Grave, William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody, Golden, Colorado
Posted by: 
Pahaska_1
N 39° 43.954 W 105° 14.316
13S E 479553 N 4398102
The gravesite of William F. Cody and his wife, Louisa. The site was selected by Cody, himself, who had visited this Denver Mountain Park and admired the stunning view of mountains and plains.
Waymark Code: WM2Y2E
Location: Colorado, United States
Date Posted: 01/08/2008
Views: 147
About the Grave
When Cody was buried atop Lookout Mountain on June 3, 1917, close to 10,000 people traveled by foot, horseback, or early motorized vehicles to attend the ceremony. To dispel the myth that the body of Cody had been stolen between the time of death January and his burial in June, his wife, Louisa, ordered that the casket be opened for viewing.
The cause for delay came from many directions: first was the weather, which at that time of year made travel to the mountain summit overlooking Golden, Colorado difficult to navigate. Next was the arduous task of blasting a hole in the rocky outcropping that would host the gravesite. Due to Cody’s stature throughout the world, there was also a desire to allow time for his friends and colleagues to travel from outlying areas. But perhaps the most compelling reason was that people desired to acknowledge Cody’s role as an “unofficial US Ambassador” by having him laid to rest on a day with patriotic significance. June 3, 1917 was “Flag Day,” a day for Americans to display their flags and celebrate love of country.
The controversy of his burial location was ignited by an earlier document in which Cody stated that he wanted to be buried near Cody, Wyoming. It was a deathbed statement to his wife and his priest, however, the reminded them of his desire to be buried on “Mt. Lookout.” Nonetheless, people from not only Cody, but also North Platte, Nebraska and Rochester, New York, were claiming to have a stake in where the great plainsman was buried. Rumors of liberating the body were rampant. Thus Louisa’s decision to open the casket at the grave site so that everyone present could see who was about to be buried.
Eventually the uproar grew quite and the caretakers, after Louisa was buried with her husband in 1921, poured five tons of concrete and scrap metal over the tombs to insure the threat of potential theft was over once and for all.
About the Site
The grave is one part of a larger site that offers a Museum, Gift shop, café, observation deck and picnic area. Admission to the grave is free, however the Museum costs $3 for adults, $2 for seniors, and $1 for children ages 6 - 15. They are open daily in the summer season, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and in the winter they are closed Mondays and open 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. www.buffalobill.org
There are several other waymarks onsite, so this is a great location to log waymark visits.
Visit Instructions:
Proof of your visit does not require a photograph if an identical image is already posted. Many sites, however, will offer fun photo-opportunities for waymarkers to showcase their creativity. Therefore, waymarkers should post unique images of themselves interacting with exhibits and activities.
In the event that photographs are not allowed at specific locations, please tell us about your visit and what you enjoyed or learned at the location.