On July 4th, 1882, Col. Wm. F. Cody (a.k.a. Buffalo Bill) debuted his famous “Wild West Show” in North Platte. Years later, he used the earnings from the show to construct this beautiful Victorian home on 4,000 acres of land. Currently, the home is part of a 16-acre historical park, and you can take a tour of the home by appointment.
The house was famously featured in “Silence of the Lambs.” Real fans can also book a stay in the famous house. Also in Nebraska: The Harvey P. Sutton House is a private residence in the city of McCook, and it was actually Frank Lloyd Wright’s only Nebraska commission home.
Kentucky - Ashland
Henry Clay famously said, “I am in one respect better off than Moses. He died in sight of, without reaching, the Promised Land. I occupy as good a farm as any that he would have found if he had reached it.” Clay lived in this Lexington home for over 40 long years. The home is now a house museum that can be toured, or you can visit the grounds around the home.
The museum features exhibits on Clay's life as well as events. Visitors can also tour the ground and learn about the politician's life and career. Also in Kentucky: Also in Lexington is the remarkable first lady Mary Todd Lincoln’s childhood home.
North Dakota - Maltese Cross Cabin
Theodore Roosevelt once said that he would not have been President had it not been for his experience in North Dakota. For some years in the 1880s, President Roosevelt spent his time split between New York and this one-and-a-half-story cabin. At this cabin, he would partake in wilderness activities which built the strong belief in conservation that he brought into his presidency.
The cabin is part of the Theodore Roosevelt National Park and park visitors will be sure to see the cabin along the famous nature trail. Also in North Dakota: Bagg Farm is North Dakota’s only rebuilt bonanza farm.
Wyoming - Trail End
John Benjamin Kendrick built this Revival-style mansion for him and his family in Sheridan, Wyoming. Even though he did not get to complete it as he wished, the home is still beautifully built, and a fine piece of architecture. The interior of the home has been preserved, changing little over the years.
The house now offers group tours as well as school tours and trips. Fun events like Murder Mystery nights are held at the mansion, along with weddings and photo shoots. Also in Wyoming: Located in Kemmerer, Wyoming is the first J.C. Penney store, and nearby is the birthplace of James Cash Penney.
West Virginia - Pearl S. Buck Birthplace
The Pulitzer and Nobel Prize-winning author Pearl S. Buck, known for writing the novel "The Good Earth," was born here in Hillsboro, West Virginia. She lived in this home when her parents left to do missionary work in China. Pearl was the first woman to win the Nobel Prize for Literature, and guided tours of the house elucidate on her writings and what went into her creative process.
Pearl was also a social justice champion and visitors are taught all about the struggle Pearl faced to make her voice heard. Also in West Virginia: The “Pumpkin House,” located in Kenova, is one of the state’s most popular Halloween attractions, as many residents come to celebrate the holiday here.