William Groneman III, born and raised in New York City as a member of the Baby Boomer generation, grew up on a steady diet of Western television...
Building Your Western Library with William Groneman III
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Articles
Did Old West Gunmen Wear Armor?
Did Old West gunmen wear armor? Jeff Mock — Sandy, Utah. Two men come to mind. “Killin’” Jim Miller wore an iron plate sewn inside his black frock...
The Serendipitous Birth of Blue Jeans
Just after the Civil War, merchant Levi Strauss had an overstock of canvas and didn’t know exactly what to do with the material. He hit upon the...
The Old West in the Ozarks
A book told in first person often allows for the most colorful vehicle in storytelling. Picketwire Vaquero by James D. Crownover (Five Star, $25.95)...
From Blood Brother to Broken Arrow
Tom Jeffords leans on the bar of a saloon in Mesilla, New Mexico Territory, whiskey in one hand and a woman on the other. Will Harden (modeled after...
The True Roots History of the Kansas Jayhawks
In 1859 the Jayhawks stood for the fighting spirit associated with efforts to keep Kansas a free state. Today they stand tall on the basketball...
Restaurateur Ike Clanton
Some people may be shocked to learn that Joseph Isaac “Ike” Clanton, who earned notoriety as an anti-Earp man in the 1881 O.K. Corral gunfight,...
Chunk Colbert’s Deadly Grudge
Chunk Colbert tried to take on the wrong man in Clay Allison. On January 7, 1874 the two men sat down for a friendly meal at the Clifton House in...
Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Ladies
Gambling was a favorite pastime in frontier towns and among the most skillful and prosperous were a few free-spirited women. They included Prairie...
What Are Needle Guns?
What are needle guns? Bob Fuller — Vermillion, South Dakota. A European invention, the needle gun got a lot of use (and publicity) during the...
Californios’ Legal Hero
Benjamin Hayes was neither an Argonaut nor an adventurer. Born in Baltimore, Maryland, of Irish ancestry, the lean, bookish 35 year old moved to...
No One Steals from Barton’s Joint
Jerry Barton was associated with the Cow-boy faction in southeast Arizona. He ran a bar in the town of Charleston—a Cow-boy hangout. And he wasn’t...