[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 147 (Tuesday, September 12, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Page S5211]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BUFFALO BILL CENTER OF THE WEST
Mr. ENZI. Mr. President, today I wish to commemorate the 100th
anniversary of the founding of the Buffalo Bill Center of the West in
Cody, WY. On January 10, 1917, William F. ``Buffalo Bill'' Cody passed
away, resulting in the creation of the Buffalo Bill Memorial
Association on March 1, 1917. This association became known as the
Buffalo Bill Center of the West on February 8, 2013, and has since
performed the task of preserving the great legacy and historical
significance of Buffalo Bill Cody. He came to symbolize the American
West and lived the tale like no other as an explorer, frontiersman,
soldier, scout, actor, entrepreneur, and civic leader.
In 1867, Cody received his nickname of ``Buffalo Bill'' as he hunted
buffalo for the Kansas Pacific Railroad, where he became known as an
expert shot. He soon became a civilian scout for the U.S. Army, and in
that capacity, he was awarded the U.S Congressional Medal of Honor. In
1883, Cody created Buffalo Bill's Wild West show, in which he gained
fame and notoriety for the show's dramatic recreations of life on the
frontier. The performances highlighted Cody's knowledge of the American
West. Cody was an important source of information regarding the West
for American Presidents from Ulysses S. Grant to Woodrow Wilson.
After his death, the Buffalo Bill museum opened on July 4, 1927, to
tell the story of Col. William F. ``Buffalo Bill'' Cody. Since this
opening, the Buffalo Bill Center has expanded and become known as one
of America's finest Western museums. The center actually features four
museums: the Whitney Gallery of Western Art, the Buffalo Bill Museum,
the Plains Indian museum, and the Cody Firearms Museum.
Thanks to the overwhelming support and dedicated staff and board of
trustees, there is always something new to see and explore from the
days of the Wild West. It represents a story of a time when people who
were larger than life dominated the national stage, and thanks to the
historical center, they will never be forgotten. I encourage folks to
come to Wyoming and explore the Buffalo Bill Center of the West. It
will be an experience they will never forget. It is an opportunity to
see firsthand what inspired Buffalo Bill to take the story of the West
and tell it all over the world. I am pleased to be a part of this
tradition and express my continuing support for the Buffalo Bill Center
of the West and its inspiring education of the American West.
Congratulations on 100 years and my best wishes for the next 100.
Thank you.
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