A Collection - Pawnee Bill To William S. Hart

LILLIE, GORDON W. [PAWNEE BILL]

Publication: Correspondence from Pawnee Bill to William S Hart, 1930s, Pawnee, Oklahoma

The collection brings together two icons of the Old West - Pawnee Bill and Williams S. Hart. Included in the collection: 1) two TLS from Gordon Lillie (Pawnee Bill) to Hart, each with 'Pawnee Bill's Indian Trading Post' covers; 2) a 3 1/2" x 5 1/2" real photo postcard (showing a profile photo of Pawnee Bill and Buffalo Bill), hand-addressed to Hart and signed "G.W. Lillie "Pawnee Bill" on the verso); 3) a printed invitation to Lillie's 1940 eightieth birthday 'Stag Party;' and 4) along with a clipped aged newspaper article recapping Lillie's 1939 visit to Hollywood and Hart's 'Horseshoe Ranch.' Lillie's August 8, 1939 TLS (on buff 8 1/2" x 11" paper) followed his visit to Hart ("The outstanding feature of my visit to California this year was meeting you... and would like awfully well to have you visit my ranch some time or when it is convient (sic) for you..."). He goes on to describe his 11 buffalo calves ("which is unusual for I hardly ever have more than eight or nine") and his 26 black and white spotted saddle horses ("which I keep here just to look at nobody here on the ranch to ride them except Mexico Joe"). The verso of the invitation bears his picture in fringed buckskin. His January 27, 1940 TLS (on buff 8 1/2" x 13 1/2" paper) invites Hart to his 80th birthday party. He suggests "... I think you should if you can come get here a little ahead of time so you will be rested up for the party..." The letter is typed on the verso of 'Pawnee Bill's Old Town and Indian Trading Post advertising flyer. Lillie encloses his printed invitation (on 12 1/2" x 8 3/4" fancy stock folded to 6/1/4" x 8 3/4") to a "Stag Party at the Ranch House" 28ncloses. At the age of 19 Gordon Lillie (soon to become "Pawnee Bill") worked on the Pawnee Indian agency in Indian Territory. Because of that relationship, he became the Pawnee interpreter with Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show. By the 1880s Lillie had become a leader of the 'Boomer Movement,' which led to the 1889 Oklahoma Land Rush. In 1908 he merged his successful 'Pawnee Bill's Historical Wild West, Indian Museum and Encampment" with Buffalo Bill Cody to form "Buffalo Bill's Wild West and Pawnee Bill's Great Far East," a 'super'-Wild West show without equal. Lillie's success in show business led to a motion-picture company, as well as endeavors in oil, real estate, and banking, Meanwhile, in 1910 he and his wife built an arts & crafts mansion (now on the National Register of Historic Places) on their 2000-acre Pawnee Bill Ranch. He was an early conservationist devoted to the preservation of the buffalo (American bison) and established a herd on his ranch. He also lobbied Congress to pass legislation to protect the animal; his efforts eventually led to the opening of the Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge. William S. Hart was the foremost Western star of the silent era. His former home and 260-acre ranch in Newhall is now William S. Hart Park. Provenance: From the estate of William S. Hart, Jr.

Inventory Number: 52885