Press Release
May 16, 2024
Contact: Ron Brown
Pawnee Bill Ranch and Museum, Oklahoma Historical Society
Office: 918-762-2513
ronny.brown@history.ok.gov
www.PawneeBillRanch.org
Pawnee Bill’s Original Wild West Show Set for June 8
PAWNEE, Okla. — The Pawnee Bill Ranch and Museum will celebrate Major Gordon W. “Pawnee Bill” Lillie, his wife May Lillie and their famous Wild West Shows with a celebration on Saturday, June 8. Pawnee Bill’s Original Wild West Show will be held at the original historic ranch site. Stagecoaches will roll amid thundering horse hooves while the lightning of gunfire explodes around Pawnee Bill, May and their cohorts as the talented performers thrill and amaze audiences. This celebration will feature exhibitions of acts from the original Pawnee Bill’s Historic Wild West Show.
The museum will be open to the public during the festival from 11 a.m.-7 p.m., and the mansion will close at 6 p.m. Local food trucks will be available on-site. Visitors can enjoy historically accurate entertainment such as blacksmithing, chuck wagon cooking, gunfighters and sharpshooters, a magician, medicine man shows and musicians on the ranch grounds from 2-6 p.m. The Pawnee Bill Original Wild West Show stagecoach will be available for photos in the arena from 4 to 6:30 p.m., along with crafts, games, food trucks and your chance to meet Pawnee Bill and May Lillie. The big show begins at 7:30 p.m. and will include horse races, mounted shooting, the Pawnee Bill drill team and more.
Admission is $12 for adults, $10 for seniors over 62, $5 for children ages 6-12 and free for children five and younger. Tickets are not sold in advance or online. They can only be purchased at the ranch entrance gate on the day of the event. For more information, please call 918-762-2513 or email pawneebill@history.ok.gov. The Pawnee Bill Ranch and Museum is located at 1141 Pawnee Bill Rd. in Pawnee.
Pawnee Bill’s Original Wild West Show sponsors include the Grand River Dam Authority, the City of Pawnee, Great Plains Kubota, Pawnee Hillcrest Pharmacy, P&K Equipment, United Community Action Program, Inc. and First Bank & Trust (Perry, Billings, Covington, Pawnee).
The Pawnee Bill Ranch and Museum is a division of the Oklahoma Historical Society. The mission of the Oklahoma Historical Society is to collect, preserve and share the history and culture of the state of Oklahoma and its people. Founded in 1893 by members of the Territorial Press Association, the OHS maintains museums, historic sites and affiliates across the state. Through its research archives, exhibits, educational programs and publications the OHS chronicles the rich history of Oklahoma. For more information about the OHS, please visit www.okhistory.org.
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Editor’s Note: Photos of the Pawnee Bill Ranch and Museum are available upon request.
