I live and work in Tombstone. I was asked by a visitor, ”What is the cultural significance of the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral—other than everyone...
The O.K. Corral, 40-Rod Whiskey and Geronimo
read more
Ask the Marshall
Bison, Brushy Bill and Barroom Brawls
How athletic is the American buffalo? R. Wayne Bramble (Walhalla, North Dakota) Bison are amazing animals. Despite weighing as much as a ton, the...
Rattlesnakes, Renegades and UFOs
Were Wayne Brazel—involved in the killing of Pat Garrett—and Mac Brazel—involved in the 1947 Roswell UFO incident—related? True West Maniac...
Frontier Privies and Cowboy Cooks
Marshall Trimble is Arizona’s official historian and vice president of the Wild West History Association. His latest book is Arizona Oddities: Land...
The Trails and Tales of the Old West Go on Forever
What event marked the end of the Old West? Daniel Proctor (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) That’s hard to say precisely because the Old West covered...
The Baron, the Cow-boys and the Trail Boss
I’ve read more than one article (including items from your books) about James Addison Reavis, the so-called “Baron of Arizona.” Which side did he...
Fighting Earps, Rattlesnakes and the Birds and the Bees
Did any of the “Fighting Earps” have children? Warren Rutherford (Phoenix, Arizona) Nicholas Earp and his first wife, Abigail Storm, had two...
Freedom, Independence and Madness
In many photos of Buffalo Bill, his hats are turned up on the right side. Do you know the reason why so many Old West characters did this? Allen...
Ask the Marshall – Bat Masterson: Armed and Dangerous
How many of Bat Masterson’s Colt SAA revolvers are known to exist, and how many did he own over the years? I have read that he possibly owned seven...
Frontier Hygiene and Pancho Villa’s Missing Head
What was frontier life like in the 1880s? Rena Miller Titusville, Florida What you see in Westerns is a sanitized version of life in the 19th...
Motorized Posses, Deadly Dry-gulchers And Indian Tobacco
Who was the first sheriff to pursue outlaws in a motorized vehicle? Why’d the women of the Donner Party fare better than the men? And more!
Wyatt’s Stallion, the Apache Kid and the Code of the West
What became of Wyatt Earp’s horse, Dick Naylor? When did the first autos appear in the Wild West towns? There is a U.S. National Forest map “The Apache Kid Wilderness” that shows the Apache Kid’s gravesite. Is that accurate? And more.