Origins & Early Life

William Frederick Cody (February 26, 1846 – January 10, 1917), better known as Buffalo Bill, was an American soldier, bison hunter, and showman. One of the most famous figures of the American Old West, Cody began performing at the age of 23. He performed in shows that displayed cowboy themes and episodes from the frontier and Indian Wars. He founded Buffalo Bill's Wild West in 1883, taking his large company on tours in the United States and, beginning in 1887, in Europe.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

He was born in Le Claire, Iowa Territory (now the U.S. state of Iowa), but he lived for several years in his father's hometown in modern-day Mississauga, Ontario, before the family returned to the Midwest and settled in the Kansas Territory. Buffalo Bill started working at the age of 11, after his father's death, and became a rider for the Pony Express at age 15. During the American Civil War, he served the Union from 1863 to the end of the war in 1865. Later he served as a civilian scout for the U.S.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Army during the Indian Wars. While he was initially awarded the Medal of Honor in 1872 for his actions in the Indian Wars, he was among 911 recipients to have the award rescinded in 1917. Congress reinstated the medals...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Adam Johann von Krusenstern — Contemporary (Died in 1846) (1846): Russian admiral and explorer, famed for leading the first Russian circumnavigation.
• Auguste Escoffier — Contemporary (Born in 1846) (1846): Pioneering French chef who modernized haute cuisine and codified the brigade system.
• Carrie Nation — Contemporary (Born in 1846) (1846): Radical temperance advocate famous for attacking saloons with a hatchet.
• Adolf von Baeyer — Contemporary (Died in 1917) (1917): Pioneering German chemist known for indigo synthesis and IUPAC nomenclature.
• Andrew Huxley — Contemporary (Born in 1917) (1917): Pioneering physiologist known for the action potential and sliding filament theory.
• Andrew Wyeth — Contemporary (Born in 1917) (1917): Master American Realist Painter known for regional scenes of Pennsylvania and Maine.
• Ahmed Zewail — Shared historical date (02-26 · Born) (1946): Pioneering chemist, acclaimed as the 'father of femtochemistry'.
• Anders Chydenius — Shared historical date (02-26 · Born) (1729): Leading classical liberal and champion of free trade in 18th-century Sweden.
• Al-Mustansir Billah — Shared historical date (01-10 · Died) (1094): Eighth Fatimid Caliph, whose long reign marked the twilight of the dynasty.
• Barbara Hepworth — Shared historical date (01-10 · Born) (1903): Pioneering English Modernist sculptor, celebrated for her abstract forms and connection to St Ives.
• 1846 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1846
• February 26 (02-26) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on February 26
• 1917 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1917
• January 10 (01-10) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on January 10