Buffalo Bill Scout, Showman, Visionary

William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody was Americars"s first celebrity. He lived during a time of great geographic and technological expansion, a time when American mass media became dominant. Cody was there at every step, the right person at the right place at the right time. It was through those brilliant efforts that Cody the man became Buffalo Bill the celebrity and, eventually, Buffalo Bill the legend.Buffalo Bill: Scout, Showman, Visionary stands apart from other historical tributes to Buffalo Billrs"s life and times. Based upon the collection of the Buffalo Bill Museum and Grave, this book provides a new perspective on William F. Cody through a detailed look at his personal effects and memorabilia from his larger-than-life shows.Steve Friesen is the director of the Buffalo Bill Museum and Grave. Like Buffalo Bill, Friesen was raised in Kansas. He attended Bethel College in Newton, once characterized by Buffalo Bill as the wildest and wickedest town in the West. Friesen has a masterrs"s degree in American folk culture from the State University of New Yorkrs"s Cooperstown Graduate Program. Hers"s married to Monta Lee Dakin, whom he met at a national museum conference in Philadelphia. They married the following year and have two children.

Steve Friesen was born in Lawrence, Kansas and grew up in the small Kansas town of Buhler. He attended Bethel College, a Mennonite school in North Newton, Kansas, where he received a BA in History and Social Sciences with a minor in Peace Studies. In 1975 - 76 he attended the Cooperstown Graduate Program of SUNY Oneonta, receiving an MA in American Folk Culture. He has worked at various museums in Colorado, Kansas and Pennsylvania since 1976. His first book A Modest Mennonite Home was written while he was Director of the 1719 Hans Herr House. It explores 18th century Mennonite/Pennsylvania German history and culture. Following two years as Director of the Molly Brown House Museum in Denver, Friesen moved to the top of Lookout Mountain overlooking Denver. There became Director of the Buffalo Bill Museum and Grave, a position he has held since 1995. Buffalo Bill: Scout, Showman, Visionary is based upon research done by Friesen during the past fifteen years at the museum. In addition to writing and researching the book, he also did most of the artifact photography for the book, which includes 250 images of artifacts and historic photos.