COLONEL WILLIAM CODYWhen Buffalo Bill came to town
It was the biggest superstar show Bristol had ever seen ... 12
performances over six days by the then top name in thrilling spectacle,
Buffalo Bill and his Wild West Pioneer Exhibition.
Colonel William Cody, to give him his real name, brought four train
loads of Red Indians, cowboys, buffaloes, horses, ponies, stage coaches
and extras ... so many that when they processed up the Gloucester
Road on their way from Temple Meads station to their show site on
Horfield Common on Sunday September 26th, 1891, onlookers
reckoned the parade was a mile long.
Today Cowboys and Indians are old hat. But when Buffalo Bill
made his triumphant visit to Bristol, the fictional Wild West was
considered the most romantic, colourful place in the world and
Colonel Cody its most famous character.
A 15,000 seat stadium was built on Horfield Common for the twice-
daily performances which included spectacles like Buffalo Bill's single
combat with Yellow Hand, an attack on a train by Red Indians and
daredevil riding and shooting displays.
The ticket sellers proclaimed that 'Colonel W.F. Cody Will
Positively Appear At Every Performance' and the punters poured in
more than 100,000 of them paying a shilling a ticket to watch the show of a lifetime.
The self-publicising giant of the Wild West world watched his train
loads of riders and animals return to Temple Meads at the end of the
week and drawled 'I'm well satisfied.'
COLONEL WILLIAM CODY