• San Francisco in 1854
Old Joe the Buffalo

Old Joe the Buffalo

Soon after the Chicago Corral was organized in 1944, the famous buffalo skull drawing by Charles M. Russell, the well-known Western artist, was adopted as the trademark of The Westerners. Later, Someone gave the Chicago Corral a real buffalo skull and a new tradition developed, one that has been adopted by many other Corrals and Posses. Meetings of the Chicago Corral are not officially open until two members uncover the bleached buffalo skull on the wall as members stand. With right hand in Napoleonic posture, they grin, and then say, “Hello Joe, you old buffalo!” As the meetings end, the rite is reversed with, “Adios Joe, you old buffalo!” Silly? Maybe. But fun.