Abilene to Unveil New Wild Bill Hickok Monument at Old Abilene Town

Chisholm Trail Days: Longhorns & Legends Aug. 15; Wild Bill Hickok monument dedication Aug. 16

Abilene, Kan. — Abilene's Wild West story is about to gain a new landmark. The Abilene Convention & Visitors Bureau is pleased to announce a new bronze monument honoring legendary lawman James Butler "Wild Bill" Hickok at Old Abilene Town as part of the community's commemoration of the 150th anniversary of his death in 1876.This special project was made possible through the generosity of the family of the late Nebraska sculptor David R. Young, who gifted the original sculpture to the community. His work can be found in parks and public spaces throughout the Midwest, including Grand Island, Scottsbluff, Alliance and Lincoln, Nebraska; Arkansas City, Kansas; and Deadwood, South Dakota, as well as in private collections across the country. Young's sculpture of Wild Bill Hickok depicts the legendary gunslinger holding the infamous "dead man's hand," two aces and two eights, alongside his pistol, a nod to the story that became part of Western folklore.

About the Artist

David grew up in Terre Haute, Indiana. He served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War and completed his bachelor's degree at Indiana State University before earning a master's degree in sculpture from the University of Iowa. He later moved to Grand Island, Nebraska, where he taught high school art for 33 years. There he met his wife, Helen, and together they raised their family.

Retirement allowed David to focus full-time on sculpture. He and Helen traveled the country attending art shows and galleries in their minivan before eventually settling in Deadwood, South Dakota, where David developed a deep interest in the history of Wild Bill Hickok. With a gallery located near the legendary Saloon No. 10, the couple became immersed in the stories and culture of the American West.

The Youngs were known for making public art a community experience. They often engaged classrooms, local leaders, neighbors and visitors in the creative process, inviting them to "help sculpt" and encouraging people to touch, experience and connect with the finished bronze works.

Young also created the monument located at Wild Bill Hickok's gravesite in Deadwood, South Dakota, which was dedicated in July 2002. Now, this newly rediscovered Hickok sculpture will find a permanent home in Abilene, where Hickok once served as city marshal during Abilene's cattle drive era.

The Youngs eventually followed their adult children to the Kansas City area and later to Wichita. After the family rediscovered the sculpture, their grandson and daughter-in-law suggested Abilene as the perfect home for the piece. They had recently visited the community and enjoyed all that Abilene has to offer.

The family also shared a connection to Abilene through the education division at the Eisenhower Presidential Library, where David and Helen assisted with the development of educational materials. Together, those ties made Abilene a natural choice for the sculpture's permanent home.

Wild Bill Hickok in Abilene

While Wild Bill Hickok may have died in Deadwood, he left a lasting mark on Abilene. Following the death of legendary lawman Tom "Bear River" Smith, Hickok was hired as city marshal and served from April to December 1871. His tenure culminated in a shootout with local saloon owner Phil Coe that tragically resulted in the accidental death of his friend and deputy, Mike Williams. Deeply shaken by the incident, Hickok's time in Abilene came to an end later that year, marking a turning point in the city's cattle drive era.

"Wild Bill Hickok is one of the most recognizable figures in Abilene's Wild West story," said Julie Roller Weeks, Director of the Abilene Convention & Visitors Bureau. "We are incredibly grateful to the family for thinking of Abilene and helping bring this remarkable piece of Western art to the very town where Hickok once served as marshal. It will be a wonderful addition to Old Abilene Town and help tell the story of one of the most famous lawmen of the American West."

The sculpture was recently cast in bronze at Art Castings of Loveland, Colorado, and has since returned to Abilene, where it awaits installation. The original sculpture was recently rediscovered in the Young family's collection. Once installed near Hickok's Cabin at Old Abilene Town, the monument will become a new point of interest for visitors exploring Abilene's Wild West history.

The monument will also become a featured stop on Abilene's Cowboy Art Trail and the Kansas Gunsmoke Trail, giving visitors another reason to explore the community's cowboy heritage. Frequently recognized among the Top 10 True Western Towns by True West Magazine, Abilene continues to preserve and celebrate the people, places and stories that helped shape the end of the Chisholm Trail.

Chisholm Trail Days: Longhorns & Legends

Chisholm Trail Days: Longhorns & Legends will take place Saturday, Aug. 15, featuring the always-popular longhorn parade and Wild Bill Hickok reenactments at Old Abilene Town.

The official Wild Bill Hickok monument dedication is planned for Sunday, Aug. 16, at 1 p.m. at Old Abilene Town. Members of Young's family, friends, former students and Wild Bill Hickok enthusiasts are expected to attend the dedication.

The monument project is part of Abilene's ongoing effort to preserve and share its Wild West heritage while creating new opportunities for visitors to connect with the people and stories that helped make Abilene one of America's most legendary cowtowns.

Learn more at www.Hickok150.com.

See Other Hickok-Themed Attractions in Abilene:

 

1. Wild Bill Hickok PRCA Rodeo (July 28-31, 2026)
2. Wild Bill Hickok Cowboy Boot, Central Kansas Free Fair Grounds, Pine Street in Eisenhower Park
3. Wild Bill Hickok Mural, 201 N. Buckeye Ave.
4. Original Site of the Alamo Saloon, where Hickok exchanged gunfire with Texas gambler Phil Coe, 101 N. Cedar St.
5. Wild Bill Hickok Replica Gun and Bronze Bust, Dickinson County Heritage Center, 412 S. Campbell St.
6. Wild Bill Hickok on the World's Largest Belt Buckle, Eisenhower Park, 400 N. Pine St.
7. The Hickok Spirits + Eats, 311 N. Spruce St.