Military drills in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West
A Museum Minute
By Olivia Weitz
Wyoming Public Media
May 16, 2024
A 1-minute audio snapshot highlighting a museum object from the collection of the Buffalo Bill Center of the West.
Some of the dramatic scenes showcased in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show were also printed on advertising posters.
Former Buffalo Bill Museum Curator Jeremy Johnston said some of the images in posters that were part of a special exhibition that appeared at the Center of the West in 2024 are ones you might not expect.
“Many people assume the show focused solely on recreating episodes from the settlement of the American frontier, but Buffalo Bill’s Wild West also included many contemporary events,” he said.
Johnston said one example is a poster called “The Military Pageant (Preparedness)” that references Buffalo Bill working with the U.S. War Department and the 101 Ranch show to showcase military drills during show performances.
“The goal of these preparedness shows was to prepare America for World War I. And Buffalo Bill basically took up this preparedness campaign and staged these military reenactments hoping Americans would see the value in at least preparing for the possibility of war,” he said.
In terms of other events, Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show also featured recreations of the Battle of San Juan Hill and scenes from the Boxer Rebellion.
