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On Feb. 22 and 23, 2020, Cody Days will be celebrated in Oracle at the Oracle Inn. This is the 5th Annual Cody Days which celebrates William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody’s birthday and the times he spent in Oracle and the Santa Catalina Mountains. The event is free.
Buffalo Bill was a famous Indian scout, mining entrepreneur and iconic entertainer with his Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show.
Cody spent many a winter in Oracle beginning in the early 1900s until his death in 1917. His connection to Oracle were the numerous mining claims including the Hi Jinks, Southern Belle and Maudina mines in the Santa Catalina Mountains. Some say he had an interest in searching for the legendary Mine with the Iron Door. He was a constant visitor at the Mountain View hotel owned by his friend from his scouting days, William Neal.
Cody Days opens on Saturday, Feb. 22, from 1 to 5 p.m. The entertainment will include a free magic show for the kids by Ross the Magician. Don Larry will give a presentation about Cody as Senator. There will be Native American jewelry displays and sales, book talks and free slices of Buffalo Bill’s birthday cake.
On Sunday, Feb. 23, from 1 to 5 p.m., Robert Zucker will talk about the legends and history of the Santa Catalina Mountains, Cody and his mines and Oracle’s unique history. Zucker is the author of the book, Treasures of the Santa Catalina Mountains, in collaboration with William “Flint” Carter. It is an interesting history of mining and the legends of lost treasure in the mountains, includes history of Oracle and the surrounding areas. It contains maps, photographs and illustrations.
This year’s event will also honor William “Flint” Carter, founder of Cody Days. Flint was a prospector who searched the Santa Catalina Mountains for over four decades for gold and treasure. He held over 100 mining claims in the Santa Catalinas. Flint passed away in December 2018.
Gerald Cody, a member of the Cody family will be this year’s guest speaker and will share some Cody family stories. He was President of the International Cody Family Association (ICFA), a non-profit organization for 15 years. The ICFA organized in 1925 and helped fund the original site for the Buffalo Bill Cody Museum in Cody, Wyoming.
For more information on Cody Days, contact Robert Zucker at publisher@emol.org or 520-623-3733.
John Hernandez lives in Oracle. He is retired and enjoys writing and traveling. He is active in the Oracle Historical Society. He covers numerous public events, researches historical features and writes business/artist profiles.
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