A Glimpse into Buffalo Bill's Legacy Cody Wyoming

A Glimpse into Buffalo Bill’s Legacy at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West

Last year, in May 2024, Kass, the male YouTuber from Calgary, Alberta, behind the KassDays YouTube channel, visited the Buffalo Bill Center of the West in Cody, Wyoming. Known for its five museums under one roof, the Center offers a deep dive into the life of William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody, the legendary Wild West showman. During his visit, Kass captured a fascinating exhibit featuring a holographic display of Buffalo Bill, standing alongside a portrait of his younger self, and shared some unique insights with his audience about this iconic figure.

The hologram, a highlight of the Buffalo Bill Museum, brought the showman to life in a ghostly, larger-than-life projection. It depicted Buffalo Bill in his later years, with a white beard and his signature wide-brimmed hat, contrasting with the portrait of a young Cody, dressed in 19th-century attire. Kass learned that this technology was used to bridge the gap between Buffalo Bill’s early days as a frontiersman and his later role as a global entertainer, giving visitors a sense of his evolution over time.

Buffalo Bill, born in 1846 in Iowa, earned his nickname for his prowess as a buffalo hunter, supplying meat to railroad workers. But it was his Wild West show, launched in 1883, that made him a household name. Kass discovered that the show was a spectacle of trick riding, sharpshooting, and reenactments of frontier life, featuring stars like Annie Oakley and Sitting Bull. It toured the U.S. and Europe, introducing millions to a romanticized vision of the American West. At the Center, Kass was particularly struck by how Buffalo Bill’s show shaped global perceptions of the West, blending fact with myth in a way that still influences pop culture today.

One unique tidbit Kass shared was Buffalo Bill’s role in early conservation. Despite his hunting background, he became an advocate for sustainable practices, speaking out against the overhunting of buffalo as their populations dwindled. The Center highlighted his complex legacy—part showman, part frontiersman, and part visionary—who helped found Cody, Wyoming, and promoted the West as a place of opportunity.

Through his KassDays channel, Kass encourages his viewers to visit the Buffalo Bill Center of the West to experience its immersive exhibits firsthand. His trip was a reminder of the power of exploration, showing how history comes alive when you step into places like this and uncover the stories that shaped the world.