The Great Buffallo Hunt, Oakley Kansas
N 39° 07.610 W 100° 52.155
14S E 338421 N 4332515
This history sign explains the story of "Buffalo" Bill Cody and "Medicine" Bill Comstock.
Waymark Code: WM8Y1C
Location: Kansas, United States
Date Posted: 05/29/2010
Views: 20
The sign reads:
"Buffalo Bill's Legend was born right here! The site of the legendary buffalo hunt between Buffalo Bill Cody and Medicine Bill Comstock is just ten miles west of where you now stand. It was the summer of 1868, Bill Cody had just successfully fulfilled a contract to provide meat for Kansas-Pacific Railroad workers. By his own accounting, he had killed 4280 buffalo injust eight months. Cody also worked for the army and was the favorite civilian scout and hunter for the calvary stationed at Fort Hays. Soldiers at Fort Wallace favored their own scout, Bill Comstock. Both men were famous for their skill at shooting buffalo from horseback. With the honor of the tow posts at stake, the officers are said to have arranged a buffalo hunting contest. To add spice to the event, they put up $500 a side and brought a spectator train to the end of the tracks. Bison were spotted nearby at Monument, and both men galloped amont them dividing the herd in two. According to legend, Comstock hunted from the rear forward forcing him to chase his buffalo over miles of prairie. Cody, riding his favorite buffalo-hunting horse, Brigham, rode to the front and circled his herd, shooting the leaders one by one. By the end of the day - and many cases of champagne later- Cody had won the bragging rights. He had brought down 69 buffalo to Comstock's 46. If Buffalo Bill's right to his nickname had ever been in doubt, the issue was not settled.
William Averill Comstock. Billy Comstock, a descendent of writer James Fenimore Cooper, was born in Michigan in 1842 and went west as a young man. After living for several years among the Arapaho and Cheyenne, he became one of the most noted civilian scouts and interpreters along the Smoky Hill Trail. George Armstrong Custer's 7th Calvary called him "an eccentric genius>" His nickname, "Medicine Bill" was supposedly bestowed upon him because of his superstitions. He was killed on August 27, 1868, while carrying a message to a bank of Cheyenne Indians."
There is additional information on the adjoining signs, all pertaining to the history of Oakley, Kansas.
Group that erected the marker: The city of Oakley, Kansas and the State of Kansas (tourism)
URL of a web site with more information about the history mentioned on the sign: [Web Link]
Address of where the marker is located. Approximate if necessary:
US Hwy 83 & 2nd St
Oakley, KS USA
67748
|
Visit Instructions:
Take a picture of the marker, preferably including yourself or your GPSr in the photo. A very detailed description of your visit may be substituted for a photo. In any case please provide a description of your visit. A description of only "Visited" or "Saw it while on vacation" by anyone other than the person creating the waymark may be deleted by the waymark owner or the category officers.