On September 3, 1875—the day six men were hanged in Fort Smith, Arkansas—Isaac Parker earned his nickname, “Hanging Judge.” Parker had not been on...
The “Hang ’em High” Judge
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Mark Boardman
Wild Bill and the Englishman
Any Old West history enthusiast who fancies learning about famed gunfighter James Butler “Wild Bill” Hickok must have heard of Joseph G. Rosa....
Drew Barrymore’s Tie to the Old West
Actress Drew Barrymore’s great grandfather has an Old West tie. Maurice Barrymore led a theater troupe into Marshall, TX in 1879. He and two...
Doc Holliday, the True Story
One of the Doc Holliday legends is that he killed some blacks who were swimming in a family pond in Georgia. The truth, according to Doc’s cousin...
Bat Masterson’s Cane
So did Bat Masterson really carry a cane, like he did in the TV series starring Gene Barry? One legend says he needed one after an 1876 Texas...
Descended from Gunmen
The 2004 meeting of the Western Outlaw-Lawman History Association (WOLA) was gathered in Utah and listening to two historians. Not just any...
A Bank Robbery Gone Wrong
Henry Brown—a veteran of the Lincoln County War and a lawman in Caldwell, KS—was in financial trouble. He’d gotten married to a local girl, bought...
A Bank Robbery Gone Wrong
Henry Brown—a veteran of the Lincoln County War and a lawman in Caldwell, KS—was in financial trouble. He’d gotten married to a local girl, bought...
Western Conquest
Stephen W. Kearny played a big role in the conquest and settlement of the West. The career military officer captured New Mexico and established a...
The Words of an Outlaw
Gunman John Wesley Hardin penned his autobiography, which came out in 1896, a year after he died. But there were problems--beyond Hardin’s bad...
Only One Shot to Make
Deputy US Marshal Frank Canton hated Bee Dunn, and vice versa. Dunn had pulled some shady deals; Canton wanted to nail him but had failed. Bee...
Lawman George Scarborough Meets The Wild Bunch
George Scarborough was a tough and deadly lawman—until he ran into members of the Wild Bunch. He and a compatriot were trailing rustlers in...