Kurt Russell made a big impression on Western fans with his portrayal of Wyatt Earp in 1993’s “Tombstone.” There are family connections to the Earp...
The Russells And Earps Actors Bing and Kurt Russell and Tombstone
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True West Blog
A Long Walk Arizona in those days was separated from ‘God’s Country’ by a space of 1,500 miles, without a railroad…
In those halcyon days before the coming of the railroads especially to remote areas like Arizona, which didn’t have a railroad until the early...
A Bit Too Real An actress needed motivation for “Gunfight at the OK Corral.”
Let’s face it. The 1957 Western “Gunfight at the OK Corral” was not the most historically accurate film in history. But some of the actors went to...
Not A Hack Job Kirk Douglas really prepared for playing Doc Holliday.
One of the late Kirk Douglas’ most memorable roles was as Doc Holliday in 1957’s “Gunfight at the OK Corral.” The actor spent a lot of time...
Cavalry Headgear We’re all familiar with those cavalry uniforms worn in the western movies. The troopers weren’t issued yellow bandanas and the hats would change over the years...
In 1855 the Dragoons became Cavalry and the Hardee Hat was issue. They were black felt with a 6 1/4" brim. The issue hats kept that style until...
Bat Masterson: Hero Or Rogue? Like all those western figures Bat Masterson was a product of his times and should be judged by the times in which he lived...
Like all those western figures Bat Masterson was a product of his times and should be judged by the times in which he lived. Like the Earp brothers,...
Cross Talk A bad translator may have led to a massacre.
Auguste Lucien was a bad choice as translator when U.S. troops confronted Sioux leaders in August 1854. He was drunk, didn’t speak Sioux languages...
Reaping What He Sowed A green army officer got the fight he wanted—and more.
Lt. John Lawrence Grattan was spoiling for a fight when he and 29 men approached a camp of Brule and Oglala near Fort Laramie on August 19, 1854. A...
Western Saddles The western style saddle goes back to the Crusades and earlier...
The biggest difference between the western saddle and eastern is the horn. The saddle horn was essential for roping open range cattle during roundup...
A Leader Of His People Spotted Tail led the Sioux by example.
Spotted Tail was a Brule chief in Wyoming Territory. He was involved in the Grattan Massacre, in which 29 soldiers were killed. Spotted Tail then...
Tornadoes In The Old West Before days of weather forecasting, there are accounts of tornadoes destroying settlements, wagon trains and Indian villages in the Old West same as today...
Before days of weather forecasting, there are accounts of tornadoes destroying settlements, wagon trains and Indian villages in the Old West same as...
Frontier Army Rifles Despite the popularity of the breech-loading Sharps rifles, there was a great need for a repeating rifle...
Despite the popularity of the breech-loading Sharps rifles, there was a great need for a repeating rifle. During the Civil War, teenager,...