Tom Horn’s role in the Spanish-American War is uncovered. Tom Horn was—is—a legend of the Old West. His exploits are unique in their variety:...
Packing It In
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old west
A Photographic Memory, or Two
We have done a feature on the most important historical photos of the Old West (see January 2018) and we have done the most iconic photos, so this...
Marion Hedgepath the Debonair Bandit
Someone asked me the other day why Marion Hedgepath isn’t a better-known outlaw. I have at least a dozen outlaw encyclopedias and he isn’t listed in...
The Angel of the Cassiars
Nellie Cashman came to the rescue of stranded miners. Nellie Cashman was one of the great figures in the Old West, an entrepreneur who was famed for...
Denziens of the Wild
In the past, most western movies romanticize sleeping under the stars and the wide, open spaces. How much trouble did they have with all of the...
A Gunfight?
A Doc Holliday shootout was just a lot of smoke. Most Old West gunfights were casual, almost comical affairs. Case in point: a saloon in Dallas on...
How Common was the Cross Draw?
The cross draw was popular among cowboys of the Old West so their pistols wouldn’t get in the way of their work around the ranch. It was also easier...
Shot or Sprained?
What kind of injury did Bill Tilghman suffer during a famous raid? There are a lot of Old West stories that may or may not be true. One of...
An In-Depth Look at the Telegraph System in the Old West
A True West Reader asks, “How did the telegraph system work in the Old West? I read things such as Wyatt Earp in Tombstone sending a telegraph to...
Saloons, Paniolos and Telegraphs
Was there racial separation in the Old West? Could a Black cowboy go into a Tombstone saloon? Jeffery S. King Washington, DC It’s difficult, if...
Sheriff’s Duties: Other Than Keeping the Peace
As a rule peace officers in the Old West weren’t held to the high standards they are today. It wasn’t unusual to rough up a suspect in order to get...
Tom Fitch
Tom Fitch (photo) is best known as one of the great lawyers of the Old West. He successfully defended the Earps and Doc Holliday at the OK Corral...