MOUNT VERNON — There were pioneers, Indians, horses, cowboys, Civil War soldiers and Western heroes in the Buffalo Bill Wild West Show re-enactment Saturday afternoon. The show was at the Knox County Horse Park on Thayer Road, southwest of Mount Vernon.
The show followed the lifelong adventures of Buffalo Bill Cody, portrayed in the show by Terry Glassford of Galena. Cody’s life work encompassed as many occupations a man could do when the Western frontier was growing. He was given the name Buffalo Bill because of his ability to shoot buffalo, the meat of which was a mainstay for railroad workers in the expansion westward.
As the re-enactment unfolded, there appeared many other adventures in which Cody was involved. At a very early age he was a pony express rider. This role was enacted by Cassie Glassford of Galena as she took a mail pouch transfer from another rider and spurred her horse for the next leg of the route.
Buffalo Bill was also a soldier and at various times an Indian scout, which included working with Gen. George Armstrong Custer. The re-enactment included a portrayal of Custer’s 7th Calvary’s Last Stand in the battle of the Little Big Horn.
Cody knew the famous Indian medicine man and War Chief Sitting Bull, portrayed in the show by Gerald Clayton of Mount Gilead. Along with sharpshooter Annie Oakley, acted out by Amy Dennis of Delaware, Sitting Bull toured in Cody’s nationally famous wild west show. During one tour, the show played at Sunbury.
Several Knox County re-enactors had parts in the show. Dale Metzger of Mount Vernon was the arena director. Imogene Robertson of Fredericktown drove her covered wagon in several sequences. Clyde Robertson, also of Fredericktown, portrayed an Indian who stabbed Cody in one scene.
Fredericktown residents Christy Roberts played an Indian and Claude Robertson was a cowboy and whip artist. From Mount Vernon were Liz Lutwick, who portrayed pioneer Louisa Frederici; Rebel Donaldson, who appeared as a pioneer and mule owner; and Butch Farley, who appeared as Texas Jack Onohumbro.
Also involved were Ken and Pam Niner, Mount Liberty, as a cowboy and cowgirl; from Centerburg came Harlan Kiracofe and Frank Butler; Marcella Kiracofe as pioneer Kathy Shoemaker; Georgia Duffy as a sharpshooter; and Jodi Obert as Fannie Steele, a cowgirl.
Roger Bishop of Centerburg provided the sound and read the commentary for the re-enactment.
The small grandstand at the Thayer Road horse park was filled and spectators lined the fence around the arena for the two-hour show. Those attending enjoyed the historic re-enactment.
“Pretty good,” was the comment of Jerry Rodden of Sycamore Road, who came with his daughter, Hannah. The Harding family of Mount Vernon said the show was a “good job” by the actors. A good breeze made the 85-degree temperature tolerable through an overcast sky.
The re-enactment was held July 6 in Delaware County, which shares a 2008 bicentennial with Knox County.
