Topics in Chronicling America - William F. Cody "Buffalo Bill" (1846-1917)

Launching Buffalo Bill's Wild West show in 1883, buffalo hunter and showman, William Frederick Cody romanticizes the adventure and excitement of the wild western frontier through horsemanship, sharp-shooting, battles with Indians, and rodeo style events. Attracting huge crowds daily, the show traveled with 600 people and 500 horses throughout the U.S. and Europe, introducing personalities such as Annie Oakley to the thrill seeking spectators. Read more about it!

The information and sample article links below provide access to a sampling of articles from historic newspapers that can be found in the Chronicling America: American Historic Newspapers digital collection (http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/). Use the Suggested Search Terms and Dates to explore this topic further in Chronicling America.

Jump to: Sample Articles

Important Dates:

• 1869: “Buffalo Bill,” alter ego of William F. Cody, is introduced to the reading public by Ned Buntline in his dime novels and newspaper stories.
• 1883: One of the first performances of “Buffalo Bill’s Wild West” is held in Omaha, Nebraska. The show would continue to tour nationally and internationally for the next thirty years, making Buffalo Bill, and his image of “The West” famous.
• January 10, 1917: The Hon. William F. Cody dies in Denver, Colorado at the age of 70. Even after his death, Buffalo Bill and his image of “The West” remained popular.

Suggested Search Strategies:

• [Try the following terms in combination, proximity, or as phrases using Search Pages in Chronicling America.] Buffalo Bill, William F. Cody, Buffalo Bill Cody, Wild West
• It is important to use a specific date range if looking for articles for a particular event in order to narrow your results.
• Be prepared to distinguish between the articles and the many advertisements related to the show.

Sample Articles from Chronicling America:

• "The Great Living Scout," Charleston Daily News (Charleston, SC), December 15, 1869, Page 4, Image 4, col 1.
• "A Grand Success," Omaha Daily Bee (Omaha, NE), May 21, 1883, Page 8, Image 8, col. 4.
• "The Wild and Whooping West," New York Tribune (New York, NY), June 17, 1884, Page 8, Image 8, col. 2.
• "The Wild West," Daily Evening Bulletin (Maysville, KY), Octber 22, 1884, Page 3, Image 3, col. 2.
• "Fighting and Trapping," Omaha Daily Bee (Omaha, NE), June 25, 1887, Page 4, Image 4, col. 5.
• "Buffalo Bill," Springfield Daily Republic (Springfield, OH), May 26, 1888, Page 6, Image 6, col. 3.
• "A Day with the Wild West," New York Tribune (New York, NY), July 22, 1894, Page 15, Image 15, col 1.
• "Wild Rides on the Old Santa Fe Trail," The San Francisco Call (San Francisco, CA), August 28, 1898, Page 19, Image 19, col. 4.
• "Wild West Rough Riders Here," Akron Daily Democrat (Akron, OH), July 25, 1899, Page 1, Image 1, col 1.
• "How the People of the Show are Fed," The San Francisco call (San Francisco, CA), September 28, 1902, Page 13, Image 13, col. 1.
• "Famous Scout and Showman Dead," Evening Public Ledger (Philadelphia, PA), January 10, 1917, Night Extra, Page 1, Image 1, col. 3.
• "Buffalo Bill is No More," The Evening Herald (Klamath Falls, OR), January 10, 1917, Page 1, Image 1, col. 6.
• "Colonel Cody Noted Plainsman is Dead," The Daily Missourian (Columbia, MO), January 10, 1917, Page 1, Image 1, col. 6.