What does the Buffalo Bill Historical Center in Cody, Wyoming, do with a 28-foot long, 1888 poster of Buffalo Bill's Wild West show? It puts it on display for visitors to see in the Center's newly remodeled Buffalo Bill gallery, set to open May 19, 2012.

The Center recently purchased the poster, thought to be the largest surviving poster ever produced for William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody's Wild West. Printed in 1888 by the Calhoun Printing Company of Hartford, Connecticut, the poster consists of 32 separate sheets, measures roughly 28 feet long by 13 feet wide, and is in pristine condition.

In studying the colorful image on the floor, stretched out the length of the Center's Plains Indian gallery, the staff at the Historical Center christened this enormous advertising poster "simply extraordinary." Much like billboards today, posters pasted to the sides of buildings were used to publicize events like Cody's show that ran 1883 -1913. Generally meant to be scrapped once an event concluded, it's rare to find posters like this 28-foot example created in 1888 still intact.

There is some mystery surrounding the Center's acquisition, however. It was owned most recently by a private collector in Colorado who decided to dispose of it at auction. Before that, little is known about the history of this particular poster?where it originated, who owned it, and where it's been for most of the last hundred years. It's even possible the poster was never installed.

"My own hunch is that the poster?really a 'show bill'?was never hung because it had some minor flaws in it, such as where the ink ran slightly," explains Dr. John Rumm, the Center's curator of western American history. "They're barely discernible and require careful inspection to see. But it would be in keeping for the reputation of both the Wild West and the Calhoun Printing Company to not post a 'factory second,' no matter how minor the flaws were." Certainly, more research is in order to answer those questions.

Originally, the Center's Conservator Beverly Perkins planned an analysis of the poster including cleaning or making needed repairs. However, once unfurled on the floor for review, Perkins pronounced the poster "in remarkably pristine condition," and Rumm said the colors were so vibrant that "the poster seems as if it were fresh off the press." Other than some very minor tears along its edges, the poster is completely intact.

With a caption across the lower left corner exclaiming, "Grandstand at London Seating 20,000 People," the poster was created to commemorate the Wild West's special London performance in May 1887. Her Majesty Queen Victoria and other members of the Royal Entourage are pictured acknowledging Buffalo Bill's ceremonial bow from his white horse as show personnel salute the queen from the background.

Staffers Matt Bree and Jeffrey Rudolph have their work cut out for them as Rudolph creates a frame, and Bree builds a special case to both display and house the poster on the back wall of the "Man of the World" alcove in the new Buffalo Bill gallery.

The Historical Center acquired the poster in September 2011 through an auction held in New York City. Monies from the Center's Acquisition Fund (named for Buffalo Bill's niece who was also the first curator of the Buffalo Bill Museum)?together with contributions from several of the Center's trustees?made the acquisition and conservation of this poster possible. Once several months of remodeling are wrapped up this spring, the poster goes on display in the Center's Buffalo Bill gallery when that area of the museum reopens on May 19, 2012.

(Note: Only the Buffalo Bill gallery of the Center is currently closed to the public; the remaining galleries are open during regular winter hours.)

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Trace Adkins will perform on Thursday, May 10, 2012 at the Adler Theatre.  You are invited to purchase tickets in advance beginning on Tuesday, January 31 at 10:00 a.m. until Thursday, February 2 at 11:00 p.m. Click on the orange "Find Tickets" button below, enter in the number of tickets you wish to purchase, price level and venue special offer code ADKINS.  Tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday, February 3 at 10:00 a.m.

Along with a powerful performance, this intimate evening will incorporate stories, both humorous and meaningful, that pay homage to Adkins' working-man roots and rich musical heritage. traceadkins.com

Trace Adkins Thursday, May 10; 7:30 pm Adler Theatre Pre-Sale Tuesday, January 31; 10:00 am - Thursday, February 2; 11:00 pm Enter Code: ADKINS for pre-sale tickets!

The Color Purple Tuesday, February 7; 7:30 pm Adler Theatre On Sale Now

Rodney Carrington Thursday, February 9; 7:00 pm Adler Theatre On Sale Now For more event information, adlertheatre.com

Administration Ignores Cook County, Ill. While Suing States Working to Address Illegal Immigration

WASHINGTON - Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Chuck Grassley is leading a group of senators to continue pressing the administration on its controversial policy to sue states for passing immigration laws to protect their citizens while turning a blind eye to jurisdictions that actively promote safe harbor immigration policies, like Cook County, Illinois.

In a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Attorney General Eric Holder, the senators wrote that Cook County, "Should not be rewarded with federal taxpayer dollars for defying federal immigration authorities and putting public safety at risk."  The county had been reimbursed with nearly $8 million through the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program in fiscal 2009 and 2010.

Grassley was joined by senators David Vitter of Louisiana, Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, Mike Johanns of Nebraska, John Cornyn of Texas, Jim DeMint of South Carolina, Jeff Sessions of Alabama and Jon Kyl of Arizona.

Here is the text of the letter to Napolitano and Holder.  A copy of the signed letter can be found here.  In addition, Grassley, Cornyn, Coburn and Sessions previously sent a letter to Napolitano on November 2, 2011.

January 30, 2012

The Honorable Janet Napolitano

Secretary

Department of Homeland Security

Washington, D.C. 20528

The Honorable Eric H. Holder, Jr.

Attorney General

Department of Justice

Washington, D.C. 20530

Dear Secretary Napolitano and Attorney General Holder:

Over two months ago, several members of the Senate Judiciary Committee sent Secretary Napolitano a letter regarding the Cook County, Illinois, ordinance that permits local law enforcement to release suspected illegal immigrants and to thereby ignore requests from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to detain these individuals.  That letter requested that Secretary Napolitano personally intervene to ensure that the implementation of the ordinance was not creating a public safety risk.  To date, we have not received a response.  We write again to express our concerns to both of you and ask for your immediate attention to this matter.

We were encouraged by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director Morton's January 4^th letter to the President of the Cook County Board of Commissioners expressing serious concern with the ordinance.  However, we are extremely concerned that Cook County has refused to honor over 268 detainer requests issued by ICE.  We agree with Director Morton that this ordinance undermines public safety and hinders ICE's ability to enforce our nation's immigration laws.  We also believe it violates federal law.   It is ironic and frustrating that the Administration has filed suit against several states for passing laws that aim to protect their citizens and help enforce immigration law while essentially turning a blind eye to jurisdictions that actively promote safe harbor policies.  If the Administration truly believes immigration law is only to be enforced by the Federal government, as it has argued before several courts, it should adhere to that position and take action against jurisdictions that actively thwart effective Federal enforcement of the Immigration and Nationality Act.  Accordingly, we strongly urge you to take immediate action to determine if Cook County is in violation of federal law, including consideration of whether to seek an injunction in federal court.  We believe such action is more than justified, given that the ordinance not only obstructs justice but also impedes the execution of federal statutes.

In his letter, Director Morton also mentioned that Cook County had been reimbursed with nearly $3.4 million through the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP) in fiscal year 2010, and nearly $4.4 million in fiscal year 2009.  We are in complete agreement with Director Morton that "it is fundamentally inconsistent for Cook County to request federal reimbursement for the cost of detaining aliens who commit or are charged with crimes while at the same time thwarting ICE's efforts to remove those very same aliens from the United States."  As such, we urge to you immediately suspend any reimbursement of SCAAP funds - or any other funds that may be available from your Departments for these or similar purposes -- to Cook County.   The County should not be rewarded with federal taxpayer dollars for defying federal immigration authorities and putting public safety at risk.

Finally, the Department of Homeland Security has pledged to make Secure Communities a staple in every jurisdiction by the end of 2013.  We believe you should accelerate the implementation of this program in Illinois, and specifically Cook County.  Please advise whether the Department will take steps to activate Secure Communities in Cook County earlier than previously planned.

Thank you and we look forward to your timely response.

Sincerely,

___________________________________                   _________________________________

Charles E. Grassley                       David Vitter

United States Senator                     United States Senator