North Platte in Lincoln County, Nebraska — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)

Scout's Rest Ranch

Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 2, 2013

1. Scout's Rest Ranch Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

Built in 1886 at a cost of $3,900.00 Cody left planning of the house to his sister, Julia Goodman. Patrick Walsh was contracted to build the two-story, nine room house, with its numerous closets and pantries. The house is in second Empire Style with Italianate and East Lake features. Cody asked only that it be finished in six months (October 15 at the latest) and that the porches be 10 feet wide instead of the customary 6 feet. With the carpeting and furniture, the cost came to about $6,000. Cody ordered Royal Wilton, the “latest style” in carpeting, for the downstairs front rooms and requested all the furniture match in elegance. The rear addition was added in 1909. Prior to 1886, Cody's ranch had no particular name. When he built this house he hoped to be able to retire soon and become a “gentleman farmer.” Anticipating retirement, he thought of the place as Scout's Rest Ranch and began to refer to it that way. In 1887 when the big barn was built he had Scout's Rest Ranch painted on the roof in huge letters, as they are today.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture

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• Parks & Recreational Areas. A significant historical year for this entry is 1886.

Location. 41° 9.777′ N, 100° 47.757′ W. Marker is in North Platte, Nebraska, in Lincoln County. Marker can be reached from Scouts Rest Ranch Road (State Highway 56E) 0.2 miles west of North Buffalo Bill Avenue, on the right when traveling west. Marker is located within Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park, beside the sidewalk, near the southeast corner of Buffalo Bill's Scout's Rest Ranch house. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2921 Scouts Rest Ranch Road, North Platte NE 69101, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Scout's Rest (within shouting distance of this marker); Spring House (within shouting distance of this marker); 1887 Horse Barn (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Cody-North Cabin (about 600 feet away); Oregon Trail Memorial (approx. 0.3 miles away); Mormon Pioneer Camp (approx. 0.3 miles away); Pony Express (approx. 0.3 miles away); Brady Island Depot (approx. 0.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in North Platte.

More about this marker. Marker is a painted metal plaque, mounted at waist-level on a wooden post.

Regarding Scout's Rest Ranch. National Register of Historic Places (1978)

Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park

Also see . . .

Scout's Rest Ranch Marker (<i>wide view; showing east side of house; marker at left</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 2, 2013

2. Scout's Rest Ranch Marker (wide view; showing east side of house; marker at left)

1. Scout's Rest Ranch (Buffalo Bill’s Ranch). Originally the 4000 acre Scout’s Rest Ranch, the historic park now consists of 16 acres that contain Buffalo Bill’s home as well as barns, outbuildings, and a variety of other features. The barn, once used to house horses, now contains a collection of antique carriages that belonged to Bill as well as a variety of memorabilia from the days of his world-famous Wild West Show. (Submitted on October 17, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

2. Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park. Home of famed showman scout William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody, Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park at North Platte recaptures the life and career of the famed Pony Express rider, Army scout and buffalo hunter-turned-showman. The success of the show enabled Cody to build “The Mansion on the Prairie,” as the locals called it. The Second Empire-style house was the largest house in North Platte in the late 19th Century. It was Buffalo Bill’s home from 1886 to 1913. He raised cattle and purebred stallions on his 4,000 acres of land. A large barn was built in 1887 to house Cody’s ranch horses and stallions. (Submitted on October 17, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

3. Buffalo Bill Ranch. Cody had land in Kansas

Scout's Rest Ranch (<i>southeast corner</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 2, 2013

3. Scout's Rest Ranch (southeast corner)

that had many tall, established trees and wanted trees on his new ranch. Al Goodman, his brother-in-law, discovered why trees would not grow on his new property or the North Platte area. Goodman found issues of water absorption and planted many cottonwoods and box-elder around the property, able to withstand the conditions. The ranch now had many growing trees. Cody had the words “Scout’s Rest Ranch” painted on the roof of the large barn, so that it could be read from the Union Pacific tracks a mile away. This ranch was revolutionary for the time. Cody imported many blooded cattle and thoroughbred horses at a time when that was not common. The land was transformed from treeless prairie to a forested area. Despite advancements and profitable years, operating costs were high and Cody sold the ranch in 1911 for $100,000. (Submitted on October 17, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

Scout's Rest Ranch (<i>northeast corner; showing 1909 rear addition</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 2, 2013

4. Scout's Rest Ranch (northeast corner; showing 1909 rear addition)

Scout's Rest Ranch Barn image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 2, 2013

5. Scout's Rest Ranch Barn

Scout's Rest Ranch (<i>front/south view</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 2, 2013

6. Scout's Rest Ranch (front/south view)

Scout's Rest Ranch: Dining Room image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 2, 2013

7. Scout's Rest Ranch: Dining Room

Scout's Rest Ranch: Parlor & Piano image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 2, 2013

8. Scout's Rest Ranch: Parlor & Piano

Scout's Rest Ranch: Buffalo Bill's Desk image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 2, 2013

9. Scout's Rest Ranch: Buffalo Bill's Desk

Scout's Rest Ranch: Cody bedroom image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 2, 2013

10. Scout's Rest Ranch: Cody bedroom

Scout's Rest Ranch: Daughter Irma Cody Garlow bedroom image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 2, 2013

11. Scout's Rest Ranch: Daughter Irma Cody Garlow bedroom

Scout's Rest Ranch: Bedroom with gun rack image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 2, 2013

12. Scout's Rest Ranch: Bedroom with gun rack

Credits. This page was last revised on October 28, 2019. It was originally submitted on October 17, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 206 times since then and 58 times this year. Last updated on October 17, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. submitted on October 17, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.