In September 1897, Jefferson Randolph Smith arrived in Skagway, Alaska, to make his fortune. Most people headed north to strike it rich in the gold...
Soapy Smith’s Legacy
read more
Articles
A Rustler’s Roughouts
In rock ’n’ roll’s first across-the-charts hit, written on a paper bag in 1955 by Carl Perkins, the singer admonishes his dance partner not to step...
How the West Was Won
"We sincerely believe that all who see How the West Was Won, will agree that, the motion picture medium has attained its highest level of artistic...
Killed in the Line of Duty
Ezekiel Proctor was a Cherokee and proud of it. “Zeke” had walked the Trail of Tears from Georgia to the Indian Territory when he was a...
What is the origin of the name Haunted Canyon in Arizona?
What is the origin of the name Haunted Canyon in Arizona? Mike WalbornTempe, Arizona I call it one of those obvious place names: Haunted Canyon,...
How many cavalry troops served during the Indian Wars?
How many cavalry troops served during the Indian Wars? James RowleyLaingsburg, Michigan The Indian Wars boasted 10 cavalry regiments, with each...
What’s the origin of the phrase “hell bent for leather?”
What’s the origin of the phrase “hell bent for leather?” Ted Holland Cornelius, North Carolina “Hell bent for leather” is a term that refers...
How do you regard the frontier government’s policy on Indians?
How do you regard the frontier government’s policy on Indians? Paul HughesVacaville, California A lot of mistakes were made regarding the Indians....
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
North Dakota is nicknamed the Roughrider State after Theodore Roosevelt’s 1st U.S. Volunteer Cavalry. TR (folks didn’t call him Teddy to his face)...
Were members of a posse reimbursed for their time and expenses, or was their service voluntary?
Were members of a posse reimbursed for their time and expenses, or was their service voluntary? Mundo OstermanPeoria, Arizona Payment depended on...
Grand Canyon National Park
Arizona has more loops than a calf roper’s convention, and one of my favorites is the Grand Canyon Loop. If you don’t like the scenery in one place,...
Blast from the Past Road Trips
In the past 60 years, True West has consistently provoked one’s urge to hit the road and see where history happened. From Tombstone to Dodge City,...