Are the wooden hitching posts in frontier towns pure Hollywood? Barry Waldbaum Centereach, New York Since nearly everyone traveled either on...
Are the wooden hitching posts in frontier towns pure Hollywood?
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Ask The Marshall
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...
Did 19th-century U.S. soldiers carry military ID cards?
Did 19th-century U.S. soldiers carry military ID cards, or their equivalent, as all military personnel do now? James Rowley Laingsburg, Michigan ID...
What are the odds that an Old West cowboy would get into a gunfight?
What are the odds that an Old West cowboy would get into a gunfight? Mike Franklin Poteet, Texas Not high. Cowboys mostly spent their time “keeping...
What does “kack” refer to?
What does “kack” refer to? Stan Hutchison Sturgis, South Dakota Cowboy linguist Ramon Adams said it was slang for a saddle. It’s also spelled kak....
Who is the namesake of Allen Street in Tombstone, Arizona?
Who is the namesake of Allen Street in Tombstone, Arizona? Erica Moore Mesa, Arizona John B. Allen is considered one of the founders of Tombstone....
Did most Old West saloons have swinging doors?
Did most Old West saloons have swinging doors? Anthony Clum Quincy, Florida Many, perhaps most, Old West saloons did not have swinging doors....
Were the Yaqui Indians the most fearsome warrior tribe?
Were the Yaqui Indians the most fearsome warrior tribe? Ted Mulligan Massapequa, New York Maybe not the most fearsome, as the Comanche, Lakota,...
Were Hickok’s 1851 Navy Colts plated?
As the historical interpreter for the Buckhorn Saloon & Museum in San Antonio, I portray Wild Bill Hickok for the visitors. Were his 1851 Navy...
What can you tell me about the eight-gauge shotgun in Streets of Laredo?
I recently read Larry McMurtry’s Streets of Laredo, which frequently mentions an eight-gauge shotgun. What can you tell me about that weapon? Jeff...