Announcer:  This week’s Oklahoma moment is brought to you by the Oklahoma History Center.
Historian:  Wild West Shows were the huge entertainment venues of the early 20th century.  Buffalo Bill was the star of the Wild West Shows circuit, and chose to partner with Oklahoma’s Pawnee Bill to form Buffalo Bill’s Wild West and Pawnee Bill’s Great Far East Show.  That partnership lasted from 1909 to 1913.  Tom Mix performed in Wild West Shows and hung out at the 101 Ranch.  He worked in a film while in Oklahoma, eventually moving to California to partner with William Selig, and became a top box office draw.  The 101 Ranch Real Wild West Show traveled the world and played in such venues as Madison Square Garden in New York City.  Oklahoma was a hot bed for these shows and counted several as originating here including Zack Mulhall’s Wild West Show.