That tall, bronzed fella, 13 feet high, residing in Cody, Wyoming, is none other than the legendary Buffalo Bill – The Scout. Sited at the Buffalo Bill Historical Center, he's a proud testament to the colorful past of their most famous resident, ol' Bill Cody. But the behind-the-scenes story is as Rocky Mountain woolly as Bill himself. A man of many talents - writing, showmanship, leading expeditions, Civil War soldier, and Wild West Show star, Bill had the West hooked good and proper.
When his niece, Mary Jester Allen, started the statue project, she knew she needed a top-notch sculptor, and brought on Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney. Seems the initial attempts didn't quite hit the mark for ol' Bill, what with the critique about the horse, its stance, and gear. After some hefty griping and grumbling, she sent for a horse from Cody's TE Ranch and a cowboy to take the reins. Unveiled on July 4, 1924, the statue made its debut with a full crowd of dignitaries, standing on a grand stone base representing nearby Cedar Mountain, the very peak where Bill chose his final resting place.
To tell you the truth, I reckon ol' Bill would've raised an eyebrow or two if he'd seen the final result. But he’d also know that life always deals us some surprises.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Friendly Jane
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