Influenced by the radio and TV Western heroes of his youth—like the Lone Ranger, Gene Autry, Hopalong Cassidy and Gunsmoke’s Matt Dillon, author...
Building Your Western Library with Orin Vaughn
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Articles
What Was the Most Popular Weapon After the Civil War?
What was the most popular weapon after the Civil War? Wes Shinn Saratoga Springs, New York After the Civil War, the most popular weapons were those...
The Absolute Best Historically Accurate Westerns
To put it mildly, we at True West have been overjoyed—nay, overwhelmed—by our readers’ responses to the deceptively simple question: Which is the...
A Ghost for the Ages
If the old adage that one picture is worth a thousand words is true, then Nicolas Clapp’s Bodie: Good Times & Bad with photography by Will...
Texas’s Loyal Unionist
John Dix was born to fight battles, taking his first breath on February 2, 1796. His minuteman father had fought in the first battle, at the North...
Jerome – “A City on the Move”
I have many fond memories of Jerome as my home town, Ash Fork was, as the crow flies, just over the hill. I played high school sports against Jerome...
What History Has Taught Me: Max Allan Collins
In the photo above, Max Allan Collins sits at right next to his writing partner, the late Mickey Spillane, for the Kensington series of Caleb York...
Mrose vs Ford
Martin Mrose is best known for being a romantic rival of John Wesley Hardin—and of being killed in El Paso in 1895. But a decade earlier, Mrose had...
Western Events for February 2018
Western roundup of events where you can experience the Old West this February. Adventure Valentine Dinner Train Chattanooga, TN, February 2-14...
Who Succeeded “Wild Bill” Hickok as Marshal of Abilene, Kansas?
Who succeeded “Wild Bill” Hickok as marshal of Abilene, Kansas? Kerry Bulls Winlock, Washington James Gauthie put on the badge, on December 13,...
An Enduring Everyman Hero
One of my favorite photographs of rock ’n’ roll frontman Tom Petty was taken on March 10, 1977, by Michael Putland. The singer, clad in a striped...
Sandy Huntington
George Ruffner was Yavapai County’s perennial sheriff. He was a top notch peace officer and an expert tracker; it was said he could track “bees in a...