How did Tucson become such a lawless place before, during and after the Civil War? Brenda Jackson Mesa, Arizona When the federal army pulled out of...
How did Tucson become such a lawless place before, during and after the Civil War?
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Inside History
How successful were traveling salesmen in the Old West?
How successful were traveling salesmen in the Old West? Jack A. Graves Turlock, California Traveling drummers, salesmen or peddlers provided goods...
Why wasn’t James Earp a major player in the Tombstone troubles in the early 1880s?
Why wasn’t James Earp a major player in the Tombstone troubles in the early 1880s? David Jones Phoenix, Arizona James was severely wounded in his...
What do you know about the photo of Billy the Kid in the Caldwell, Kansas, museum?
I have seen a photo of Billy the Kid in a Caldwell, Kansas, museum. It shows him with other cowboys from a nearby ranch. What do you know about this...
Wham, Bam, Thank You Uncle Sam!
May 11, 1889 Riding in a dougherty (canopied ambulance), U.S. Army Paymaster Maj. Joseph Washington Wham (rhymes with bomb) is on his way to pay...
A View of Vasquez
If you’d visited San Francisco back in 1967, you might have found a 14-year-old kid doing something a bit unusual for a teenager. He spent time in...
Dust, Death and Disability
Dust storms undoubtedly inspired heroic resolve in some pioneers committed to the land, while causing madness, disease and disability in those less...
Why are smaller wheels on the front of stagecoaches and wagons?
Why are smaller wheels on the front of stagecoaches and wagons? Charles Baker Lake Panasoffkee, Florida The front wheels were smaller on both wagons...
Are the wooden hitching posts in frontier towns pure Hollywood?
Are the wooden hitching posts in frontier towns pure Hollywood? Barry Waldbaum Centereach, New York Since nearly everyone traveled either on...
How common were stagecoach robberies in the Old West?
How common were stagecoach robberies in the Old West? Katrina Devereaux Mesa, Arizona In Arizona alone, 129 stage robberies took place between 1875...
Did jail cells in Westerns always have a window to an alley?
Jail cells in Westerns always have a window to an alley where pals of the prisoner can toss notes or guns through. How accurate is that? Jim...
Did Old West folks wear sunglasses?
Did Old West folks wear sunglasses to protect their eyes from the sun? David Fuller Storrs, Connecticut Not usually, sunglasses weren’t readily...