Buffalo Bill Wild West Show who rode into Saltcoats in 1904

Advertised as a spectacular one-day-only event, the Public Park in the town played host to Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show, a show that had travelled all over the world, with US-born Col. William Frederick “Buffalo Bill” Cody at the helm.

According to an article in the Herald dated from 1904, local children were given the day off to attend the event and there were reports the next day of clotheslines disappearing as “they were being used by small boys lassoing their chums all around the town..”, such was the influence and importance of the event.

The Public Park was the ground where Millar Road and Kerr Avenue are today.

By the time Bill reached Saltcoats, he was 58 years old and brought with him over 800 staff and performers and 500 horses who all travelled on three special trains.

There were two shows scheduled for Saltcoats that day, one at 2pm and one at 8pm and prices ranged from 1/- to 7/6d, which would have been approximately £4 - £30 in today's money.

Unfortunately, like today, the weather was pretty horrendous and the event was nearly cancelled.

Bill and his crew braved the wind and rain and put on an amazing show.

Col. Cody who was described as “a fine figure of a man, with white hair flowing about his shoulders” – introduced his “Rough Riders of the World” as they came dashing into the arena - they included “..Cowboys, US Cavalrymen, American Indians, Russian Cossacks, Bedouin Arabs, English & Mexican Lancers, South American Gauchos, and US Western Girls..”

There was a stagecoach hold-up re-enactment, Bill himself shooting while riding a galloping horse, an Imperial Japanese Troupe in ancient and modern war drill and “Carter the cowboy cyclist in his wonderful bicycle leap through space.”

Buffalo Bill would go on to influence films, comics and books before his death in 1917, and we’re sure he was well remembered by the locals when the “Wild West” came to Saltcoats.

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