One of the most one-sided gun battles in the West was the one-man stand by Elfego Baca at Frisco, New Mexico on October 28th, 1884. “I’ll show the...
The Legend of Elfego Baca
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Marshall Trimble
Belle Starr: The Bandit Queen
Sometimes an outlaw had to die before he or she gained fame. Myra Belle Shirley is a good example. She grew up in an affluent Southern family, was...
Knights in Dusty Leather
Despite the violent image of the West there were fewer fatalities in the entire history of a raucous cow town than in an average Hollywood...
Why Are Old West Figures Portrayed in Such Black-and-White Terms—Either They’re All Good or All Bad?
Why are Old West figures portrayed in such black-and-white terms—either they’re all good or all bad? W.W. Reed Chandler, Arizona Hollywood has given...
On Walker, Texas Ranger, Chuck Norris Had a Recurring Role, Told via Flashbacks, as 19th Century Texas Ranger Hayes Cooper. Did Such a Man Exist?
On Walker, Texas Ranger, Chuck Norris had a recurring role, told via flashbacks, as 19th century Texas Ranger Hayes Cooper. Did such a man exist?...
A Litany of Train Robberies
Credited with pulling the first peacetime train robbery in America goes to the four, relatively unknown, Reno brothers of Indiana, John, Frank,...
Western Films in Arizona
Theaters were a popular form of entertainment in early Arizona and the first moving pictures came to the towns in the 1890’s. They were shown...
The Lost Belle McKeever Mine
Arizona historian James McClintock called the Lost Belle McKeever, “the richest gold ledge ever discovered in North America.” It was named not for...
Burt Alvord, Biddy Doyle and the Bisbee Caper
Burt Alvord was a big strapping, swarthy-looking fellow with a bald pate and an IQ that was said to be considerably less than the size of his waist,...
Arizona Senator Henry F. Ashurst
Henry Fountain Ashurst was one of the first two Senators elected when Arizona became a state in 1912. The other was the irrepressible former...
Did Any Indian Tribes Break Treaties the Way the U.S. Government Did?
Did any Indian tribes break treaties the way the U.S. government did? Walter Reed Chandler, Arizona Yes. And the most warlike tribes were the most...
Did Augustine Chacon Kill 52 Men?
Did Augustine Chacon kill 52 men? Jonathan Smith Rodenberg, Lower Saxony, Germany The number of men Augustine Chacon killed is disputed, just as the...