816-403: A lone dispatch courier from Fort Larned to Fort Zarah (escaping brief capture), Fort Zarah to Fort Hays, Fort Hays to Fort Dodge , Fort Dodge to Fort Larned, and, finally, Fort Larned to Fort Hays, a total of 350 miles in 58 hours through hostile territory, covering the last 35 miles on foot. In response, General Philip Sheridan assigned him Chief of Scouts for the 5th Cavalry Regiment . He
918-462: A noted hunter, scout, and interpreter, used a fast-shooting Henry repeating rifle , while Cody competed with a larger-caliber Springfield Model 1866 , which he called Lucretia Borgia , after the notorious Italian noblewoman, the subject of a popular contemporary Gaetano Donizetti opera Lucrezia Borgia , based on Victor Hugo 's play of the same name. Cody explained that while his formidable opponent, Comstock, chased after his buffalo, engaging from
1020-642: A parade on horseback. The parade was a major ordeal, an affair that involved huge public crowds and many performers, including the Congress of Rough Riders. Events included acts known as Bison Hunt, Train Robbery, Indian War Battle Reenactment, and the usual grand finale of the show, Attack on the Burning Cabin, in which Indians attacked a settler's cabin and were repulsed by Buffalo Bill, cowboys, and Mexicans. Also included were semi-historical scenes such as
1122-454: A petite Quaker from Pennsylvania, who was younger by nine years, a graduate of Smith College, and the daughter of a wealthy Philadelphia physician. At first, her parents objected to their refined young daughter marrying a cowboy, but eventually they agreed to the union. In 1888, the Lillies launched their own Wild West show, which they called "Pawnee Bill’s Historic Wild West". May starred in
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#17327901357721224-551: A pow-wow on Memorial Day to commemorate the Carlisle Indian School, the students and their stories. Bibliography Buffalo Bill William Frederick Cody (February 26, 1846 – January 10, 1917), known as Buffalo Bill , was an American soldier, bison hunter , and showman . One of the most famous and well-known figures of the American Old West , Cody started his legend at
1326-484: A race between Lady Riders. Over time, various Wild West shows were developed. They included Bee Ho Gray's Wild West , Texas Jack's Wild West , Pawnee Bill's Wild West , Jones Bros.' Buffalo Ranch Wild West , Cummin's Indian Congress and Wild West Show and "Buckskin Joe" Hoyt. The 101 Ranch Wild West Show featuring African Americans such as Bill Pickett , the famous bulldogger and his brother Voter Hall who billed as
1428-434: A result of her injuries, and Pawnee Bill never fully recovered. He died in his sleep on February 3, 1942, at the age of 81 in his home outside of Pawnee, Oklahoma . The Pawnee Bill Ranch continues to exist, including a museum. The Pawnee Bill Memorial Rodeo is held annually, as is a version of Pawnee Bill’s Original Wild West Show. Bibliography Wild West shows American Indians in particular were portrayed in
1530-582: A scout. Cody enlisted as a scout himself at Fort Ellsworth and scouted between there and Fort Fletcher (later renamed and moved to Fort Hays ). He was attached as a scout, variously, to Captain George Augustus Armes ( Battle of the Saline River ) and Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer (guide and impromptu horse race to Fort Larned ). It was during this service at Fort Ellsworth that he met William Rose, with whom he would found
1632-611: A sensationalistic and exploitative manner. The shows introduced many western performers and personalities, and romanticized the American frontier , to a wide audience. In the 19th century, following the American Civil War , stories and inexpensive dime novels depicting the American West and frontier life were becoming common. In 1869, author Ned Buntline wrote a novel about the buffalo hunter, U.S. Army scout, and guide William F. Buffalo Bill Cody called Buffalo Bill,
1734-601: A settler perspective of the Battle of the Little Bighorn or the charge on San Juan Hill. The reenactment of the Battle of Little Bighorn also known as "Custer's Last Stand" featured Buck Taylor starring as General George Armstrong Custer . In this battle, Custer and all men under his direct command were killed. After Custer is dead, Buffalo Bill rides in, the hero, but he is too late. He avenges Custer by killing and scalping Yellow Hair (also called Yellowhand) which he called
1836-641: A soldier in the Union Army during the American Civil War but was refused because of his young age. He began working with a freight caravan that delivered supplies to Fort Laramie in present-day Wyoming. In 1863, at age 17, he enlisted as a teamster with the rank of private in Company H, 7th Kansas Cavalry , and served until discharged in 1865. In 1866, he reunited with his old friend Wild Bill Hickok in Junction City, Kansas , then serving as
1938-690: A three-year training period at Cody's base in North Platte, Nebraska . During this time, he honed his skills in steer roping, lariat tricks, and the art of maintaining a firm grip on "anything that had four legs." His debut in the spotlight occurred at the age of thirteen, portraying a Pony Express rider. Merely a year later, the Show set off on a tour across Europe. Over the span of several years, Red Eagle became an integral member of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show, captivating audiences throughout his journey. Other familiar Native Americans names who performed in
2040-914: A tour in 1904, performing in nearly every city large enough to support it. The 1905 tour began in April with a two-month run in Paris, after which the show traveled around France, performing mostly one-night stands, concluding in December. The final tour, in 1906, began in France on March 4 and quickly moved to Italy for two months. The show then traveled east, performing in Austria, the Balkans, Hungary, Romania, and Ukraine, before returning west to tour in Poland, Bohemia (later Czech Republic), Germany, and Belgium. By 1894
2142-791: A variety of backgrounds. The show included Mexican cowboys, Pawnee , Japanese performers, and Arab jugglers. The ensemble debuted as "Pawnee Bill’s Great Far East Show." In 1908, Pawnee Bill and Buffalo Bill joined forces and created the "Two Bills' show. That show was foreclosed on when it was playing in Denver, Colorado . While Gordon Lillie had been on tour, May supervised their buffalo ranch, now known as Pawnee Bill Ranch . The Lillies completed work on their Arts-and-Crafts style home on Blue Hawk Peak in 1910. Pawnee Bill invested in banking, real estate, and oil. He operated various business interests and dabbled in film making at his ranch. In 1930, May and Pawnee Bill opened Pawnee Bill’s Old Town near
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#17327901357722244-635: A visit from King Edward VII and the future King George V. The Wild West traveled throughout Great Britain in a tour in 1902 and 1903 and a tour in 1904, performing in nearly every city large enough to support it. The 1905 tour began in April with a two-month run in Paris, after which the show traveled around France, performing mostly one-night stands, concluding in December. The final tour, in 1906, began in France on March 4 and quickly moved to Italy for two months. The show then traveled east, performing in Austro-Hungarian territories of Bohemia (now
2346-529: Is a part), not far from the farm of his father's family. The chapel was built with Cody money, and the land was donated by Philip Cody of Toronto Township. They lived in Ontario for several years. In 1853, Isaac Cody sold his land in rural Scott County, Iowa , for $ 2,000 (equivalent to $ 73,248 in 2023) , and the family moved to Fort Leavenworth , Kansas Territory . In the years before the Civil War, Kansas
2448-582: Is argued that in contrast to Cody's claims, he never rode for the Pony Express, but as a boy, he did work for its parent company, the transport firm of Russell, Majors, and Waddell. In contrast to the adventurous rides, hundreds of miles long, that he recounted in the press, his real job was to carry messages on horseback from the firm's office in Leavenworth to the telegraph station three miles away. After his mother recovered, Cody wanted to enlist as
2550-623: The Buffalo Bill Combination , in which he performed for part of the year while scouting on the prairies the rest of the year. Wild Bill Hickok joined the group to headline in a new play called Scouts of the Plains . Hickok did not enjoy acting and was released from the group after one show when he shot out a spotlight that focused on him. Texas Jack parted ways with Cody in 1877 and formed his own acting troupe in St. Louis, known as
2652-602: The Czech Republic ) and Croatia-Slavonia , before returning west to tour in Galicia (now part of Poland ), then Germany, and Belgium. The show was enormously successful in Europe, making Cody an international celebrity and an American icon. Mark Twain commented, "It is often said on the other side of the water that none of the exhibitions which we send to England are purely and distinctly American. If you will take
2754-668: The Medal of Honor in 1872 for his actions in the Indian Wars, he was among 910 recipients to have the award rescinded in 1917. Congress reinstated the medals for Cody and four other civilian scouts in 1989. Cody was born on February 26, 1846, on a farm just outside Le Claire, Iowa . His father, Isaac Cody, was born on September 5, 1811, in Toronto Township , Upper Canada , now part of Mississauga , Ontario , directly west of Toronto . Mary Ann Bonsell Laycock, Bill's mother,
2856-611: The Pony Express . He signed with them, and after building several stations and corrals, Cody was given a job as a rider. He worked at this until he was called home to his sick mother's bedside. Cody claimed to have had many jobs, including trapper , bullwhacker , " Fifty-Niner " in Colorado , Pony Express rider in 1860, wagonmaster, stagecoach driver, and a hotel manager , but historians have had difficulty documenting them. He may have fabricated some for publicity. Namely, it
2958-497: The Wild West show over there you can remove that reproach." The Wild West brought an exotic foreign world to life for its European audiences, allowing a last glimpse at the fading American frontier. Several members of the Wild West show died of accidents or disease during these tours in Europe: In 1895, Cody was instrumental in the founding of the town of Cody , the seat of Park County , in northwestern Wyoming . Today
3060-485: The aristocratic Booth family . It was at this time Buffalo Bill's Cowboy Band was organized. The band was directed by William Sweeney, a cornet player who served as leader of the Cowboy Band from 1883 until 1913. Sweeney handled all of the musical arrangements and wrote a majority of the music performed by the Cowboy Band. In 1893, Cody changed the title to Buffalo Bill's Wild West and Congress of Rough Riders of
3162-680: The "first scalp for Custer". Shooting competitions and displays of marksmanship were commonly a part of the program. Great feats of skill were shown off using rifles, shotguns, and revolvers. Most people in the show were good marksmen but many were experts. Animals also did their share in the show through rodeo entertainment. In rodeo events, cowboys like Lee Martin would try to rope and ride broncos. Broncos are unbroken horses that tend to throw or buck their riders. Other wild animals they would attempt to ride or deal with were mules, buffalo, Texas steers, elk, deer, bears, and moose. The show also demonstrated hunts which were staged as they would have been on
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3264-598: The 'Texas Jack Combination', and in May of that year he debuted Texas Jack in the Black Hills . Other plays the combination performed included The Trapper's Daughter and Life on the Border . In 1883, Cody founded Buffalo Bill's Wild West , an outdoor attraction that toured annually. The new show contained a lot of action including wild animals, trick performances, and theatrical reenactments. All sorts of characters from
3366-407: The 1870s through the early part of the twenty first century. Playwright Frederick G. Maeder adapted Buntline's novel into the hit play Buffalo Bill which premiered at Niblo's Garden in 1872 with J. B. Studley in the title role. Cody attended this play while visiting New York which gave him the idea to portray himself on the stage. He later became world-famous for Buffalo Bill's Wild West ,
3468-587: The 1960s Spaghetti Westerns , a genre of movies about the American Old West made in Europe, were common. Contemporary rodeos continue to be held, employing the same events and skills as cowboys did in Wild West shows. Wild Westers still perform in movies, pow-wows , pageants and rodeos. There remains an interest in Native peoples through much of the United States and Europe, including an interest in
3570-607: The 23-year-old Cody met Ned Buntline , who later published a story based on Cody's adventures (largely invented by the writer) in Street and Smith's New York Weekly and then published a highly successful novel, Buffalo Bill, King of the Bordermen , which was first serialized on the front page of the Chicago Tribune , beginn ing that December 15. Many other sequels followed by Buntline, Prentiss Ingraham and others from
3672-606: The American Exhibition, which coincided with the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria . The Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII , requested a private preview of the Wild West performance; he was impressed enough to arrange a command performance for Queen Victoria . The Queen enjoyed the show and meeting the performers, setting the stage for another command performance on June 20, 1887, for her Jubilee guests. Royalty from all over Europe attended, including
3774-559: The Army Board for Correction of Military Records. After months of deliberation, the Board agreed with the persuasive legal brief and made the decision to restore the Medal of Honor, not only to Buffalo Bill but also several other civilian scouts whose medals had also been rescinded. Long after the medal was restored, the decision was thought to be controversial for several reasons. Some people interpreted Simpson's submission as arguing that
3876-630: The East End Exhibition Building, and George C. Crager sold The Ghost Shirt to the Kelvingrove Museum . The show's 1892 tour was confined to Great Britain; it featured another command performance for Queen Victoria. The tour finished with a six-month run in London before leaving Europe for nearly a decade. Buffalo Bill's Wild West returned to Europe in December 1902 with a fourteen-week run in London, capped by
3978-470: The Fair, Frederick Turner , a young Wisconsin scholar, gave a speech that pronounced the first stage of American history over. "The frontier has gone", he declared. Buffalo Bill's Wild West returned to Europe in December 1902 with a fourteen-week run in London, capped by a visit from King Edward VII and the future King George V. The Wild West traveled throughout Great Britain in a tour in 1902 and 1903 and
4080-608: The Indians; and John Shangren, a native interpreter. In 1891, Buffalo Bill performed in Karlsruhe , Germany, in the Südstadt Quarter. The inhabitants of Südstadt are nicknamed Indianer (German for "American Indians") to this day, and the most accepted theory says that this is due to Buffalo Bill's show. In October Cody brought the show to Dennistoun , Glasgow , where it ran from November 16 until February 27, 1892, in
4182-935: The Kemp Sisters, and Texas Rose as an announcer. " Show Indians " - actors largely from the Plains Nations , such as the Lakota people - were also a part of Wild West shows. They were hired to participate in staged "Indian Races" and what were alleged to be historic battles, and often appeared in attack scenes attacking whites in which they were encouraged to portray "savagery and wildness". The shows "generally presented Native people as exotic savages, prone to bizarre rites and cruel violence." The Native women were dressed in "exploitative", non-traditional clothing such as men's headdresses and breastplates, combined with immodest attire like leather shorts, none of which would have ever been worn in reality. They also performed what
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4284-701: The King of Border Men after the two met on a train from California to Nebraska. In December 1872, Buntline's novel turned into a theatrical production when The Scouts of the Prairie debuted in Chicago. The show featured Buntline, Cody, Texas Jack Omohundro , and the Italian-born ballerina Giuseppina Morlacchi and toured the American theater circuit for two years. Buntline left the show and in 1874 Cody founded
4386-523: The Old Trail Town museum is at the center of the community and commemorates the traditions of Western life. Cody first passed through the region in the 1870s. He was so impressed by the development possibilities from irrigation, rich soil, grand scenery, hunting, and proximity to Yellowstone Park that he returned in the mid-1890s to start a town. Streets in the town were named after his associates: Beck, Alger, Rumsey, Bleistein, and Salsbury. The town
4488-453: The Prairie , one of the original Wild West shows produced by Ned Buntline . The effort was panned by critics – one critic compared Cody's acting to a "diffident schoolboy" – but the performer was a hit with the sold-out crowds. In 1873, Cody invited "Wild Bill" Hickok to join the group in a new play called Scouts of the Plains . Hickok did not enjoy acting and often hid behind scenery; in one show, he shot at
4590-585: The Revolutionary War, when Congress decided to create a hierarchy of medals, designating the "Medal of Honor" as the highest military honor it could bestow. Subsequent regulations authorized the War Department to revoke prior Medal of Honor awards it considered not meeting requirements since the introduction of strict regulations promulgated under the 1917 law. Those regulations required the medal to be awarded for acts of bravery above and beyond
4692-816: The Smithsonian Institution preserves and displays Gertrude Käsebier 's photographs, as well as many others by photographers who captured the displays of Wild Westing. The Carlisle Indian School Resource Center of the Cumberland County Historical Society in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, houses an extensive collection of archival materials and photographs from the Carlisle Indian School. In 2000, the Cumberland County 250th Anniversary Committee worked with Native Americans from numerous tribes and non-natives to organize
4794-626: The South of France and Barcelona , Spain, then on to Italy. While in Rome, a Wild West delegation was received by Pope Leo XIII . Buffalo Bill was disappointed that the condition of the Colosseum did not allow it to be a venue; however, at Verona , the Wild West did perform in the ancient Roman amphitheater . The tour finished with stops in Austria-Hungary and Germany . In 1891
4896-647: The United States in May 1888 for a short summer tour. Buffalo Bill's Wild West returned to Europe in May 1889 as part of the Exposition Universelle in Paris, an event that commemorated the 100th anniversary of the Storming of the Bastille and featured the debut of the Eiffel Tower . On this tour, his portrait was painted by Europe's leading female painter Rosa Bonheur . The tour moved to
4998-480: The United States in May 1888 for a short summer tour. A return tour was made in 1891-92, including Cardiff , Wales and Glasgow , Scotland, in the itinerary. In 1893, Cody changed the title to Buffalo Bill's Wild West and Congress of Rough Riders of the World and the show performed at the Chicago World's Fair to a crowd of 18,000. This performance was a huge contributor to the show's popularity. The show never again did as well as it did that year. That same year at
5100-472: The World . The show began with a parade on horseback, with participants from horse-culture groups that included the US and another military, cowboys , American Indians , and performers from all over the world in their best attire. Turks , gauchos , Arabs , Mongols and Georgians displayed their distinctive horses and colorful costumes. Visitors would see main events, feats of skill, staged races, and sideshows. Many historical western figures participated in
5202-400: The antislavery population. During his return trip, he caught a respiratory infection which, compounded by the lingering effects of his stabbing and complications from kidney disease, led to his death in April 1857. After his death, the family suffered financially. At age 11, Bill worked for the freight carrier Russel, Major, and Waddel as a "boy extra". On horseback, he would ride up and down
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#17327901357725304-428: The assistance of the artist and rancher Abraham Archibald Anderson . Cody established the TE Ranch , located on the south fork of the Shoshone River about thirty-five miles from Cody. When he acquired the TE property, he stocked it with cattle sent from Nebraska and South Dakota. The new herd carried the TE brand. The late 1890s were relatively prosperous years for the Wild West show, and he bought more land to add to
5406-489: The authority to reinstate the medal directly, and so decided to return the case to the board for reconsideration. As a result, the board amended Cody's record to make him an enlisted soldier – aligning it with the legal argument that civilian scouts were the equivalent to officers or enlisted soldiers – so that he would fall within the legal requirements and did the same for four other civilian guides who had also had their medals rescinded. In doing so,
5508-542: The board overlooked the fact that Cody was a civilian guide with far greater employment flexibility than a soldier, including the ability to resign at will. Nevertheless the Board did recognize the value that all scouts provided, whether Native American or otherwise, and how they volunteered to put themselves in harm's way (in the case of Buffalo Bill, saving the lives of several soldiers by rushing onto an active battlefield and pulling them to safety while under fire) instead of pursuing less demanding civilian jobs. Cody received
5610-424: The cabinet level, the legal brief was written in conformance with the statutes. Modern Medal of Honor cases originating from the board, such as the recent case of Garlin Conner , required both executive action as well as a statutory waiver from Congress, which underscores the point that some cases might be in conflict with statutes. In the Cody case, the board's governing assistant secretary recognized that it lacked
5712-402: The call of duty by officers or enlisted soldiers. The law was enacted days before Buffalo Bill died, so he never knew a law might rescind the medal awarded to him. All civilian scout medals were rescinded since they did not appear to meet the basic criterion of being officers or enlisted soldiers, which had been expressly listed in every authorizing statute ever enacted for the Medal of Honor. Cody
5814-406: The cause in 1989. The legal brief he drafted and submitted to the Department of Defense on behalf of the relatives of Buffalo Bill argued that civilian scouts were technically officers, as their native American counterparts were nominally scouts. However, they were given the rank and pay of officers – both for retention purposes. Also, scouts were the equivalent of "reconnaissance" for
5916-414: The competition. Augusto Imperiali became a local hero after the event: a street and a monument were dedicated to him in his hometown, Cisterna di Latina , and he was featured as the hero in a series of comic strips in the 1920s and 1930s. Cody set up an independent exhibition near the Chicago World's Fair of 1893 , which greatly contributed to his popularity in the United States. It vexed the promoters of
6018-443: The entire show train had passed, not realizing it was three units, and returned to the tracks; 110 horses, including his mounts Old Pap and Old Eagle, were killed in the crash or had to be killed later. Three young Native Americans were killed in the train accident and many others injured. Annie Oakley's injuries were so severe that she was told she would never walk again. She did recover and continued performing later. The incident put
6120-421: The fair, who had rejected his request to participate. In 1894, Edison Studios invited Buffalo Bill and his show to be filmed in an early silent film , Buffalo Bill . On October 29, 1901, outside Lexington, North Carolina , a freight train crashed into one unit of the train carrying Buffalo Bill's show from Charlotte, North Carolina , to Danville, Virginia . The freight train's engineer had thought that
6222-408: The family returned to the Midwest and settled in the Kansas Territory . Buffalo Bill started working at the age of 11, after his father's death, and became a rider for the Pony Express at age 15. During the American Civil War , he served the Union from 1863 to the end of the war in 1865. Later he served as a civilian scout for the U.S. Army during the Indian Wars . While he was initially awarded
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#17327901357726324-426: The family was frequently persecuted by pro-slavery supporters. Cody's father spent time away from home for his safety. His enemies learned of a planned visit to his family and plotted to kill him on the way. Bill, despite his youth and being ill at the time, rode thirty miles (48 km) to warn his father. Isaac Cody went to Cleveland , Ohio , to organize a group of thirty families to bring back to Kansas, to add to
6426-411: The first four tours between 1887 and 1892, and the last four from 1902 to 1906. The first tour was in 1887 as part of the American Exhibition , which coincided with the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria . The Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII , requested a private preview of the Wild West performance; he was impressed enough to arrange a command performance for Queen Victoria . The Queen enjoyed
6528-475: The frontier were incorporated into the show's program. Shooting exhibitions were also in the lineup with extensive shooting displays and trick shots. Rodeo events, involving rough and dangerous activities performed by cowboys with different animals, also featured. It was the first and prototypical Wild West show, lasting until 1915, and featured theatrical reenactments of battle scenes, characteristic western scenes, and even hunts. In 1883, Buffalo Bill's Wild West
6630-407: The frontier, and were accompanied by one of the few remaining buffalo herds in the world. Races were another form of entertainment employed in the Wild West show. Many different races were held, including those between cowboys, Mexicans, and Indians, a 100 yd foot race between Indian and Indian pony, a race between Sioux boys on bareback Indian ponies, races between Mexican thoroughbreds, and even
6732-439: The future Kaiser Wilhelm II and the future King George V . These royal encounters provided Buffalo Bill's Wild West an endorsement and publicity that ensured its success. Also, at this time, Buffalo Bill was presented with written accolades from several of America's high ranking generals including William T. Sherman , Philip H. Sheridan and William H. Emory testifying to his service, bravery, and character. Among
6834-436: The harsh economy made it hard to afford tickets. It did not help that the show was routed to go through the South in a year when the cotton was flooded and there was a general depression in the area. Buffalo Bill lost a lot of money and was on the brink of a financial disaster. Soon after, and in an attempt of recovery of monetary balance, Buffalo Bill signed a contract in which he was tricked by Bonfil and Temmen into selling them
6936-401: The law had never required Cody to be a soldier. However, this was never a key element of Simpson's brief. According to these interpretations, Simpson's submission cited a book, Above and Beyond , to illustrate the lack of requirement to be a soldier. However, it was recognized in the legal brief that Medal of Honor recipients had to be an officer or enlisted soldier. Another problem cited by some
7038-411: The law, but rather conforming the status of civilian scouts to that of other scouts similarly situated (source: copy of the actual legal brief, by the author). Since the Board of Correction is merely a delegation of the Secretary of the Army 's authority, some suggest a separation of powers conflict, since even the president cannot contravene a clear statute and, although Cody's case was dealt with below
7140-432: The length of a wagon train and deliver messages between the drivers and workmen. Next, he joined Johnston's Army as an unofficial member of the scouts assigned to guide the United States Army to Utah , to put down a rumored rebellion by the Mormon population of Salt Lake City . According to Cody's account in Buffalo Bill's Own Story , the Utah War was where he began his career as an "Indian fighter": Presently
7242-408: The military and thus provided highly valued services. In addition, a practical reason was to avoid mistaking them for opponents in skirmishes. Moreover, although civilian scouts might have normally been officers because of their highly valued skills, the military drawdown and related budget cuts after the Civil War left no billets available for the civilian scouts to fill, and thus they were relegated to
7344-451: The moon rose, dead ahead of me; and painted boldly across its face was the figure of an Indian. He wore this war-bonnet of the Sioux , at his shoulder was a rifle pointed at someone in the river-bottom 30 feet [9 meters] below; in another second he would drop one of my friends. I raised my old muzzle-loader and fired. The figure collapsed, tumbled down the bank and landed with a splash in
7446-535: The nickname "Buffalo Bill" after the American Civil War, when he had a contract to supply Kansas Pacific Railroad workers with buffalo (American bison) meat. Cody is purported to have killed 4,282 buffalo in eighteen months in 1867 and 1868. Cody and another hunter, Bill Comstock, competed in an eight-hour buffalo-shooting match over the exclusive right to use the name, which Cody won by killing 68 animals to Comstock's 48. Comstock, part Cheyenne and
7548-455: The pow-wow culture of Native people. Some events are open to outside tourists who are able to observe traditional Native American skills: horse culture, ceremonial dancing, food, art, music and crafts, while other pow-wows are closed events for members of the Native community only. There are several ongoing national projects that celebrate Wild Westers and Wild Westing. The National Museum of American History 's Photographic History Collection at
7650-752: The presentations was a document signed by Governor John M. Thayer of Nebraska appointing Cody as aide-de-camp on the Governor's staff with the rank of colonel dated March 8, 1887. The rank had little official authority but the English press quickly capitalized on the new title of "Colonel Cody". Buffalo Bill's Wild West closed its successful London run in October 1887 after more than 300 performances, with more than 2.5 million tickets sold. The tour made stops in Birmingham and Manchester before returning to
7752-523: The ranch. They sold Indian and Mexican crafts, and featured annual rodeos. That enterprise burned to the ground in the 1940s and was never rebuilt. In 1936, the couple celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in Taos, New Mexico . In September of that year they attended a local celebration in Tulsa, Oklahoma . While driving back to their ranch that night, Pawnee Bill lost control of their vehicle. May died as
7854-447: The rear of the herd and leaving a trail of killed buffalo "scattered over a distance of three miles", Cody – likening his strategy to a billiards player "nursing" his billiard balls during "a big run" – first rode his horse to the front of the herd to target the leaders, forcing the followers to one side, eventually causing them to circle and create an easy target, and dropping them close together. In 1869,
7956-491: The short film, a series of adventures presented in flashback as Buffalo Bill's dreams. The film had two other directors before it was successfully completed by John B. O'Brien . The film is in the collection of the Library of Congress. Buffalo Bill's Wild West toured Europe eight times, the first four tours between 1887 and 1892, and the last four from 1902 to 1906. The Wild West first went to London in 1887 as part of
8058-589: The short-lived settlement of Rome . In 1867, with the construction of the Kansas Pacific Railway completing through Hays City and Rome, Cody was granted a leave of absence to hunt buffalo to supply railroad construction workers with meat. This endeavor continued into 1868, which saw his hunting contest with William Comstock. Cody returned to Army service in 1868. From his post in Fort Larned , he performed an exceptional feat of riding as
8160-502: The show and demoting himself to a mere employee and attraction of the Sells-Floto Circus. From this point, the show began to destroy itself. Finally, in 1913 the show was declared bankrupt. The shows consisted of reenactments of history combined with displays of showmanship, sharpshooting, hunts, racing, or rodeo style events. Each show was 3–4 hours long and attracted crowds of thousands of people daily. The show began with
8262-462: The show and meeting the performers, setting the stage for another command performance on June 20, 1887, for her Jubilee guests. Royalty from all over Europe attended, including the future Kaiser Wilhelm II and the future King George V . Buffalo Bill's Wild West closed its successful London run in October 1887 after more than 300 performances, with more than 2.5 million tickets sold. The tour made stops in Birmingham and Manchester before returning to
8364-476: The show as the "Champion Girl Horseback Shot of the West." Their first season was a financial disaster where they re-organized as a smaller operation called "Pawnee Bill’s Historical Wild West Indian Museum and Encampment Show." That show was popular and financially successful. Lillie added Jose Barrera to the cast; he was widely popular performing as " Mexican Joe ". Mamie Francis performed with Pawnee Bill's from 1901 to 1905. In 1907, Lillie hired performers from
8466-623: The show out of business for a while, and this disruption may have led to its eventual demise. In 1908, Pawnee Bill and Buffalo Bill joined forces and created the Two Bills show. That show was foreclosed on when it was playing in Denver, Colorado. The Buffalo Bill and Pawnee Bill Film Company, based in New York City, produced a three-reel motion picture in 1912 titled The Life of Buffalo Bill . Cody himself appears in scenes that bookend
8568-832: The show to Great Britain in celebration of the Jubilee year of Queen Victoria , who attended a performance. It played in London and then in Birmingham and Salford , near Manchester , where it stayed for five months. In 1889, the show toured Europe, and, in 1890, Cody met Pope Leo XIII . On March 8, 1890, a competition took place. Buffalo Bill had met some Italian butteri (a less-well-known sort of Italian equivalent of cowboys) and said his men were more skilled at roping calves and performing other similar actions. A group of Buffalo Bill's men challenged nine butteri , led by Augusto Imperiali [ it ] , at Prati di Castello neighbourhood in Rome. The butteri easily won
8670-633: The show toured cities in Belgium and the Netherlands before returning to Great Britain to close the season. Cody depended on several staffs to manage arrangements for touring with the large and complex show: in 1891 Major Arizona John Burke was the general manager for the Buffalo Bill Wild West Company; William Laugan [ sic ], supply agent; George C. Crager, Sioux interpreter, considered leader of relations with
8772-505: The show was Calamity Jane , as a storyteller as of 1893. The show influenced many 20th-century portrayals of the West in cinema and literature. With his profits, Cody purchased a 4,000-acre (16-km²) ranch near North Platte , Nebraska, in 1886. The Scout's Rest Ranch included an eighteen-room mansion and a large barn for winter storage of the show's livestock. In 1887, invited by the British businessman John Robinson Whitley , Cody took
8874-493: The show were Red Cloud , Chief Joseph , Geronimo , and the Modoc War scout Donald McKay . Western shows generated interest for Western entertainment. This is still evidenced in western films, modern rodeos, and circuses. Western films in the first half of the 20th century filled the gap left behind by Wild West shows. The first real western, The Great Train Robbery , was made in 1903, and thousands followed after. In
8976-402: The show. For example, Sitting Bull appeared with a band of 20 of his soldiers. Cody's headline performers were well-known in their own right. Annie Oakley and her husband, Frank Butler , were sharpshooters, together with the likes of Gabriel Dumont and Lillian Smith . Performers re-enacted the riding of the Pony Express , Indian attacks on wagon trains, and stagecoach robberies. The show
9078-403: The spotlight when it focused on him. He was therefore released from the group after a few months. Cody founded the Buffalo Bill Combination in 1874, in which he performed for part of the year while scouting on the prairies the rest of the year. The troupe toured for ten years. Cody's part typically included a reenactment of an 1876 incident at Warbonnet Creek , where he claimed to have scalped
9180-552: The water. "What is it?" called McCarthy, as he hurried back. "It's over there in the water." "Hi!" he cried. "Little Billy's killed an Indian all by himself!" So began my career as an Indian fighter. At the age of 14, in 1860, Cody was caught up in the "gold fever", with news of gold at Fort Colville and the Holcomb Valley Gold Rush in California . On his way to the goldfields, however, he met an agent for
9282-528: The young age of 23. Shortly thereafter he started performing in shows that displayed cowboy themes and episodes from the frontier and Indian Wars. He founded Buffalo Bill's Wild West in 1883, taking his large company on tours in the United States and, beginning in 1887, in Europe. He was born in Le Claire , Iowa Territory (now the U.S. state of Iowa ), but he lived for several years in his father's hometown in modern-day Mississauga , Ontario , before
9384-656: Was also Chief of Scouts for the Third Cavalry in later campaigns of the Plains Wars . In January 1872, Cody was a scout for the highly publicized hunting expedition of the Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich of Russia . Cody was awarded the Medal of Honor in 1872 for documented gallantry above and beyond the call of duty as an Army scout in the Indian Wars. It was revoked in 1917, along with medals of 910 other recipients dating back to
9486-515: Was another distinguished woman performer. Calamity Jane was a notorious frontierswoman who was the subject of many wild stories—many of which she made up herself. She was a skilled horsewoman and expert rifle and revolver handler in the show. Calamity Jane appeared in Wild West shows until 1902 when she was reportedly fired for drinking and fighting. Other notable females in the business were Tillie Baldwin , May Lillie , Lucille Mulhall , Lillian Smith , Bessie and Della Ferrel, Luella-Forepaugh Fish,
9588-515: Was billed as "the Sioux Ghost Dance". Chief Sitting Bull joined Cody's Wild West show for a short time and was a star attraction alongside Annie Oakley. During his time at the show, Sitting Bull was introduced to President Grover Cleveland , which he thought proved his importance as chief. He was friends with Buffalo Bill and highly valued the horse that was given to him when he left the show. Red Eagle (1870–1949) immersed himself in
9690-704: Was born about 1817 in Trenton, New Jersey . She moved to Cincinnati to teach school, and there she met and married Isaac. She was a descendant of Josiah Bunting, a Quaker who had settled in Pennsylvania . There is no evidence to indicate Buffalo Bill was raised as a Quaker. In 1847 the couple moved to Ontario, having their son baptized in 1847, as William Cody, at the Dixie Union Chapel in Peel County (present-day Peel Region , of which Mississauga
9792-493: Was founded in Omaha , Nebraska when Buffalo Bill Cody turned his real life adventure into the first outdoor western show. The show's publicist Arizona John Burke employed innovative techniques at the time, such as celebrity endorsements, press kits, publicity stunts, op-ed articles, billboards and product licensing, that contributed to the success and popularity of the show. Buffalo Bill's Wild West toured Europe eight times,
9894-632: Was incorporated in 1901. In November 1902, Cody opened the Irma Hotel , named after his daughter. He envisioned a growing number of tourists coming to Cody on the recently opened Burlington rail line. He expected that they would proceed up Cody Road, along the north fork of the Shoshone River, to visit Yellowstone Park. To accommodate travelers, Cody completed the construction of the Wapiti Inn and Pahaska Tepee in 1905 along Cody Road with
9996-404: Was nicknamed the "Cowboy Kid" and considered to be Annie Oakley's boy counterpart. Some notable cowboys who participated in the events were Buck Taylor (dubbed "The First Cowboy King"), Bronco Bill, James Lawson ("The Roper"), Bill Bullock, Tim Clayton, Coyote Bill, sharpshooter James Spleen (" Kit Carson Jr "), frontiersman John Baker Omohundro ("Texas Jack"), and Bridle Bill. Women were also
10098-527: Was one of five scouts affected. Their medals were stripped shortly after Cody died in 1917. Cody's relatives objected, and, for over 72 years, they wrote repeatedly to the US Congress seeking reconsideration. All efforts failed, until a 1988 letter to the Senate from Cody's grandson received by the office of senator Alan K. Simpson of Wyoming, when a newly assigned legislative assistant (K. Yale) took up
10200-496: Was overtaken by political and physical conflict over the slavery question. Isaac Cody was against slavery. He was invited to speak at Rively's store, a local trading post where pro-slavery men often held meetings. His antislavery speech so angered the crowd that they threatened to kill him if he did not step down. A man jumped up and stabbed him twice with a Bowie knife . Rively, the store's owner, rushed Cody to get treatment, but he never fully recovered from his injuries. In Kansas,
10302-452: Was said to end with a re-enactment of Custer's Last Stand , in which Cody portrayed General Custer, but this is more legend than fact. The finale was typically a portrayal of an Indian attack on a settler's cabin. Cody would ride in with an entourage of cowboys to defend a settler and his family. This finale was featured predominantly as early as 1886 but was not performed after 1907; it was used in 23 of 33 tours. Another celebrity appearing on
10404-408: Was the authority of the Board to contravene several federal statutes because the Medal of Honor revocation had been expressly authorized by Congress, meaning that the restoration went against the law in force in 1872, the law requiring the revocation in 1916, and the modern statute enacted in 1918 that remains substantially unmodified today. However, the legal brief clearly did not suggest overturning of
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