Starting in the early 1880s, “dude ranches” began populating the American West, providing tourists nostalgic for a more rural, simple life with a chance to experience the “Wild West” (but with all the comforts of modern civilization). These ranches only existed due to the extrication of Indigenous people from the land that they occupied. This poster shows a “rodeo parade” in Montana, presented as one of the attractions visible along the routes served by the Northern Pacific Railway. The image features an elaborately dressed Native figure leading the procession in his role as an authentic symbol of frontier life. Unlike the other figures, he does not smile; he may be the focus of the design but he is the least powerful person in it. Performances like these were very popular, and evoked the pageantry of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West shows without providing any additional support for Native populations.