Pawnee Bill Ranch facts for kids

Pawnee Bill's home

The Pawnee Bill Ranch, also known as the Blue Hawk Peak Ranch, was the home of famous Wild West show performer, Gordon W. "Pawnee Bill" Lillie. Located in Pawnee, Oklahoma, this special place is now owned and run by the Oklahoma Historical Society. The Pawnee Bill Ranch covers 500 acres of what was once a much larger property. It includes the original buildings, Pawnee Bill's fully furnished historic home, a modern museum, and even a herd of bison, Longhorn cattle, and horses.

History of Blue Hawk Peak Ranch

Pawnee Bill's ranch in 1911

Pawnee Bill strongly believed that bison were very important to the history of the American West and to the culture of the Plains Indian people. He wanted to protect and help the bison population grow. He even worked hard to get laws passed in Congress to protect these animals. This was the start of the ranch's role in saving bison. Today, the ranch is still an active member of the Oklahoma Bison Association.

In December 1910, Pawnee Bill and his wife May saw their dream come true. Their home, built on top of a hill overlooking the Black Bear River, was finished after almost a year of building. James Hamilton, an architect from Chester, Pennsylvania, designed the house. Pawnee Bill and May also shared their ideas for the design. The home was beautifully made, comfortable, and modern for its time. Local workers helped build the nearly 5,300 square foot (492 square meter) house using stone found right on the ranch property.

More Buildings Added to the Ranch

Between 1910 and 1926, many other buildings were added to the ranch. From 1910 to 1913, the Lillies added a carriage house, a log cabin, a blacksmith shop, and an observation tower. These buildings helped with their growing businesses. In 1926, the Lillies built a large, impressive three-story barn. This barn was needed to house their many animals.

The barn was home to Pawnee Bill's herd of Scottish Shorthorn cattle. The lowest level of the barn provided shelter for the ranch horses. The second floor was where the cattle lived. The top floor was used to store hay and other food crops grown on the ranch.

On October 10, 1975, the ranch was added to the National Register of Historic Places. It was listed under its original name, Blue Hawk Peak Ranch.

Pawnee Bill Ranch Today

Since 1962, the Blue Hawk Peak property has been owned by the State of Oklahoma. Today, it is known as the Pawnee Bill Ranch and is run by the Oklahoma Historical Society. The ranch is open to the public as a historic site. Its goal is to protect and share the history of Pawnee Bill and May Lillie.

The site also has exhibits about ranching, Wild West shows, and the experiences of Native Americans in the Wild West shows. In 1970, a museum was built on the ranch. This museum holds a collection of Western items and offers educational experiences for visitors. The Pawnee Bill Ranch is open all year. It provides learning programs for both adults and children. Each year, there is also a special re-enactment of Pawnee Bill's Historic Wild West Show.

Pawnee Bill and the Boy Scouts

In 1938, during the later years of Pawnee Bill's life, he gave the ranch property to the Boy Scouts of America. He had a lot of respect for this organization. However, on May 25, 1940, the Boy Scouts of America decided not to accept the offer. Even so, the Pawnee Bill Ranch has remained closely connected with the Boy Scouts. It has been the site for many Eagle Scout projects and yearly campouts for local and council groups. For many years, a Boy Scout district was even named "Pawnee Bill District" in his honor.

Images for kids

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  Pawnee Bill Museum Entrance

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  Pawnee Bill Museum Site Menu

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  Pawnee Bill Museum Blacksmith Marker

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  Pawnee Bill Museum Blacksmith Sign

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  Pawnee, Oklahoma

More Information

• www.pawneebillranch.org - The official website for the Pawnee Bill Ranch, managed by the Oklahoma Historical Society.
• [1] - The Pawnee Bill Ranch page on TravelOK.com, the official site for Oklahoma Tourism.
• [2] - The official document for Blue Hawk Peak being added to the National Register of Historic Places.