Buffalo Bill Ranch facts for kids
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Scout's Rest Ranch
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 Location in Nebraska
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | North Platte, Nebraska |
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| Area | 25 acres (10 ha) |
| Built | 1886 |
| Architect | Walsh, Patrick |
| Architectural style | Second Empire |
| NRHP reference No. | 78001705, 100006250 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | January 30, 1978 |
| Designated NHL | January 13, 2021 |
Welcome to Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park, also known as Scout's Rest Ranch! This amazing place is a "living history" park. It shows what life was like long ago. You can find it west of North Platte, Nebraska.
The ranch was started in 1878 by a famous person named William (Buffalo Bill) Cody. He first bought 160 acres of land. Over time, his ranch grew to about 4,000 acres! Buffalo Bill sold the ranch in 1911. Since 1964, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission has taken care of it.
This historic park is 25 acres big. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. It became a National Historic Landmark in 2021. You can visit the park from April to October on weekdays. You can tour the old house and other buildings. There's even a museum that tells the story of Buffalo Bill's life. He was a Pony Express rider and created famous Wild West shows.
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Buffalo Bill's First Ranch
In 1877, Buffalo Bill Cody reached out to Major Frank North. Major North was the leader of the Pawnee Scouts. He lived in Sidney, Nebraska. Cody and the North brothers decided to start a cattle business together. This was called the Cody-North Partnership.
Major North found land along the Dismal River. This area was about 65 miles north of North Platte. It was a perfect spot for cattle to graze and for building a ranch. While North managed the ranch, Cody was busy touring with his "Buffalo Bill’s Wild West" show. North bought cattle from the end of the Texas cattle trail, near Ogallala, Nebraska. He also hired cowboys to help run the ranch while Cody was away.
The ranch became very large, covering seven thousand acres. About 2,500 acres were used to grow alfalfa. Another 2,500 acres were planted with corn. Newspapers like the Omaha Bee often wrote about Cody's ranch. They called it one of the best farms in Nebraska. Cody and a neighbor, Isaac Dillon, even built a 12-mile irrigation ditch. This ditch could water 6,000 acres of crops!
This ranch was a good business for Cody. But by the 1880s, more people started moving to Nebraska. These new homesteaders began using the grazing land. So, in 1882, the Cody-North Ranching Operation ended. John Bratt bought it.
Building Scout's Rest Ranch
Even while he owned the Cody-North Ranch, Buffalo Bill started buying land near North Platte in 1878. His first purchase was 160 acres for $750. This land was south of the Union Pacific train tracks. Cody eventually bought almost 4,000 more acres next to North Platte.
The property had an eighteen-room mansion, but it was on a treeless prairie. Cody had land in Kansas with many tall trees. He wanted trees on his new ranch too. His brother-in-law, Al Goodman, found out why trees wouldn't grow well there. Goodman learned about water absorption issues. He then planted many cottonwood and box-elder trees. These trees could handle the conditions. Soon, the ranch had many growing trees. This helpful information was shared with others in North Platte. It helped increase the number of trees in the whole area.
Louisa, Cody's wife, and their daughters moved to North Platte in February 1878. They looked after the property. Cody hoped to retire there someday. He loved showing his new land to family, friends, and even famous people. These guests and his family spent time with the cowboys on the ranch.
The ranch grew with the help of the Goodmans. They managed the ranch, including high-quality livestock and thoroughbred horses. By 1885, 1,200 acres were planted with corn. There were also 100 acres of alfalfa and 50 acres of broomcorn. A small oat field was also part of the farm. The ranch used 80 horses and had 30 men working there. During busy times, up to 60 men worked on the ranch.
As the trees grew, the southern part of the ranch became a wooded park. It had deer, young buffaloes, and a large lake. This beautiful area was named “Scout’s Rest Ranch.” Cody even had the words “Scout’s Rest Ranch” painted on the roof of the big barn. You could read it from the Union Pacific tracks a mile away!
This ranch was very advanced for its time. Cody brought in many high-quality cattle and thoroughbred horses. This was not common back then. The land changed from a treeless prairie to a forested area. Even with all these improvements and good years, running the ranch cost a lot of money. Cody sold the ranch in 1911 for $100,000.
Scout's Rest Ranch Today
The main two-story house was built in 1886. It was built for Al and Julia Goodman. Julia was Cody's sister, and Al was her husband. They were the ones who managed the ranch. Patrick Walsh, a builder from North Platte, built this house for $3,900.
In 1964, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission bought the house. This was part of making Scout's Rest Ranch a State Historical Park. It became the Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park. A group called the Lincoln County Historical Society helped raise money. They wanted to buy Buffalo Bill Cody's house. The group raised $37,500. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission paid the other $75,000 needed for the purchase. They also planned to spend $90,000 to fix up the grounds and buildings. Since 1964, the State Historical Park has been open for everyone to visit.
What You'll See at the Park
The Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park covers 25 acres. It has four original buildings. One is the main mansion, built in 1886 in the Second Empire style. This house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.
Other buildings include the cob house. This was used to store corncobs, which were like kindling for the house stoves. There's also the ice house, built in 1886, just like the main house. Finally, you can see the original barn, built in 1887. It was used for the thoroughbred livestock. The words “Scout's Rest Ranch” are still painted on its roof.
A Close Call: The 2011 Flood
In the summer of 2011, there was a big flood on the Platte River. The park had to close. Exhibits were moved, and protective walls called berms were built around the buildings. The floodwaters came very close to the ranch. Luckily, the damage was not as bad as people feared.
See also
In Spanish: Buffalo Bill Ranch para niños
