Online
Exhibits - Buffalo
Bill: A Life in
Photographs
William
F. Cody,
c. 1856,
at the
age of
eleven
he crossed
the Great
Plains
for the
first
time as
a relief
driver
on a wagon
train.
William
F. Cody,
c. 1864,
at the
age of
eighteen
he enlisted
in the
Union
Army near
the end
of the
Civil
War.
William
F. Cody
with Ned
Buntline
and Texas
Jack Omohundro,
c. 1873.
Having
earned
the name
of Buffalo
Bill as
a scout
and buffalo
hunter,
Cody joined
Omohundro
and Buntline
onstage
in the
melodrama
“Scouts
of the
Prairie”.
This was
the beginning
of Buffalo
Bill’s
show business
career.
William
F. Cody
with Ned
Buntline
and Texas
Jack Omohundro,
c. 1873.
Having
earned
the name
of Buffalo
Bill as
a scout
and buffalo
hunter,
Cody joined
Omohundro
and Buntline
onstage
in the
melodrama
“Scouts
of the
Prairie”.
This was
the beginning
of Buffalo
Bill’s
show business
career.
William
F. Cody
with Sitting
Bull,
c. 1885.
After
ten years
performing
on stage,
Cody began
Buffalo
Bill’s
Wild West,
a large
outdoor
exhibition,
in 1883.
Sitting
Bull appeared
in the
Wild West
for four
months
in 1885.
This photograph
was taken
during
the show’s
appearance
in Montreal.
William
F. Cody,
c. 1886.
In 1886
the Wild
West appeared
for several
months
at Erastina
on Staten
Island.
It was
during
this time
that his
publicity
photograph
was taken.
William
F. Cody,
c. 1886.
Cody is
flanked
by Sioux
Indians
on his
left and
Pawnee
Indians
on his
right,
all members
of his
Wild West.
This publicity
photo
was taken
while
the Wild
West was
appearing
at Erastina
on Staten
Island.
William
F. Cody,
c. 1890.
This photograph
was taken
while
Buffalo
Bill’s
Wild West
was in
Europe.
The Wild
West did
shows
throughout
Europe
from 1887
to 1892.
William
F. Cody,
c. 1894.
Following
its successful
run at
the World’s
Columbian
Exposition
in Chicago
in 1893,
Buffalo
Bill’s
Wild West
spent
the summer
of 1894
in Brooklyn,
New York.
This photo
was probably
taken
at that
time.
Buffalo
Bill’s
jacket
and pants,
in this
photo,
can be
seen on
exhibit
at the
Buffalo
Bill Museum
and Grave.
William
F. Cody,
c. 1900.
Mounted
on Isham,
one of
his favorite
horses,
Buffalo
Bill strikes
a classic
pose behind
the scenes
at the
Wild West.
William
F. Cody,
c. 1901.
Buffalo
Bill relaxes
outside
his tent
during
an appearance
of the
Wild West
at the
Pan-American
Exposition
in Buffalo,
New York.
William
F. Cody,
c. 1904.
This photograph
was probably
taken
in London
during
the Wild
West’s
return
to Great
Britain
from 1902-1904.
Buffalo
Bill was
rarely
seen without
a cowboy
hat, even
when the
occasion
demanded
fancy
dress.
William
F. Cody
and Pawnee
Bill,
c. 1908.
In 1908
Buffalo
Bill’s
Wild West
merged
with Pawnee
Bill’s
Far East.
This photograph
was taken
to promote
that merger.
William
F. Cody,
c. 1914.
In 1913
Buffalo
Bill’s
Wild West/Pawnee
Bill’s
Far East
was sold
at auction
to pay
debts.
As part
of the
settlement,
Buffalo
Bill was
forced
to appear
in the
Sells
Floto
Circus.
Here a
68 year
old Cody
watches
the circus
from the
stands.
William
F. Cody,
c. 1917.
Buffalo
Bill at
Glenwood
Springs,
where
he had
journeyed
to take
in the
healing
waters.
There
he was
told by
Doctor
Crook
that he
had only
a few
days to
live.
He immediately
went to
his sister’s
house
in Denver,
where
he died
eight
days later
on January
10, 1917.
