BUFFALO BILL’S WILD WEST SHOW CAME HERE IN 1902

In 1902 William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody and his Wild West Show came to San Diego for what was billed as his “First, Last and Only Visit.”

On the morning Sept. 25, 1902, children were excused from school to watch the costumed performers parade through the streets before the start of the show.

More than 11,000 people lined up for the parade and the two performances that followed. San Diego’s official population was 17,700 in 1900.

Cody returned to San Diego on another farewell tour in October 1910 — his final appearance here.

From The San Diego Union and Daily Bee, Friday, September 26, 1902:

MANY THOUSANDS ATTENDED THE TWO PERFORMANCES OF WILD WEST SHOW.

THE PARADE PAGEANT ON THE STREET—SOMETHING OF THE STARTLING ACTS WHICH MADE UP THE BIG PROGRAMME.

W.F. Cody, “Buffalo Bill,” entertained the people of San Diego yesterday to the number of some eleven thousand or more at two performances of the “Wild West Show” and “Congress of Rough Riders” and more than that many people on the streets of the city at the time of the morning parade.

There were many back country people in the city, the trains having brought many yesterday morning and many having come in the preceding day or yesterday morning.

Hotels and restaurants did a big business

and the street car lines had all the people they could handle, both in the afternoon and in the evening. The National City and Otay Road had put on a couple of trains from the city to the Twenty-sixth Street siding and a long line of red cars of that road were at the entrance to the show grounds at the close of the two performances. These relieved the congested conditions just as the shows were dismissed and the street car lines were able to handle the people.

THE ARRIVAL.

The trains arrived from the north between 8 and 9 o’clock. The trains containing the tents, the seats and most of the baggage were run to the grounds at the foot of Twenty-sixth Street, where they were unloaded by the experienced men in charge of that work.

Mr. Cody’s private car and some of the other cars of one of the trains were located at the D Street depot, and many of the riders with their animals were disembarked there.

THE PARADE.

The crowd assembled at an early hour yesterday morning to see the parade. From about 9 o’clock until 11:30 the streets over which the parade were expected to pass were lined with people. Fifth street was a sight when the fife and drum corps heading the procession turned the corner at C Street.

There is something strange and wonderful about Buffalo Bill’s parade in comparison with a circus parade. There is nothing so monstrous about it. There was not the same greeting which a circus receives, it was a more interested crowd. The parade somehow demanded more respect. Buffalo Bill’s Congress of Nations is not only interesting and instructive but really inspiring. Buffalo Bill, near the head of the procession, was welcomed with the old time enthusiasm, showing that he was still a favorite with the young America as well as with the older people.

As the long line of German, English, Cubans, Turkish, Negroes, Arabs, Transvaal rough riders and Cossacks passed by, the crowd was silent, but enthusiasm was awakened when the American cavalrymen appeared upon the scene, for the first time since Buffalo Bill passed by the crowd cheered. There was an air of business and general efficiency which pleased the crowd as well as aroused its enthusiasm and patriotism.

Then there were the Indians, Indians with gaudy blankets and stoical, indifferent faces, who always are of interest to the American people. Their names were well known, such as Young Spotted Tail, Crow Dog and others. It was a splendid pageant.

“BUFFALO BILL” AS AN ENTERTAINER