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Buffalo Bill's family reunites near cowboy legend's birthplace

The Cody Family Reunion will last the entire weekend — with a ride on the Celebration Belle and even a private motorcade to the Cody Homestead.

LE CLAIRE, Iowa — Descendants of the great American showman "Buffalo Bill Cody" have flocked to the small town of LeClaire, Iowa to meet and greet with fellow relatives of the Western superstar for their bi-annual family reunion. 

The celebration for this year started on Thursday and will last through Sunday. The Cody Family's itinerary is full of fun-packed days, including a ride on the Celebration Belle and a tour of the John Deere Pavilion in Moline. 

Buffalo Bill was born William L. Cody in rural LeClaire in the Iowa Territory on Feb. 26, 1846. He became one of America's first superstars, producing Western-themed "Cowboy and Indian" shows and taking them on tour around the United States.

William "Kevin" Cody, the great-great-grandson of Buffalo Bill, admitted he wasn't really into his ancestry until he got into his 30s. 

"I know he was a fascinating character," he said. "And even today, 176 years after he was born, people are still talking about him." 

Kevin grew up in Cody, Wyoming, the town his great-great-grandfather founded in 1896. There, he was surrounded by all-things Cody. 

In 1925, just a few years after Buffalo Bill's death, his family members created the International Cody Family Association. It's this organization that hosts the family reunion every two years. 

While only 36 Cody Family members were able to attend this event, there are many, many more descendants out there. 

"I'm going to say, probably, about 3,000 people in our genealogy book," Kevin said. 

RELATED: 1 year later: Here's a look at how many tickets were issued by LeClaire's speed cameras so far

To honor his ties to LeClaire and Iowa, a privately-run museum called the "Buffalo Bill Museum" was established in 1957. In 1971, the collection moved to its present location and has expanded a couple of times since its opening.

You can learn more about the Buffalo Bill Museum and his birthplace by watching the video below: 

   

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