North Platte Nebraska
Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park
The spirit of Buffalo Bill can be a handful!
DESCRIPTION
“Scout’s Rest Ranch” found in Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park is located on twenty-five green acres of Nebraskan land. It is called a living history state park.
It consists of a big barn, out-buildings and an 1866 Second Empire architectural styled eighteen room, two story mansion. This mansion was the Cody family home base, and was to be Buffalo Bill’s place of retirement, but circumstances intervened.
It is a Buffalo Bill and family artifact house museum that has a boatload of Cody personal mementos, costumes, clothes, and special items belonging to not only Buffalo Bill but also to his family.
Pictures of his children, his wife, clothing, family firearms, his daughter’s art work, and other special stuff connected to his children can be found all over the home. In the dining room, there is a long dining room table with Mrs. Cody’s china set up for a meal.
Many items and furniture were donated back from family members eager to help support this Cody family house museum. The first floor feels like the Cody family had just gone out for a walk, and is set up much to their liking.
Impressive also are the lovely outdoor areas, with green grass, a pond, trees and the original outdoor structures, including the ice house, food storage, tornado shelter, and one of the original huge barns that has Bill’s wild west show pictures, carriages, etc on one side, and about thirty stalls for horses on the other.
HISTORY
About Buffalo Bill Cody
William Cody was born on February 26th, 1846, in Le Claire, Iowa, to Isaac and Mary Ann Laycock Cody, a poor farming family. When William was eight years old, Isaac moved his family to the Kansas frontier to homestead.
Isaac probably taught William at a young age how to shoot a gun, ride a horse, and work hard with a steely resolve, despite financial setbacks and other issues that stand in the way to financial prosperity.
Isaac Cody suffered financial setbacks that were caused by his stand on slavery. Very much a Kansas Jayhawk, Isaac was very strongly anti-slavery and wasn’t afraid to state his beliefs even in hostile crowds of people, risking his life for a belief. He died eventually from the stab wound he received from an angry pro-slavery hothead with no self-control.
His death left young Bill Cody, “the man of the house” at the tender age of eleven-years-old, which completely took away what childhood he had as a poor boy. Young Bill used his considerable skills and stridently found ways to bring home money for his mother and sisters. This drive to provide, and do something adventuresome never left him.
Being an excellent horseman, young Bill found a job with a freighting firm, Russell, Majors, and Waddell, as a cattle drover and teamster. He became a plainsman-in-training, developing his skills to be a scout and living the adventurous frontier life in which he found great success, as he had his father’s courage.
He found guidance in the plainsmen he saw around him, and he excelled. He met and became friends with James Butler “Wild Bill” Hickok.
Young Bill made a living as a scout and anything else that brought in money. He tried a variety of things, including trapping, being a messenger, a scout for the military, accompanying westbound military supply trains, and providing security for the railroads.
One of young Bill’s side jobs was shooting Buffalo to feed the railroad workers, which is how he got his name: Buffalo Bill.
In 1864, Cody enlisted in the Seventh Kansas Volunteer Cavalry and served as a private for one and a half years.
At the age of twenty turned out to be an important time for young Buffalo Bill. By 1866, He wound up working as a civilian scout for the Fifth Calvary and was involved in the Indian Wars.
His experience and skills as a plainsman made him an invaluable tracker and fighter; skills which he used fearlessly, wowing his commanding officers. At the age of twenty-three, he was awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions as a scout and fighter during the Indian Wars.
A few days after his 20th birthday he married Louisa Frederici with whom he managed to have four children, despite his many absences: Arta Lucille (1866-1904), son Kit Carson (1870-1876), Orra Maude (1872-1883) and Irma Louise arrived in 1883 (1883-1918).
He and Louisa were unlucky. Their middle children died early; Their beloved son Kit at six years from Scarlet Fever, and his daughter, Orra at eleven years. Arta and Irma died in their 30s’, though Arta almost made it to forty!
Buffalo Bill and Louisa’s marriage wasn’t a smooth one. Louisa stayed home on the Platte Scout Rest Ranch, raising the children while he was gone for long periods of time, especially during the time when his Wild West Show was at its height of popularity.
Women were throwing themselves at Buffalo Bill, who was also drinking heavily. This behavior got back to his wife. Uh oh!
Their relationship hit a low point in 1904 when Buffalo Bill filed for divorce as a reaction “to years of jealous arguments, bad blood between his wife and his sisters, and friction between the children and their father.”
After a media circus, the judge and the public sided with Louisa Frederici. The judge ruled that Buffalo Bill’s “alleged affairs and his sisters’ meddling in his marriage had caused his unhappiness, not his wife.”
Changes were in the wind for Buffalo Bill, both in his livelihood and his personal life. Buffalo Bill gave up the women and drink. Bill and Louisa’s relationship slowly improved to the point that Louisa started going on tour with him in 1910.
His Wild West Show hit a financial snag when his long time promoter, James Bailey died in 1906. “The settlement of Bailey’s estate entangled Cody, financially crippling him—an unfortunate circumstance from which he never completely recovered—and the Wild West’s financial status remained problematic,” which didn’t stop Buffalo Bill from earning money in many creative ways.
The next year he merged his Wild West Show with Pawnee Bill’s Great Far East Show which eased the burden a little.
In 1911, he needed funds so he reluctantly sold his North Platte ranch property and his retirement home as the Scout Rest Ranch was an expensive endeavor. This bought him some time, but the inevitable happened.
While his combined Wild West Show/Pawnee Bill’s Great Far East Show went bankrupt in 1913, he continued to be in other Wild West exhibitions. He dabbled in film as well, and had some other investments and business endeavors to keep him busy and out of trouble. He died in 1917 at his sister’s house in Colorado. Louisa remained in Cody, raising Irma’s children until she too died in 1921.
History of the Buffalo Bill Mansion
The mansion itself was built in 1866 by one of Bill’s sisters, Julia, who married very well indeed to Art Goodman. The architect and builder was Patrick Walsh, a native of North Platte, at a cost of $3,900. They eventually sold it to Buffalo Bill and family in 1878 but stayed on to manage beautifully all the moving parts of the Scout Rest Ranch: its cattle, thoroughbred horses, livestock, supplies and acres of crops.
The mansion was on a prairie dirt landscape. Buffalo Bill wanted lots of trees, despite the fact that the conditions that existed weren’t conducive to trees.
After some research. Buffalo Bill discovered what trees would tolerate the soil and water conditions: cottonwoods and box-elder; information that he passed onto the folks of North Platte.
After the property was sold in 1911, the mansion was passed on through several families. By the 1960s’, it was still in good condition and back on the real estate market with the price of $112,500! People must have taken pride in the fact that they were living in Buffalo Bill’s retirement home.
The fund raising efforts of the Lincoln County Historical Society and a generous amount of 75,000 dollars from the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission enabled the founding of The Buffalo Bill Ranch state Historical Park, which was able to open in 1964! Since then, more than $90,000 has been spent restoring the out buildings and the one remaining barn.
HISTORY OF MANIFESTATIONS
Spirits who have regrets about being too involved in an outside life or personal weaknesses sometimes stay in this world with their loved ones, remembering the memories that they do have. Or, they try to silence their personal regrets by trying to enjoy what they held as a higher priority than relationships.
Brantley Mansion, MT ( Judge Brantley had one big fault. He was a workaholic, who made little time for his family. He often came home after the children were in bed, and often brought work home with him. As a spirit, he repeats his old behavior, while watching living children sleep).
Ashton Villa, TX (Texas princess, Bettie Brown, spent her life traveling the world, collecting expensive clothes, elaborate gowns and costumes, receiving gentlemen callers, acquiring unusual, ornate fans, traveling the world, going to resorts, going to and having grand parties, and being totally self-absorbed it seems. This self-absorption caused the breakup of her and her true love, as she loved her stuff more than her man).
Dupont Mansion, KY (Alfred Victor DuPont’s secret lifestyle choices got him into some real trouble. He had lustful desires with a prostitute,
but didn’t take responsibility for the baby that resulted, which ended badly for him. His spirit has regrets, and still looks for his child).
Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park, NE (Buffalo Bill was away so much that he had family stress with both his wife and daughters. Arta died during the divorce proceedings so he couldn’t mend any bridges with her. Louisa blamed him. He was able to make amends with his youngest, Irma by building her and her husband a Hotel in Cody, called The Irma Hotel, where he would come and stay).
Personal items that meant a lot to the deceased person can draw his or her spirit back to this world.
William Clayton House Museum, AR (Apparently, some of brother Powell Clayton’s most treasured possessions are on display in a case in the office area which explains why this spirit visits so often).
Mary Washington House Museum, VA (In her forever home, eight of Mary’s favorite possessions were donated and put on display, such as her full length dressing mirror and her own pottery, which really pleased her spirit).
Custer House, ND (After their house was reconstructed and filled with their furniture and mementos, the spirits of the Custer family and officers moved back inside).
Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park, NE (The museum has all of Bill’s items on display throughout the house and the out-buildings. It must be uplifting to see it all, and remembering all the good memories as well).
People who have to part with their forever home because of finances or circumstances beyond their control, sometimes like to spend time there after they become spirits.
Hartford Twain House, CT (After the Twain forever home was restored and filled with Mark Twain family furniture and memorabilia, Mark Twain, his family and a few servants moved back inside. Due to circumstances of tragedy and lack of funds, they had to leave it before they were ready to do so).
Waverly House, VA (The spirit of a former falsely accused owner who lost his property found some peace after he moved back inside to spend his afterlife there).
Chateau at Coindre Hall, NY (In 1929, the market crash was the beginning of the end of George and Pearl’s wealthy lifestyle. They found ways to keep financially afloat until 1939, when they sold it to The Brothers of the Sacred Heart School for Boys and moved into the gate house. As spirits they moved back inside to enjoy all th venue activities planned there).
Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park, NE (Buffalo Bill was forced to sell his beloved ranch because of financial issues. His spirit finds comfort in visiting).
MANIFESTATIONS
Apparently, Buffalo Bill likes to split his time between the spirit world, Irma’s Hotel, perhaps a few of his other favorite places and his earthly retirement home, Scout’s Rest Ranch mostly during the winter months when the museum is closed to the public. He probably enjoys the rodeos in the stadium next to his old properties.
Spirit of Buffalo Bill
When he does stop by during tourist season, his presence is noticed. He was not shy while alive and he isn’t now, even in spirit form.
The spirit of Buffalo Bill is still very fond of children, having a big heart for especially young boys and girls, who probably remind him of his own children.
I found in my research on at least two separate occasions, young kids who were not at all afraid, who were delightedly shaking hands with a pair invisible hands not seen by the adults but by the children who are more open. They identified this spirit by looking at a picture of Buffalo Bill.
Experiences of Tour Guides:
Tour Guides have had personal experiences with this spirit as well.
Perhaps this is why visitors now take a self-guided tour through the mansion. Guides only tell you about the dining room and other first floor rooms.
Tour Guides have felt an unseen presence rub up against them. It could be the spirit of a dog or cat, or perhaps a teasing male spirit.
Activity in Winter Months
During the winter months, employees and even superintendents know he is there, perhaps supervising as well as enjoying his space.
His spirit has been known to unlock one of the outside doors for a walk around the property.
A park superintendent, Aric Riggins, is a believer in spirits, after having some experiences with the spirit of Buffalo Bill.
For example: Riggins reports hearing a man’s footsteps going up the stairs, through the second floor and back again.
Buffalo Bill as Encourager
The Spirit of Buffalo Bill still likes to be there in a crisis to encourage the living.
During a big flood that happened one spring, the first floor of the mansion was slightly soggy, meaning that everything had to be moved upstairs.
When the Park Superintendent arrived to help, he found Buffalo Bill’s favorite big leather recliner had been moved near the front door and continued to rock vigorously by itself all morning, as if he was trying to encourage the living in letting them know he was there with them.
PARANORMAL FINDINGS
Staff, park superintendents, tour guides and visitors have had boatloads of personal experiences with Buffalo Bill’s spirit. No hard evidence has been shared with the public.
STILL HAUNTED?
Most Probably so! Buffalo Bill’s mansion and the property found on Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park is still a favorite place for the spirit of Buffalo Bill to visit and spend some of his afterlife retirement here.
LOCATION
Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park (Scout’s Rest Ranch)
2921 Scouts Rest Ranch Rd,
North Platte, NE 69101
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SOURCES INCLUDE
- codyarchive.org
- en.wikipedia.org
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffalo_Bill
- historybyzim.com
- nptelegraph.com
Our Haunted Paranormal Stories are Written by Julie Carr
Our Photos are copyrighted by Tom Carr
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