Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park

Scout's Rest Ranch, about five kilometres west of downtown, was the home of William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody from 1886 until his death in 1917. The property is now a Nebraska state historical park centred on Cody's Victorian mansion and the original barn that hosted early rehearsals of his Wild West show.

The mansion is open for guided tours and gives a real sense of how Cody lived between seasons — part showman's retreat, part working cattle ranch. The 1887 barn is enormous by any standard and holds interpretive exhibits about the Wild West show's history, its cast of performers, and its global tours through Europe and the eastern United States. There is a short walking trail around the grounds. Admission is modest and the site is rarely crowded.

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Cody used Scout's Rest as a base between touring seasons, entertaining royalty and dignitaries at the ranch while his Wild West show — at its peak employing over a thousand people, including Sitting Bull and Annie Oakley — was the most-watched live entertainment in the world. The mansion was built in 1886 and still contains original furnishings.

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