Wild West Cowboy To International Celebrity
DENVER (CBS4) - What started as hunting buffalo for workers became fighting for the West's way of life through showbiz. Born in 1846, Buffalo Bill, otherwise known as William F. Cody, is the Wild West in human form. He was raised around horses and guns, and contributed to the war effort as a scout, then by killing buffaloes as food for railroad workers. This is where the legend was made.
When the war ended, Buffalo Bill kept his Wild West shenanigans going by breaking into show business in 1883. His western-themed shows were an instant hit, with cowboys and Native Americans, and reenacted episodes from frontier life. Buffalo Bill's Wild West grew to include dozens of cast members, toured internationally, and even performed at Chicago's World Fair in 1893.
He was buried in Colorado on Lookout Mountain after a procession through the city of Denver, attended by hundreds. Controversy continues to this day about where Cody's family, originally from Wyoming, wants Buffalo Bill to rest, which is why his grave has been cemented in concrete.
