Right here stands the Buffalo Bill Statue. It’s a tribute to a legend. William “Buffalo Bill” Cody was more than just a showman. He was a symbol of the American West.
In the late 19th century, Buffalo Bill brought his Wild West Show to Glasgow. The show was set up near the east end. Thousands flocked to see it. From November 1891 to February 1892, the show entertained many. Annie Oakley and members of the Lakota Sioux tribes performed. They showed off their skills and horsemanship. Some believe the Native American performers were prisoners of war. They had surrendered to the US government.
The arrival of the Wild West Show in November 1891 caused a stir in Scotland. The show re-enacted the legend of the Wild West. There were stagecoach attacks and buffalo hunts. Indians would attack a woman. Then Buffalo Bill would ride in to rescue her.
The tour was popular with the people of Glasgow. About 500,000 people came to see it. This was remarkable since Scotland only had four million people at that time. Buffalo Bill even went to Ibrox to watch Rangers play. He saw them against Queen’s Park.
One Indian, Charging Thunder, spent 30 days in Barlinnie Prison. He had attacked his interpreter. Kicking Bear made a speech that led to his arrest in the US. The show returned for a tour of 29 Scottish locations in 1904.
Cody’s show was huge. It included 200 horses and 100 Indians. They even had their own train. This moved them around the country.
Before this statue, the Ghost Dance Shirt was the only legacy. It was displayed at Glasgow museums. In the late 1990s, it was returned to the Lakota Sioux.
In 2006, Regency Homes built this statue. It honors the showman where his performances took place. The Buffalo Bill Statue was unveiled on the show’s 115th anniversary. Paul Martin, MSP for Glasgow Springburn, unveiled it.
Tom Cunningham wrote a book about Buffalo Bill. He said the Wild West entourage were the “first real US superstars”. This statue ensures Buffalo Bill’s legacy lives on in Glasgow. It reminds us of the time the Wild West came to Scotland.