During the late 19th century, the Terre Haute Express listed "Arrivals" at the Terre Haute House each day.

On Friday, Oct. 10, 1873, the list of "Yesterday's Arrivals" included "W.F. Cody (Buffalo Bill), J.B. Omohundro and wife (Texas Jack), J.B. Hickok (Wild Bill) . . ."

No one in town was surprised. It was common knowledge that the men were appearing for three days at the Terre Haute Opera House in Fred G. Maeder's "thrilling drama of border life, 'The Original Scouts of the Plains.'"

By 1873, the Terre Haute Opera House had earned a reputation for being host to the world's finest entertainment.

The Oct. 9-11, 1873, shows were significant in several respects:

It was the first time any of the men had appeared on a Terre Haute stage;

1873-74 was the only season Hickok appeared in theater with Buffalo Bill or Texas Jack; and

Buffalo Bill's national stage debut was less than 10 months earlier.

On Dec. 16, 1872, at age 26, Cody made his first show business appearance in Maeder's "The Scouts of the Prairie," at Nixon's Amphitheater in Chicago.

The three celebrities were, largely, creations of dime novelist Ned Buntline, whose real name was Edward Zane Carroll Judson. After reading a nonfiction story about Cody in the February 1867 issue of "Harper's Monthly," Buntline made his acquaintance.

"Buffalo Bill, King of the Border Men," was published by Buntline in the New York Weekly beginning in December 1869. Maeder wrote a script and the play debuted at Niblo's Garden in New York City in 1872 with actor J.B. Studley playing Buffalo Bill.

Buntline invited Cody to be his guest to see the play at the Bowery Theater later that season. Cody was impressed by Studley's versatility and appearance, but the audience was more overwhelmed by Buffalo Bill's presence. It cheered until Cody agreed to speak.

Promoters urged Cody to play himself in the role. At first he rejected the proposal but succumbed to the idea in December and asked his best friend, John Burwell "Texas Jack" Omohundro, to join him. Texas Jack was extremely skilled, particularly with a lasso.

At Cody's urging, Congress passed a special statute to allow the United States to hire Texas Jack as a government scout though he had served for the Confederacy in the Civil War.

Though neither man was a polished actor, the show was popular. When the successful touring season ended in June 1873, Cody founded the Buffalo Bill Combination and asked Hickok and some "real Indians" to join the troupe in September.

The shows at the Terre Haute Opera House in October were among the first the three men had worked together. About a month before - Aug. 31, 1873 - Texas Jack married Italian danseuse Josephine Morlacchi, a member of the theater company.

Cody, Hickok, the Omohundros, the Maeders and a number of extras stayed at the Terre Haute House. The Indians stayed at the Buntin House on South Third Street. The stars mixed with the citizenry during the day. The Terre Haute Daily Express reported:

"'Buffalo Bill' and 'Wild Bill,' with their long, ambrosial locks streaming in the wind, attracted much attention as they circulated about town yesterday."

The play earned excellent reviews. On Oct. 10, the Evening Gazette declared:

"'The Scouts of the Prairie' made their first appearance at the Terre Haute Opera House last evening and they were right heartily greeted by a good audience. The drama is of the highly sensational order . . . The leading characters in the play are Buffalo Bill, Texas Jack, and Wild Bill, three athletic, affable gentlemen, who, as scouts, have served their country nobly in years past . . ."

Despite Hickok's local popularity, he did not last long. Cody later wrote, "He was not an easy man to handle and would insist on shooting the supers in the legs with powder just to see them jump. He left a few months later and returned to the Plains."

Noted for his penchants for alcohol, gambling and "wild women," James Butler Hickok was murdered by Jack McCall at "Number 10 Saloon" in Deadwood, Dakota Territory, on Aug. 2, 1876. Wild Bill was shot in the back while holding "The Dead Man's Hand" - black aces, eights and the Jack of Diamonds.

Cody abandoned the stage in 1874 for a couple of years but returned in 1875-76, appearing at the Terre Haute Opera House for the second time on Feb. 8, 1876. He became regular fare thereafter, appearing at the local opera house on March 30-31, 1877, March 1, 1879, Oct. 11, 1879, March 5, 1881, Nov. 2, 1881, and Oct. 30, 1882.

Texas Jack died from pneumonia at age 33 on June 28, 1880, in Leadville, Colo.

In 1883, Cody conceived "The Buffalo Bill Wild West Show," an outdoor educational spectacle with a cast of hundreds as well as live horses, buffalo, elk and cattle. "Real cowboys and cowgirls" were recruited from ranches to demonstrate horsemanship, bronco riding, roping and other skills that later became rodeo features.

The Buffalo Bill Wild West Show appeared in Terre Haute several times, including May 17, 1886, June 24, 1896, and May 19-20, 1901. Some shows featured Annie Oakley, who also brought her own show to the city on occasions. Others featured "Pawnee Bill."

Each appearance was marked by a spectacular parade down Wabash Avenue and two extravaganzas each day: one in the afternoon and one in the evening.

Despite his national celebrity, Cody could not save money. Overly generous with friends and relatives, he also invested poorly and, frequently, under pressure. In 1912, he borrowed $20,000 from Harry H. Tammen, co-owner of Sells-Floto Circus.

Tammen foreclosed on the debt in 1913 and Cody toured for two years as Sells-Floto's headliner, appearing in Terre Haute on Sept. 22, 1914. He died on Jan. 30, 1917.