Buffalo Bill's Boyhood Home

Newspaper Headlines

Cody Enterprise - June 7, 1933
"Burlington Officials Locate Cody Home"

A number of Burlington officials including T.P. Hinchliff, assistant general passenger agent of the Burlington, Supt. Cone and the head of the commissary department, are in Cody today, and are working out plans for the erection of the old home of Col. W.F. Cody, near the Cody Inn across the river. The structure arrived last week from LeClaire, Iowa, and is a building in which Col. Cody resided for many years while a boy. It was constructed over one hundred years ago and is said to be a real antique.  

The Davenport Democrat and Leader (Iowa) - May 28, 1933
"Home of 'Buffalo Bill' Moved from LeClaire to Wyoming: Old House to Become Part of Cody, Named for Famous Scout of "Wild West' Days"

In Davenport about a year ago, Mr. Budd took a drive with Frank S. Weisbrook, general manager of the D.R.I. and N.W. Railroad and their route took them past the house on U.S. Highway No. 55 running through LeClaire. Last week J. McDonald, superintendent of bridges and buildings of the Burlington, brought a crew of seven expert carpenters to the town and started "dissecting" the house.

Billings Gazette (Montana) - Aug. 25, 1945
"Buffalo Bill Museum Receives Gifts of Relics Connected With Life of Scout: Cody Treasures Buffalo Bill Relics"
Cody, Wyo.,- by Mrs. L.D. Wagar

Several years ago, Ralph Budd, president of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad saw a sign which caught his fancy: "Boyhood Home of Buffalo Bill For Sale." The sign leaned against an unpretentious two-story house near LeClaire, Iowa, and both house and sign were soon the property of the Burlington.The four-room house, built 114 years ago by Isaac Cody, father of William Frederick Cody, was sturdily built of hand-hewn black walnut timbers, handmade lath and handmade nails. It was sawed in two sections and hauled by rail to Cody, again joined together, and at the present time stands in north Cody near the Burlington tracks, but has been presented to the Cody family and will soon be moved over near the museum.
In sawing the building in two, the workmen found that they had sawed through a large collection of religious books apparently placed in the walls at the time of construction. Some of these were over 300 years old and these will be on exhibit in a special case in the house, which the state of Iowa has offered to furnish completely as its contribution to the centennial.  

Times-Democrat (Iowa) - Tuesday, Aug. 2 1965
"Big Bargain: Cody House Sold For $150"
by Bill Wundram

Landmarks are sometimes sold at bargain prices. Consider the LeClaire boyhood home of Buffalo Bill Cody, which was sold 30 years ago for only $150. In 1936, Ralph Budd, president of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy railroad was taking a drive with the late Frank S. Weisbrook, general manager of the D.R.I. and North Western railroad of Davenport. Their trip took them by the old Cody home, then standing in LeClaire. Budd was fascinated with the home, and searched out the owner, Ike Spinsby. "After some dickering," the yellowed bulletin states "Spinsby sold the place for $150." Only when the sale became known was LeClaire interest in the house revived, but then it was too late. In 1933 a crew of seven expert carpenters came to LeClaire and started dissecting the house. It was found to be made of hewn oak, with joints mortised instead of nailed, and with walls covered with split oak lath. As workmen progressed with the job, they found that a second roof had at some time been built over the first, which had sagged considerably. When dismantled, the famous house was loaded into two freight cars and taken to Cody, Wyo., where it was reassembled and is now one of the west's most famous landmarks.

Cody Enterprise - January 2004
"BBHC moves historic house"
By BUZZY HASSRICK

The Buffalo Bill boyhood home may be moving, not back to its Iowa origins but closer to the south side of the BBHC complex.

The relocation will "make it more a part of the museum," said Juti Winchester, Buffalo Bill Museum curator. "It's a good move." First, the proposal will be reviewed Tuesday by the city planning and zoning board. The Buffalo Bill Historical Center is in an A residential zone.

At its new location about 100 yards to the northwest, the home will be turned to face the BBHC and incorporated into the Greever Gardens. The garden fence will be moved to enclose the house, still allowing room outside the fence for a large show tent, added BBHC Facilities Manager Paul Brock.

The new location will offer many benefits. "It'll be easier for us to conduct programs in it," Winchester said. The house will be closer to amenities like water and also closer to security. "We'll try to make the setting resemble Iowa," Winchester added. Native plantings will be part of the new landscape, and the home will get a stone-veneer foundation, Brock said. One feature of the setting cannot be replicated. "It originally faced the Mississippi River," Winchester said.

Moving the home is the first of a three-step program, which evolved from discussions about relocation and restoration. "Age and time are getting to it," Brock said. The BBHC's Buffalo Bill Museum Advisory Board decided to combine the move and restoration, aided by donations from two members, Bill Garlow and Naoma Tate, both of Cody. The second step will be short-term stabilization, although the structure is fairly solid for being about 160 years old, Winchester said. The last step will be long-term stabilization and restoration, which will involve work like replacing rotten boards. Also on the list are new windows - "They really need some help," Winchester added.

The restoration will be based on plans from architect Kurt Dubbe of Jackson, who reviewed the home last spring. "We'll try to fix it and adhere to Department of Interior standards," said Winchester, referring to guidelines for buildings listed as national historic structures. Holes near the home were being dug Friday in preparation for the steel beams that will be inserted under the home for the move next month. Work on the new foundation is scheduled to begin Wednesday, Brock said.

Resources

Life of Buffalo Bill

Dates in U.S. and World History

Events to Remember

Chronology of William F. Cody

Buffalo Bill Bibliography

Museum curator Mary Jester Allen warns the house movers not to bump into the museum's sign.1948.