Located on US-183 Alternate, four miles south of I-70 and directly across from Historic Fort Hays is a small buffalo herd. The Frontier Park buffalo herd was begun in 1953 with a bull named "Wild Bill" and a cow named Calamity Jane. The herd has grown to include the main bull, Max, and a harem of cows.
This area was the home to the largest herd of buffalo in North America, estimated at one time to be in the millions. The importance of the buffalo to the Native Americans of the area should not be overlooked. The Indians depended upon the buffalo for food, shelter, clothing and tools. They fought hard when millions of the animals were slaughtered as a result of the intrusion of the railroad and the white settlers.
The Hays Parks Department maintains the buffalo herd. Although the animals appear domesticated, it should be remembered they are still wild animals and quite capable of moving very quickly and causing harm to anyone in the pen area.