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The Papers of William F. Cody

Papers of William F. Cody

The Papers of William F. Cody

The Papers of William F. Cody: Examining both sides of Buffalo Bill
“…my life was one of almost continuous excitement, and to tell the whole story would require many volumes.” —William F. Cody

Through The Papers of William F. Cody, an archive of the life and times of an American icon, readers see glimpses of attitudes of the time through Cody’s interactions with individuals ranging from statesmen and royalty to noted military and literary figures who sought his opinion on policy questions concerning the American West. A greater understanding of public attitudes and political, economic, and environmental policies that affected the United States during his lifetime are also reflected in his lesser-known roles as a community founder, businessman, rancher, and investor.

Papers include:

  • Correspondence (Personal and Business)
  • Business Records
  • Published and Unpublished Writings
  • Memoirs and Autobiographies
  • Video and Audio Recordings
  • Photographs
  • Print Media, including Advertising Art

The Buffalo Bill Center of the West and The Papers of William F. Cody work jointly with the Center for Digital Research in the Humanities at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to create and expand the William F. Cody Archive, an invaluable record of late nineteenth-century and early-twentieth-century American national development. Through this digital archive and its associated texts, along with the digital interpretive site CodyStudies.org, researchers and visitors have an unequaled opportunity to see, through the eyes of Buffalo Bill, the expansion and growth of the American West.

Click here to visit the online archive CodyArchive.org

Click here to visit the digital interpretive site CodyStudies.org


Published Works

Book: The Life of Hon. William F. Cody

The Life of Hon. William F. Cody, Known as Buffalo Bill

Edited by Frank Christianson
Buffalo Bill’s autobiography. This volume is based on the original 1879 edition with a new introduction, historical materials, and images.

Available in our Museum Store, online, or by calling
800-533-3838. Click image for a larger view.

Book: Four Years in Europe with Buffalo Bill

Four Years in Europe with Buffalo Bill

Edited by Chris Dixon

Charles Eldridge Griffin’s memoir of the 1902 – 1906 European tour of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West. Tour manager Griffin presents a fascinating account of the show’s travels.

Available in our Museum Store
or by calling 800-533-3838. Click for a larger view.

The Wild West in England

Book: The Wild West in England

By William F. Cody

Edited by Frank Christianson

Available in our Museum Store
or by calling 800-533-3838. Click for a larger view.

Buffalo Bill: From Prairie to Palace

Book: Buffalo Bill from Prairie to Palace

By John M. Burke
Edited by Chris Dixon

Available in our Museum Store
or by calling 800-533-3838. Click image for a larger view.

Institutional funding provided by:

  • Wyoming Cultural Trust Fund, a program of the Department of State Parks and Cultural Resources
  • National Endowment for the Humanities
  • Institute of Museum and Library Services
  • Wyoming State Parks and Cultural Resources
  • University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Center for Great Plains Studies, and Center for Digital Research in the Humanities
  • Dellenback Family Foundation
  • Nancy-Carroll Draper Foundation
  • The McMurry Foundation
  • Carol McMurry Library Endowment Fund-Wyoming Community Foundation

Additional funding provided by:

  • Naoma Tate and the Family of Hal Tate
  • Adrienne and John Mars
  • W. Richard and Margaret Webster Scarlett III
  • William C. Garlow
  • Carol Boyce
  • Linda Clark
  • Forrest Fenn
  • Jeremy and Amanda Johnston
  • Robert and Mary Louise McGee
  • Hazel M. Robertson
  • Mr. and Mrs. Michael Robino
  • Jack Rosenthal
  • Dr. and Mrs. Marc A. Turner
  • D. Tim White

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