The Bald Knobbers were a pro-Union vigilante group that emerged in the southwest region of Missouri in the 1880s. The area had been virtually...
The Bald Knobbers
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Articles
What History Has Taught Me: Cheryl Rogers Barnett
After her mother died shortly after giving birth to Roy “Dusty” Jr., Cheryl found a mom in actress Dale Evans and became the second oldest of nine...
The Steadfast Seminole
The Indian Removal Act of 1830 led to the forced relocation of thousands of Indians from their native areas to reservations, primarily in what’s now...
The Archer Gang
There were an estimated 16 members of Indiana’s Archer Gang—almost all blood kin. And they made their mark in the 1880s in the southwest part of...
Iron Ladies of the American Railroad
The first trip I took by train was an hour-long journey from my hometown in Norborne, Missouri, to Walt Disney’s hometown in Marceline, Missouri. I...
Western Events for August 2017
Western roundup of events where you can experience the Old West! ADVENTURE Heber Valley Fly Fishing Festival Midway, UT, August 8-11: Experts and...
A Western Tale of Intrigue
In Thomas D. Claggett’s latest novel, West of Penance (Five Star, $16.80), Parisian gambler Clement Grantaire is accused of cheating. After killing...
Armchair Gun Show
How would you like to go to a gun show with me without getting out of your comfortable seat? In recent months, there have been some colorful and...
Lawrence Murphy and the Lincoln County War
Lawrence Murphy’s name is synonymous with New Mexico’s Lincoln County War. He began his business there in 1869, monopolizing mercantile goods and...
“Big Ed” Burns
“Big Ed” Burns was a con man of the first order, roaming the Midwest and West from the 1860s until around 1920. In 1877, he was head of a bunco gang...
Queen of the Kansas Cowtowns
Dwight Eisenhower enjoyed sitting on his porch listening to old men tell stories about a famous town marshal they knew named Wild Bill Hickok. As a...
A ‘Gem’ of a Saloon
Al Swearengen—yes, the real one, on whom the TV character was based—built the Gem Saloon in Deadwood in 1877. It was the most prominent...