BUFFALO BILL MUSEUM AND GRAVE ON LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN

Currently in Golden CO (Low 55 Partly Sunny and Very Warm High 85) 

We drove the Lariat Loop up Lookout Mountain to the Buffalo Bill Museum and Gravesite near Golden Colorado. William Frederick Cody was born in Le Claire Iowa, moved to Kansas at an early age, built a home and lived in North Platte Nebraska during the Wild West show years and founded the town of Cody Wyoming. So why was he buried on Lookout Mountain in Colorado in 1917? 

Because that was his wish as stated to his family and friends and the priest who administered the last rites. Saying that there still was some controversy about the choice. His widow had the casket opened just before it was lowered into the crypt to prove that it was him being buried. There is a famous photo of a tank parked next to the grave.

The myth was that there was fear that Cody Wyoming or North Platte Nebraska would steal the body and that the tank was there to guard the grave. The truth is that it was a photo used to sell war bonds after WWI and that they took the photo and moved on. After his widow died in 1921 both towns did raise a ruckus and the controversy remains to this day. To guard the body what was done after the widow was buried is tons of concrete were added over the caskets in the crypt. Here is the grave again and the plaque noting Buffalo Bill's wishes.

The marker on the ground noting his Congressional Medal of Honor awarded.

On the walk to the grave we noticed this plaque commemorating the Pony Express which Buffalo Bill was a young rider for. One of the three founders of the Pony Express, Alexander Majors, lived in Kansas City Missouri and you can tour his home and barn at 82nd and State Line RD.

There is a very good film that plays in the museum where we learned a lot. It is kind of hard to take photos with glass display cases but here are some of the better ones. A Buffalo Bill painting.

One of his rifles.

A neat lamp.

Of course a buffalo, or more correctly American Bison.

Bob jumped on the horse at the Reagan Presidential Library so he had to do it here too. Sure was a lot easier when he was younger :-)

He chose Lookout Mountain because when he visited here he loved the view and said he could see four states. Here are some of the views today.

It was good to do some sightseeing and not be held hostage by the trailer brakes. This was a great museum, in fact True West Magazine lists this at No. 5 of the Top Ten Western Museums for 2014. The drive to the museum is gorgeous so all in all a great day.

Till next time,

Bob and Jo