History of Cody, Wyoming
A town founded by Buffalo Bill

What's in a town's name? A great deal, if the designation came about from the surname of a man with perhaps one of the best-known monikers in the world, "Buffalo Bill Cody. William F. Cody, buffalo hunter and showman extraordinaire, lent his name to a small 1890's cow town on the edge of Yellowstone Park in western Wyoming.
Cody was born in 1846. As a frontiersman, whose career included riding for the Pony Express at the tender age of 14, he acquired his nickname while hunting bison (buffalo) to feed railroad crews. He worked as a scout for the army and helped fight Indians in Colorado and Wyoming until the year that General Custer and his men were massacred at the Little Bighorn.

With a bent for performing in his blood, Cody pursued the life of an actor for two years until he organized a traveling show known as "Buffalo Bill's Wild West and Congress of Rough Riders of the World." He toured the United States and Europe and during that time became famous for his work.

In real life both white men and red in the environment of what is now Wyoming led harsh, often brutal lives. Almost single handedly Bill Cody gave the "cowboys and Indians" a thrilling and quite romantic image.
The dramatic portrayals thrilled audiences with buffalo herds, shooting and roping exhibitions, reenactments of famous battles. Indians in full traditional dress performed regularly as did "Little Sure Shot, a/k/a Annie Oakley. Even the famous Sioux Chief, Sitting Bull, joined the show for a season.

Early-day land developers in northern Wyoming saw "Buffalo Bill" as probably the most advertised man in the world and invited him to head their venture. Cody responded, for he saw the potential tourism and recreation possibilities in the area. He poured large amounts of his own money into the town and built a magnificent hotel, named the Irma Hotel after his youngest daughter. Western artist, Frederick was on hand for the dedication of the hotel.

The hotel cost Cody a staggering $80, 000, which in 1902 was a large amount of money. The building is well preserved after nearly a century of attracting people, some of whom wished to stay there and others only to gaze in awe.
Cody also built a hunting lodge, which he called Pahaska. It, too, is still in existence.