Geographically, Arizona was an ideal place for sheep ranching. The flocks could be wintered in the balmy deserts then driven up sheep trails to...
Lost Sheep
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Jack Swilling’s Arizona Adventures: Part I
Jack Swilling is a name that goes almost unrecognized by Arizonans today. Much of what is known about him comes from tall tales, lies and...
A Cochise-led Apache Ambush
It was July 15, 1862, and Union Captain Thomas Roberts led a column of volunteers into Apache Pass in southeast Arizona. They were headed to New...
Marshal Tom “Bear River” Preferred Fists to Guns
Abilene, Kansas Marshal Tom “Bear River” Smith gained a reputation for using fists instead of guns. According to one story, he earned that rep....
Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Ladies
Gambling was a favorite pastime in frontier towns and among the most skillful and prosperous were a few free-spirited women. They included Prairie...
No One Steals from Barton’s Joint
Jerry Barton was associated with the Cow-boy faction in southeast Arizona. He ran a bar in the town of Charleston—a Cow-boy hangout. And he wasn’t...
Tom Bullocks Railroad
Tom Bullock was a gregarious, smooth-talking promoter. He'd been a bartender Prescott's Whiskey Row before heading to New York where he made a...
Bud Ballew: Lawman Gone Bad
Bud Ballew was a lawman around Ardmore, Oklahoma after the turn of the century. He had a string of killings to his credit and the reputation of a...
The Sage of Salome
Since its earliest days Arizona has attracted an array of colorful characters. They arrived from all over the globe and ran the wide gamut of...
Pancho Villa Pt. III: The Fall of Pancho Villa
At one time Pancho Villa got an American film company from Hollywood to make a war movie from one of his battles. He even offered to attack at a...
Stuart’s Stranglers
Stuart’s Stranglers had a brief but deadly life in 1884. Civic and political leader Granville Stuart formed the group after several of his cattle...
Osceola’s Imprisonment
Osceola is probably the best known leader of the Seminoles. He was not born a chief in 1804 (his father was an Englishman). But his natural...