Colorado Native Performs Historically Accurate Show at Free Family Event
She performed before Queen Victoria during her career as a globe-trotting sharpshooter.
And at a time when few women competed or performed, she outshot men in marksmanship competitions and headlined in one of the best-known traveling shows of her day.
She passed into legend in 1926, but Annie Oakley's legacy lives on in the portrayals of Colorado native Barb Melfi, who will re-enact the life and performances of the famous sharpshooter during Refuge Roundup 2009 on Oct. 17. This free family event will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge in Commerce City.
"She came from a life that was very difficult, yet she became, rightly, the most famous woman of the Old West," Melfi said. "She was so ahead of her time."
Widely considered the first female American superstar, Oakley performed in 12 countries and 41 states and reportedly shot the ashes off a cigarette held by the Prince of Prussia. She was best known for appearing with Buffalo Bill in his traveling show, "The Wild West Show," along with cowboys, Native Americans and others. Her demonstrations of her sharpshooting skills, such as splitting the edge of a playing card at six paces, earned her the nickname "Little Sure Shot of the Wild West."
Oakley's prowess and unique life story attracted Melfi's interest from the time she was a child. For her performances, Melfi delved into old photographs to learn which shots Oakley used and consulted different accounts to separate the truth from the fiction of Oakley's life. She was able to find most of what she needed in her large collection of books about Annie Oakley, Buffalo Bill and "The Wild West."
Her interest in the Old West could be called a family affair. Melfi's great-grandfather built many of the military forts across the Great Plains states, and her grandfather was a saddle maker. During family trips and visits to ranches, she learned to shoot and ride.
And like Annie Oakley, she sews her own costumes.
There is a difference between the two women, however. Although both appeared with Buffalo Bill, Melfi married her stage partner.
"My friends told me I'd never find anyone who was as interested in the West as I was," she recalls. "But I did."
Annie Oakley and Buffalo Bill will perform at 9:30 and 11 a.m. and again at 1:15 p.m. during Refuge Roundup 2009 on Oct. 17. The event will include cavalry soldier drills, dancing horses, bison tours and hayrides, musical and dance performances and more. The Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge is located at 56 th and Havana, just north of I-70. Contact the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at 303-289-0930 or visit www.fws.gov/rockymountainarsenal for more information.