August 5, 1892 It’s a hot day in the central California town of Visalia. In spite of that, two lawmen are wearing heavy dusters as they undertake...
House Party Shoot-Out
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Inside History
What can you tell me about China Mary of Tombstone fame?
What can you tell me about China Mary of Tombstone fame? Bill Wilson Glade Spring, Virginia The first Chinese arrived in Arizona in the mid-1870s...
Western novels often use the term “drifter,” but did cowboys use it?
Western novels often use the term “drifter,” but did cowboys use it? O. J. Hurst Otis Orchards, Washington The term was quite common among cowhands,...
Serpents – Lethal Enemies?
“The first thing...should be to draw a cord tightly around the leg or arm...a short distance above the place bitten....Internally, give the patient...
Did cowboys accurately shoot revolvers from horseback?
Did cowboys accurately shoot revolvers from horseback? Harlan Krominga Rockford, Illinois Shooting a pistol from the back of a horse was common...
I’ve been reading Elmer Kelton’s The Day the Cowboys Quit. What does he mean by the word “tawline?”
I've been reading Elmer Kelton's The Day the Cowboys Quit. What does he mean by the word "tawline?" George Banks Jenks, Oklahoma A tawline was a...
Who was better at catching outlaws: the law officers or bounty hunters?
Who was better at catching outlaws: the law officers or bounty hunters? Ted Mulligan Massapequa, New York That’s pretty hard to say. Bounty hunters...
What can you tell me about Indians who fought in the Civil War?
What can you tell me about Indians who fought in the Civil War? William Boyd More Morristown, Tennessee Some 3,600 Indians reportedly served in the...
What did the wagon trains do for toilet paper during those long trips across the country?
What did the wagon trains do for toilet paper during those long trips across the country? Carl Spurrier Owensboro, Kentucky Travelers used grass or...
What were the standard supplies on a chuckwagon?
What were the standard supplies on a chuckwagon? Hugh Howard True West Maniac #9 Lawrenceville, Georgia The chuckwagon had sparse provisions....
I am follicly challenged (ala Telly Savalas). Were there any bald-headed folks of note in the Old West?
I am follicly challenged (ala Telly Savalas). Were there any bald-headed folks of note in the Old West? Joe Rios Adkins, Texas Since men covered...
Ketchum Goes Out Alone
August 16, 1899 Camped in a cave, two miles south of Folsom, New Mexico, Tom Ketchum waits until dark, then mounts up He leads a pack horse carrying...