“My Darling Clementine” is considered by many as a classic Western. It’s also not what director John Ford planned. Producer/studio head Darryl F....
Zanuck’s Disputed Ending
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True West Blog
When Languages Collide: The Ten Gallon Hat
Many people incorrectly assume the term “ten gallon hat” refers to the amount of water that will fit in the crown of a big hat, but the term more...
Deforest Kelley
Actor DeForest Kelley is best known as Dr. “Bones” McCoy on Star Trek. But he also had a number of connections to Tombstone—at least on film. He...
Puffing, Chewing and Dippin’
American’s love for smoking began early in our history. Among the various types of tobacco were rope cable twist, Bull Durham in a sack, and plug...
William Becknell & The Opening of the Santa Fe Trail in 1822
The Mexican Revolution ended in 1821 and brought about many changes in foreign policy. Up to then Spain didn’t allow her colonies to trade with the...
The Country Jake
In 1876, Arizona cowboy Gus Gildea described seeing the young outlaw Henry McCarty near Henry Clay Hooker’s Sierra Bonita Ranch: “He came to town,...
The Unsinkable Molly Brown
She was born Margaret Tobin in Hannibal, Missouri, the daughter of Irish immigrants. A restless, strong-willed adventuresome lass, the pretty...
Magic Finds Tombstone
According to George Parsons’ journal the first circus (Ryland’s) landed in Tombstone on September 22, 1880. Parsons also reports going to see Prof...
George Shepherd Seeks Revenge
Jim Anderson was the brother of Confederate guerrilla leader “Bloody Bill” Anderson. After the Civil War, Jim took up with the James-Younger Gang....
The Notorious Sadie Marcus
A teenaged runaway, Sadie (real name Josephine) Marcus landed in Tombstone and “shacked up” with Cochise County Sheriff Johnny Behan. By 1881, that...
The Reckless Breed
A reckless breed known as mountain men left an indelible impact on western history. Reckless doesn’t accurately describe them. The reckless...
“Wyatt Earp Ruined My Life”
If you grew up in the 1950s, you probably thought Wyatt Earp was a bachelor during his violent stay in Tombstone. But, in the early sixties, two...