The People of the Historic Sheridan Inn
 

William F. Cody, "Buffalo Bill"
(also visit the Buffalo Bill Days website)

From the very first, William Fredrick “Buffalo Bill” Cody was involved in the Inn and invested in the Inn’s future. Buffalo Bill never owned the building, but did purchase the interior furnishings and hired George Canfield as his general manager.

Buffalo Bill formed the W.F.Cody Hotel Company and also the W.F. Cody Transportation Company and ran a stage from his barn at the Inn to Deadwood, South Dakota.

Buffalo Bill lived at the Inn when ever he was in town from his Wild West Shows, and often held auditions from the massive front porch which is 116 ft long and 14 ft. wide. The old green rocking chairs that are currently in the Lobby were much used on the cool porch. He held many dances in the dinning room for his many traveling companions. He always sat on the third stool from the left at the bar so it is said. The original bar remains at the inn and is in use today.

While at the Inn, he and his long time friend, George planned the irrigation system near Cody, Wyoming and the city of Cody itself. He also designed and built the Irma Hotel in Cody, naming it after his youngest daughter, Irma. Once the Irma Hotel was built, he and his family stayed at the Irma but visited the Inn often.

In 1901, he filed for divorce in Cheyenne, Wyoming, but it was moved to Sheridan at the request of his wife and her attorney. His divorce was never granted. We have many pictures of Buffalo Bill at the Inn. While at the Inn, Buffalo Bill's son-in-law, Horton Boals, husband of his daughter Arta, committed suicide in his room on the third floor of the Inn. They owned a ranch west of Sheridan on East Pass Creek. A copy of his suicide note is at the Inn.

Cathrine B. Arnold, "Miss Kate"

In 1901 at the age of 22, Miss Kate Arnold, daughter of Thomas T. and Minnie B. Arnold, came to Sheridan from Rappahannock, King George County, Virginia. She started working at the Sheridan Inn that same year as a seamstress for the Canfields and the Inn. During the following 64 years, she also worked as desk clerk, housekeeper, hostess and sitter for the many children who stayed at the Inn with their families. She became a symbol of love and caring for not only the Inn but for the many families and children that stayed there.

Miss Kate, as everyone knew her, had a garden in the back of the Inn and raised flowers to have fresh flowers on the dining room tables every day. Many residents of Sheridan today remember taking Miss Kate for a ride in the country in her later years to gather flowers for the tables. She never knew any other home and only left the Inn in 1965 because it was to be torn down.

When she passed away in 1968 Miss Kate’s last request was to return to the Sheridan Inn, her home for those many years. Her remains were cremated, and buried in the wall in a room she occupied on the third floor periodically for many years.

Today, the room has been fully renovated by the Preceptor Tau Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi Sorority, which took the full renovation of Miss Kate’s room as a community project. It is said that Miss Kate is the guardian of the Inn.

Her presence is felt on a almost daily basis, turning lights off and on, opening and closing doors, and other activities that mysteriously happen from time to time. Those who have spent many hours at the Inn have grown to love Miss Kate today as did everyone those many years ago.

The architect... Thomas Kimball

Thomas Kimball was born in Ohio on April 19,1862 to Thomas F. and Mary (Rogers) Kimball. His father was Vice President and General Manager of the Union Pacific Railroad. He married Annie Lydia McPhail, September 25, 1889.

Thomas Kimball was one of Nebraska’s premier architectural talents. He studied at the University of Nebraska for two years before going to Massachusetts, where he studied art in Boston and completed a three-year course in architecture at M.I.T. Further studies  were conducted at the Ecole De Beaux-Arts in Paris.

Following his education, he returned to Boston were he started the firm of Walker, Kimball and Best. He worked in Boston until 1891 when the firm established a branch office in Omaha. Until 1899 when he went into private practice, Kimball kept his partnership with Walker. He maintained his own practice until 1928 when he formed the firm of Kimball, Steele and Sandham.

Among the most notable of Kimball’s buildings are the Omaha Public Library and St, Cecilia’s Cathedral in Omaha and the Hall County Courthouse in Grand Island. Thomas Kimball was also President of the Sheridan Land Company and Thomas L. Kimball Co. as well as many other organizations and commissions.

Some Famous Guests

Many notables have stayed at the Sheridan Inn over the years:  Ernest Hemingway, while he began the book, "Farewell to Arms". President Hoover, Vice President Dawes, Thomas Dewey, Wendell Wilkie, Will Rogers, Dwight Marrow, Mary Roberts Rinehart, Charlie Russell, Robert Taylor, Bob Hope, Generals Pershing, Carrington, Howard and Wood, plus Senators Kendrick, Carey and Mondaell, Major Sheridan, Miss Irina Babanova, of the Premiere Ballerina of the Russian Ballet Company, and many others.

There are no sleeping rooms available for rent at the Historic Sheridan Inn at the current time, however the Sheridan Heritage Center Board of Directors is moving ahead with plans to rehabilitate the Sheridan Inn into a Historic County Inn, comprised of 22 - 26 rooms for overnight stay.