Historic Photo Gallery: 1850 to 1899
1880
Buffalo Bill Cody was the biggest hit of the 1879-80 season when he appeared in
The Knight of the Plains; or, Buffalo Bill's Best Trail in February 1880.
The recent publication of his autobiography sparked interest in this colorful
showman and crowds rushed to see him perform. Cody returned to the Walnut the
following season, but in the summer of 1883 he organized an outdoor show to
present extravaganzas which combined elements of the stage play with the
circus and other theatrical pieces. This proved so successful that he gave
up his indoor stage career and toured with his Wild West show for 30 years.
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