Buffalo Bill State Historical Park

It’s Buffalo Bill’s ranch, of course it gets his Buffalo of Approval. You don’t have to take his word for it, there’s tons of reasons this State Historic Park is a must-see for visitors.

Originally 4000-acre Scout’s Rest Ranch, the historic park now consists of 25 acres that contain Buffalo Bill’s home as well as barns, outbuildings, and a variety of other features. The house is Cody’s 2nd Empire mansion, built in 1886 at a cost of $3,900, that has been restored and filled with period appropriate furnishings as well as a ton of Buffalo Bill memorabilia. The barn, once used to house horses, now contains a collection of antique carriages that belonged to Bill as well as a variety of memorabilia from the days of his world-famous Wild West Show.

Scout’s Rest Ranch at Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park has been designated a National Historic Landmark for the significant role William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody played in the creation of the Wild West entertainment movement of the late 19th century.

Scout’s Rest Ranch was the primary home of the frontiersman-turned-showman from 1886 to 1913. In the late 1800s, Cody developed a series of “Wild West” vaudeville shows that incorporated rodeo performances and re-enactments of historical events of the American frontier. The ranch was a powerful piece of publicity and propaganda in the show as it illustrated how Cody carried out his role as frontiersman and domesticator, not just in the arena, but in his private life.

Buffalo Bill’s Wild West was so compelling, it inspired more than 100 imitator shows, spawned the modern rodeo and influenced the motion picture industry. The movement influenced — and continues to influence — how the entertainment industry, mass media and popular culture present the history of the American West.