In 1878 a young boy named Henry McCarty washed dishes in the kitchen at the Hotel de Luna on the edge of the Camp Grant military reservation near...
The Dish Washer
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Articles
Princess Wenona
While Annie Oakley is well known as the demure darling of the lady sharpshooters of the Wild West shows of old, only the more ardent Western...
Arizona Cattle Company and the A1 Brand
The arrival of Mormon colonists from Utah in 1876 heralded the first permanent Anglo-American settlements in northern Arizona. Even though cattle...
Was Ike Clanton the Coward That Movies Make Him Out To Be?
Was Ike Clanton the coward that movies make him out to be? Rocky Strong — Sherman, Texas Pretty much. Ike Clanton gave an empty threat to kill the...
The Rise of the Cow-Boys
The cowboys’ genesis lay in the savvy and the six-shooters of John Kinney, one of the most notorious outlaws of the Southwest. Kinney was a New...
Utah Sovereignty
Antebellum America saw continuous political conflict over the expansion of slavery into new Territories. Popular sovereignty—allowing Territories...
What Were Frontier Livery Stables Like?
What were frontier livery stables like? David Jones — Phoenix, Arizona. A livery stable was a place where pioneers could hire horses, teams,...
Colt vs. Schofield
Arms enthusiasts often ask which government-issue .45 revolver was the best during the Indian campaigns of the late 19th century—the 1873 Colt or...
The Many Faces of the Late Sam Shepard
The late playwright Sam Shepard is well known to Western fans for the laconic cowboy figures he played on the big screen. Frank James in The...
Western Legend
Following the 16th-century Spanish entrada into the future states of Texas, New Mexico and Arizona, centuries of war and uneasy peace defined life...
Monsoon Madness
This is the time of year when we Zonies get more than a little crazy from the heat. We’ve had it up to here with the 24/7 oven blasts and we’re all...
The Chiricahua Cattle Company
One of the most revered names in the history of the cattle industry in Arizona is the Chiricahua Cattle Company or, as it was known by its brand,...