Off to Cody, WY Looking for Cowboys & CowgirlsAug 17, 2010
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| Today we are taking a break from Yellowstone. We’re going to Cody to see the Buffalo Bill Dam and the Buffalo Bill Historical Center. Cody is 18 miles down the road. Our first stop is the dam. Situated 295 feet above the Shoshone River, it was at one time the tallest dam in the United States. The Visitor Center’s glass walls give you a great view of the river and surrounding canyon. It was built in 1905to 1910. We watched a film that spoke of the many obstacles in completing the project. Through the years it has helped turn the arid high plains of the northern Big Horn Basin into one of Wyoming’s most fertile farming regions, irrigating 93,000 acres from Cody to Lovell. What amazed me is the intelligence and hard work of the people 100 years ago. Our next stop around noon was the Buffalo Bill museums. There are five museums in the center. We get AAA discount and our ticket is good for two consecutive days. We decide that we’ll see what we can today and finish the rest tomorrow. The museum is a Smithsonian Institution Affiliate and is billed as the Voice of the American West. The museum recounts the life of the legendary showman William F. “buffalo Bill” Cody. For 30 years during late 1800’s and early 1900’s, he had a Wild West traveling show that not only went everywhere in the United States but also Europe. The Indians were from the reservations and dressed in their beautiful native costumes. During his lifetime he worked a wagon train, prospected for gold, rode for the Pony Express, hunted buffalo for the railroad and scouted for the Army. He was well respected by all those who knew him. He believed in women’s rights and felt they should be able to vote. Wyoming was the first state in the Union to allow women to vote. He also believed in the rights of the American Indian. He was the founder of Cody, Wyoming. He believed in conservation and care of the land. The first museum we saw was the Buffalo Bill museum. Many personal possessions and artifacts from his home were displayed. There were also beautiful posters showing the Wild West Show was coming to town. Livestock, horses, Indians, and cowboys put on a great western show. The second museum we saw was about the Plains Indians. The displays were beautiful and colorful. The music and art was impressive. Explanations were given as to how boys and girls are educated by their elders. Respect for nature is part of their cultural beliefs. There are various interactive displays that show how the Indians grow food and provide for themselves. Every part of the buffalo was used with nothing wasted. Visiting these two museums takes us to above 5:30. We spend the next half hour, before the closing at 6:00, viewing the sculptures in the gardens on the grounds. The bronze sculptures represent various western characterizations of the Indians, cowboys, horses, and cattle. |
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