Entertainment Magazine: Iron Door Mine: Buffalo Bill Cody

Buffalo Bill Cody in Arizona

Played a big role in Oracle mining history

Little known, but a big part of Arizona's history is Buffalo Bill Cody's part in the development of Arizona and his role in mining in Oracle, is coming to light.

At the time of his death, the citizens of the Tucson, Arizona area wanted Buffalo Bill for state senator.

William Federick "Buffalo Bill" Cody held 562,436 patented acres of mining claims in the Santa Catalina Mountains, 45 mines, 2 mills, the Mt. View Hotel in Oracle, AZ., and a long list of other hotels, ranches and pioneering developments in the West.

W.F. Cody's Campo Bonito, in the heart of the Oracle Ranch Country, includes historic Maudina Tungsten Mine, the Pure Gold Tungsten, Southern Belle Gold Mine among others.

In November 2010, the curator of the Buffalo Bill Museum and Grave came to Tucson, AZ to research the archives and tour the mining area owned by Cody, north of Tucson, after the turn the of 20th Century.

I had been in touch with Steve Friesen for years. He had just finished a new book on Buffalo Bill, along with maintaining the Buffalo Bill Museum and Grave in Golden, Colorado.

For years, we had discussed Buffalo Bill's time in Tucson and Oracle. Friesen believes that a sizable part of Buffalo Bill's history in Arizona has been mostly unknown, misplaced or overlooked. Friesen is now compiling the research for possibly a new book, new exhibits at the museum and more.

During his visit, I gave Steve the secret telegraph code used by Buffalo Bill. In this code, he named his mines after women and the precious metals after states when sending telegraph messages. The University of Arizona has 300 plus letters from Buffalo Bill in the Special Collections.

As I made clear to Steve, "gold does not breed cooperation" and can be very dangerous, especially during the pioneer days of the Wild West.

Many holes in the research of Buffalo Bill's life still leaves many questions. To date, no production records are available from his mines. A smart man would not broadcast this wealth. But he was not required to report it at the time.

The amount of gold, silver, tungsten and other precious metals will never been known. It's possible someone will read this and have some information that will help.

It's as if Cody didn't want anyone to know. Yes, a few letters, already known, say he was swindled by partners which was common in the business.

But Cody's years here, and remaining documents are slowly piecing the puzzle together and the missing part of history is surfacing.

NOW Available on Amazon.com

The detailed history and legends of the Catalinas is told in a 400-page paperback. Buy "Treasures of the Santa Catalina Mountains" online for a discount at amazon.com, or locally in Tucson at Mostly Books, Oracle Inn, Buzz Café and other locations to be announced.
Written by Robert Zucker
Collaborated with William Carter.

Iron Door Mine Index | Flint Carter

Tucson Gem Show | Tucson, Arizona | Entertainment Magazine

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Entertainment Magazine

Cody Stone Jewelry from Arizona

Cody Stone is mined from the Catalina Mountains in Southern Arizona, USA- the same mountains mined by Buffalo Bill Cody. Designed as jewelry grade gold and silver in quartz, Codystone specimens and hand made items are on display at the Oracle Inn Steakhouse & Saloon in Oracle, Arizona. Call Flint at 520-289-4566 or email finder@emol.org.

"Ballads of the Santa Catalina Mountains" CD

Listen to songs and ballads on CD about the Iron Door Mine, the Santa Catalina Mountains, the Old West by Arizona historian Flint Carter. $9.95. Call 520-289-4566 for more information and to purchase directly. Mention the Iron Door web site.

Iron Door Mine Legend Tour and Artifacts

Explore displays of over 1,000 Old West artifacts and specimens from the surrounding area with Flint Carter. Learn about Western legends. Call Fint at 520-289-4566. Mention the Iron Door web site.

"MacKenna's Gold" (1969)

Starring Gregory Peck and Omar Sherif

Attempting to do for Westerns what his Guns of Navarone had done for World War II action epics, director J. Lee Thompson crafted Mackenna's Gold as a lavish, absurdly ambitious variation on Erich Von Stroheim's Greed, resulting in a last-gasp Western so eager to encompass the genre's traditions that it turns into a big, silly, wildly entertaining mess. Gregory Peck surely had more serious intentions when he signed on, and he brings prestigious gravitas to his glum role as Marshall Mackenna, who gets shanghaied into searching for the gold-filled canyon of an elusive Apache legend. The rest of the 1969 film labors to undermine Peck's respectable demeanor; how else to explain Omar Sharif as a Mexican villain, Julie Newmar as a hot-blooded Apache temptress (with underwater nude scenes that were celebrated in Playboy magazine), and a jaw-dropping finale that's so ridiculous it's impressive in spite of itself?

Formerly blacklisted screenwriter Carl Foreman and composer Dimitri Tiomkin joined up to coproduce the film, and one can only imagine how Anthony Mann or Howard Hawks might've handled Foreman's sensible script. Thompson goes for scenic splendor, heavy action, and heavier emotions, casting everything at a fever pitch that's wildly enjoyable without betraying his "serious" intentions. A stable of Hollywood veterans (Eli Wallach, Raymond Massey, Edward G. Robinson, and others) appear in lively supporting roles--they're all dispatched in a garish Apache ambush--and Camilla Sparv is an ingénue with plenty of fighting attitude. Gold fever reaches its peak, along with some awesome special effects, and divine intervention reaches new heights of intensity. Top it off with José Feliciano's theme song, and you'll be in zany Western heaven. --Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com

DVD edition of MacKenna's Gold. Studio: Sony Pictures. DVD format. Release Date: July 11, 2000. Run Time: 128 minutes.

Poster from Mackenna's Gold - Movie Poster - 11 x 17. This poster measures approx. 11 x 17. Rolled and shipped in a sturdy tube. This poster is from the movie Mackenna's Gold (1969).

Printed book edition of Mackenna's Gold A Five-time Spur Award-winning Author. Somewhere in 100,000 square miles of wilderness was the fabled Lost Canyon of Gold. With his dying breath, an ancient Apache warrior entrusted Glen Mackenna with the location of the lode that would make any man - or woman - rich beyond their wildest dreams. Halfbreed renegade and captive girl, mercenary soldier and thieving scout - brave or beaten, innocent or evil, they'd sell their very souls to possess Mackenna's gold. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. Avon Books (Mm) (June 1988).

Watch video on-demand from Amazon.com of MacKenna's Gold.

The Mine with the Iron Door: A Romance (1936)

Movie Poster from the 1936 film The Mine with the Iron Door - Movie Poster - 11 x 17 Poster for the Mine with the Iron Door movie. Stars Richard Arlen, Ceclia Parker and Henry B. Walthall. Poster measures approx. 11 x 17. Rolled and shipped in a sturdy tube. This poster is from The Mine with the Iron Door (1936).

Printed Edition of The Mine with the Iron Door. (The Collected Works of Harold Bell Wright - 18 Volumes) (Library Binding) Library Binding: 338 pages. Publisher: Classic Publishers, Language: English. ISBN: 158201891X.

Digital CD Edition of Mine with the Iron Door: A Romance, The (CD-ROM Edition). The CD-ROM contains 338 pages. Publisher: Classic Books; 1923 edition (December 15, 2007).