Western Writers Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Reception

Western Writers of America and the Buffalo Bill Center of the West invite you to the second annual James Ersfeld Symposium! This two-day event brings historians, authors, and museum curators together to discuss and investigate the significance of Cody and the bison in Western history.

Dates: September 11 – 12, 2026
Location: The Buffalo Bill Center of the West (Cody, Wyoming)

Weekend Highlights:

• Friday: Western Writers Hall of Fame and Induction Ceremony and Reception, featuring entertainment by the award-winning, Nashville-based all-female Western music supergroup, Gone with the West.
• Saturday Morning: Three panel discussions on Buffalo Bill Cody and Museums, Buffalo Bill Cody in Film and Literature, and the American Bison Today, featuring notable Western historians and authors.
• Saturday Afternoon: Keynote address, “The Man Who Invented the West: Buffalo Bill Cody,” presented by Dr. Paul Andrew Hutton.
• Saturday Evening: Special reception, dinner, and a presentation by Spur Award-winning author Jane Little Botkin on Mary Ann Goodnight’s life and role in saving the American Buffalo.
• Tours of the Buffalo Bill Museum and McCracken Research Library will also be scheduled on Friday and Saturday.

Registration & Contact:

• Full Two-Day Symposium: $125
• Saturday Night Dinner & Keynote Address Only: $75
• For More Information: Please contact WWA President Stuart Rosebrook at [email protected] or at 480-820-5545.

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