Did Buffalo Bill REALLY ride the Pony Express? Were he and George Custer friends or foes? And what happened to the graves of Cody’s parents… and is Buffalo Bill even buried where everyone thinks he is?
Western history author and lecturer Jeff Barnes returns to the Kearney Public Library for “The Buffalo Bill Mysteries” - chapters of Cody’s life which even today lack clear answers. The presentation is on Tuesday, February 10, at 7:00 p.m.
“Beginning with the mystery of where his parents are buried, there is uncertainty over his participation in the Pony Express, whether there was a contest with another Buffalo Bill to earn the name, or whether he was actually a friend of George Custer”, said Barnes. “There is even debate over the last buffalo he shot.” Barnes will present these and other stories for Library patrons’ consideration and debate.
Barnes is the author of “The Great Plains Guide to Buffalo Bill”, available at Kearney Public Library for sale and signing. Published by Stackpole Books, the book is the first comprehensive travel guide to Cody’s activities on the Great Plains, including his homes, forts, battlefields, and related sites. It includes the history of Cody and the sites, historic and contemporary images, maps, and useful travel information.
A former newspaper reporter and editor, Barnes writes and lives in Omaha. He is a board trustee with the Nebraska State Historical Society, former chairman of the Nebraska Hall of Fame Commission, and a frequently requested speaker with Humanities Nebraska. His first book, “Forts of the Northern Plains”, is now in its fourth printing with Stackpole Books, and his second book, “The Great Plains Guide to Custer”, is now in its second printing.