Cody’s Buffalo Bill statue rededicated on 100th anniversary…

CODY — The Fourth of July goes beyond a celebration of freedom and all things Cody with the start of the Cody Stampede, it is also the 100th anniversary of an iconic local sculpture “Buffalo Bill — The Scout.”

The bronze statue of William “Buffalo Bill” Cody was placed on a raised stone pedestal and dedicated on July 4, 1924. A century later, on Thursday, Cody residents and visitors gathered to rededicate the statue, which has become to northwest Wyoming what the rearing horse and rider are to Wyoming.

“It’s more than just a sculpture that people visit,” said Ken Straniere, spokesman for the Buffalo Bill Center of the West. “It’s a symbol of our region. What the bald eagle is to America is what The Scout is to Cody and northwest Wyoming.”

A bronze for Bill

“The Scout” was commissioned in honor of Cody’s founding father, legendary Wild West showman William Frederick “Buffalo” Bill Cody. It was started by his niece, Mary Jester Allen, who was creating the museum that would become today’s Buffalo Bill Center of the West (BBCOW).

Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, a sculptor and wealthy heiress, created the larger-than-life statue and covered most of its $50,000 cost (nearly $900,000 in 2024).

It depicts a young, vigorous Buffalo Bill on horseback, raising his rifle in the air and looking into the eyes of the people watching him from below.

After some disagreements over where to place it, the sculpture was placed on the edge of Cody town with a view of the Absaroka Mountains in the background.

The stone pedestal represents Cedar Mountain, Buffalo Bill’s intended (and theoretically final) resting place.

“The Scout” was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. It has since become a Cody landmark and one of the most photographed attractions in northwest Wyoming.

Celebrating a century

A large crowd gathered at the base of the statue after the Cody Stampede parade Thursday as Cody Mayor Matt Hall opened the ceremony with remarks.

“When Gertrude brought this image to life, I doubt she had the foresight and understanding of the impact it would have on this town,” he said. “People across the state of Wyoming and around the world know our Scout. For those of us who grew up here, we have a deeper connection. We are connected to his virtues: courage, independence and freedom.”

The statue now stands at the end of Sheridan Avenue, Cody’s main street, and is surrounded by a traffic circle. Hall spoke of the statue as an old friend and a constant, comforting presence in the community.

“It’s the spiritual center of our city,” he said. “While most of our sons and daughters have moved away, a few of us have returned. No matter how long we’ve been away or how often we periodically pass by the statue, our Scout, that monument brings us a certain strength, a certain comfort and a certain solace.”

Rebecca West, BBCOW Executive Director, praised Buffalo Bill’s foresight in laying the foundation for Cody to become what it is today.

“Buffalo Bill carried out his grand plans for this town, and they were truly grand,” he said. “It included a sprawling, seemingly impossible irrigation project and a hotel that would cost over $3 million today. This was at a time when Cody had fewer than 50 buildings, and 10 of those buildings were saloons.

“Today we see the impact, we feel the impact, we know the impact of Buffalo Bill’s great vision.”

Up and above

When the ribbon was cut for the re-inauguration, the ceremonial scissors were handed to Buffalo Bill himself, or at least to his proxy for 2024.

“Buffalo Bill” was Evan Wambeke, a born-and-raised Cody resident who stars as the Western showman in “Wild West Spectacular,” an original musical at the Cody Theatre in downtown Cody.

Wambeke, with Buffalo Bill’s distinctive robe and facial hair, was joined by performers playing friends and colleagues of the Cody founder, such as sharpshooter Annie Oakley and Nate Salsbury, the business partner who helped create Buffalo Bill’s Wild West.

The Cody Outriders, the volunteer riders who participate in the Cody Stampede Parade, finished the rededication with a short symbolic ride. Their annual tradition is to ride up and down the stairs behind the statue to end their Independence Day commitments and pay tribute to Buffalo Bill and Cody.

The assembled crowd listened to every speech and performance with joy and reverence. They recognized “Buffalo Bill – The Scout” as the icon of their community and the symbol of their strength, their spirit and their homeland.

“If Buffalo Bill and Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney taught us anything, it’s that if you have a dream or an idea that you want to share and make a reality, take the reins, don’t be afraid to use your spurs, and don’t give up. Thank you for helping us celebrate the last 100 years and the next 100.”

Andrew Rossi can be contacted at [email protected].