In the book Roughing It, Mark Twain refers to gunfighters as “long-tailed heroes.” What does that mean? Paul Gortarez Phoenix, Arizona Twain was...
What are “long-tailed heroes”?
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Ask the Marshall
Did Billy the Kid Serve as an Interpreter for Irish Immigrants?
Did Billy the Kid serve as an interpreter for Irish immigrants? Marcil d’Hirson Garron Newhall, California Being of Irish ancestry on both sides of...
Ask the Marshall
Did the Cowboys or the Pioneers use Snowshoes in Tough Winters?
Were Davy Crockett and his men Captured and Executed in Mexico City?
The March 2019 Alamo issue of True West brought to mind a documentary I saw a few years ago that claimed Davy Crockett and some of his men were...
Did Old West Lawmen Carry their own Weapons?
Did Old West lawmen carry their own weapons? Capt. Gary Lavorgna Newfane, Vermont Most peace officers were responsible for providing their own...
Did Doc Holliday “Open the Ball” Behind the O.K. Corral?
Many historians have claimed the actions of Doc Holliday “opened the ball” at the storied gunfight in Tombstone on October 26, 1881. Let me share...
Natural Disasters in Ancient Times
There were tornadoes, range fires, floods and earthquakes in the ancient times same as today. The Natives didn’t have written languages and their...
What are the Origins of the Code of the West?
What are the origins of the Code of the West? Ronnie Bishop Tulsa, Oklahoma The “Code of the West” was born with the silver screen cowboys. It was...
Prehistoric Americans and Science
Recently I was asked why prehistoric peoples, those who were here before the arrival of the Europeans, weren’t more accomplished in the field of...
After the Battle for the Alamo, Did Any of the Wives or Children of Crockett, Bowie or Travis Visit the Site?
After the battle for the Alamo, did any of the wives or children of Crockett, Bowie or Travis visit the site? Dave Knapp Wilmington, North Carolina...
Bringing Law and Order
The other day a friend asked me if I thought the Earp’s were pivotal figures in settling the west or the towns they policed. My first response was,...
Outhouses In Hotels
Did all western hotels have outhouses and pots under the bed or did any have some kind of indoor accommodations other than the chamber pot? How many...