Before there was a 101 Ranch Wild West there was a 110,000 acre farm and ranch owned by the Miller family near what is now Ponca City, Oklahoma.
The Millers lived not far from Gordon Lillie, who had his own show known as Pawnee Bill’s Wild West. When the Miller brothers saw the success that he was having, theyinvited a group of guests to see a show on their ranchin 1905, which evolved into their own traveling show in 1907. After continuing to operate the show for several years Joe Miller hired Buffalo Bill Cody for the show which was renamed “Preparedness” and had a military theme as he United States geared up for entry into World War I.
This poster was created about ten years later and features “The White House” which was the centerpiece of the ranch. According to a plaque which now stands where the house once stood, “The residence contained every modern convenience available for the time period, some that amazed rural Oklahomans. These included an electric generating plant for electric lights in the hosue and other buidlings around the headquarters, steam heat, hot and cold water and hot and cold ventilation.
Over the years “The White House” hosted many prominent visitors, including Presidents Teddy Roosevelt and Warren Harding, along with Admiral Richard Byrd, General “Black Jack” Pershing and John D. Rockefeller.
As for the Wild West, the Great Depression forced it out of business in Washington D.C. in 1930 and in 1932 some of the ranch was sold off. By 1941 most of the land was acquired by the federal government.
The last of the brothers, Zack Miller, died in 1952.
-Chris Berry
My Grandfather may have been a member of the 1010 ranch Wild West Circus. Are there records of the members? His name was Vincent DePaul McManus. He would have been known as Big Hat of the ropers.
The Virtual Library section on the Circus Historical Society’s “Classic” website includes several research tools that might help you. Try searching under “People.” Here is a link to that section. https://wayback.archive-it.org/12957/20200724133725/https://classic.circushistory.org/history.htm
The original 101 ranch was in the panhandle…on the 101st parallel no man’s land. thats why it was called the 101 ranch. My great Grand father rode with the 101 ranch
in the panhandle which was then run by George Washington Miller. These were the words of my Grand mother.