In his book The Gunfighters, Dale T. Schoenberger states that Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson, Doc Holliday and Luke Short were known as the “Dodge City...
What was the “Dodge City Gang?”
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Ask The Marshall
Did Civil War veterans wear military surplus items?
Did Civil War veterans wear military surplus items? Jean Philippe Reynier Montpellier, France We know the veterans returning from the war...
Why did cowboys wear vests?
Why did cowboys wear vests? Dan Cherrington Roswell, Georgia Vests not only kept the torso warm, but they were also pretty handy. At that time,...
What do you know about the Bella Union Opera House in Tombstone, Arizona?
What do you know about the Bella Union Opera House in Tombstone, Arizona? Joe GallagherOntario, California I called Tombstone’s former official...
Who filled up the watering troughs for horses in frontier towns?
Who filled up the watering troughs for horses in frontier towns? Dave Freestone Kingman, Arizona Usually someone in the employment of the town,...
How prevalent was “pot” in the West?
A register at the territorial prison in Yuma, Arizona, mentions prisoners being caught with marijuana. How prevalent was the use of “pot” in the...
How did 19th-century government land grants to the railroads work?
How did 19th-century government land grants to the railroads work? Erica Moore Mesa, Arizona Congress passed the Pacific Railroad Act of 1862 to...
Why did Gene Autry carry a two-gun rig minus one holster?
Why did Gene Autry and other cowboy actors carry a two-gun rig minus one holster in their movies? Larry R. Snyder Shreveport, Louisiana Allen...
When did the practice of branding livestock begin in the U.S.?
When did the practice of branding livestock begin in the U.S.? Joseph Boudreau Tulsa, Oklahoma Branding of livestock dates back to the Egyptians...
What’s the difference between a marshal and a sheriff?
What’s the difference between a marshal and a sheriff? Mavis Starner Hanover, Pennsylvania Traditionally in the Old West, the sheriff was an elected...
Did early Westerns actually film at night or just close down the lens?
For night scenes in early Western films, did they actually film at night or just close down the lens? George Young Miami, Florida Our boss Bob Boze...
How did John Clum’s first wife die?
How did John Clum’s first wife die? In the movie Tombstone, Morgan Earp tells his brother Wyatt, “They hit Clum’s house too. They shot up his wife.”...