Virgil Earp’s entry into law enforcement was unexpected. It was in Prescott, Arizona Territory on October 16, 1877; he was talking with two local...
A Law Career Begins
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Articles
Billy the Kid and Jesse Evans
The question comes up: Did Jesse Evans and Billy the Kid ever have it out? They didn’t really “have it out” but they rode together briefly and...
Best of the West 2019: Firearms
Throughout the year, our Firearms Editor Phil Spangenberger brings you the latest and most interesting firearm stories and news about Old West gun...
Raiding the Wild Bunch
L.G. Davis was the sheriff of Carbon County, WY. The Wild Bunch had been on a crime spree in the region but other lawmen refused to go raid their...
What was Drug Use Like in the Old West?
What was drug use like in the Old West? Shane King-Furgala Irvine, California Drugs were pretty common and were legal—whether for killing pain or...
A Long and Twisted Trail
When you tug at the threads of history you will find it connected to some pretty disparate events. For example: If the United States government had...
The Blindness of Wild Bill
In the last years of his life, Wild Bill Hickok had eye problems. His eyesight was fading, he was sensitive to light, and there was irritation and...
Dead On Arrival
In the opening sequence of the classic Western One Upon A Time In The West there are three gunmen who show up at the train station. “Stony” (Woody...
What Books on Frontier Horses Would You Recommend?
What books on frontier horses would you recommend? Koen Kop Berlin, Germany I highly recommend books by Will James, including Smoky, Lone Cowboy,...
Ziegfield and Buffalo Bill
The other day a True West reader mentioned that he’d read a story concerning claiming Buffalo Bill, hired a young trick shooter named Flo Ziegfield,...
Reel or Real Frontier Fare
If you’re reading this then you’ve likely seen a Western. So, does the food on the big screen compare to the real West? Let’s digest some food...
The Real Buffalo Hump
Most are familiar with Buffalo Hump in Larry McMurtry’s Lonesome Dove. He was a fictional character but there really was a Buffalo Hump. His name...