John Clum is best known for his time in Tombstone as mayor and founding editor of The Tombstone Epitaph. But that period was also one of personal...
Wes Hardin’s Child Bride: One of the Old West’s Shortest Marriages
John Wesley Hardin was released on February 17th, 1894 after serving more than fifteen and a half years of a twenty-five year sentence behind bars....
The Earp Attorney
W.J. Hunsaker is best known for his connections to Wyatt Earp—helping to defend him against murder charges stemming from the OK Corral fight, and...
Never Give a Sucker an Even Break
Wilson Mizner is well known as a playwrite and storyteller. But he was a few other things before that. In 1897, he journeyed to the Klondike Gold...
Arizona Territory Born Into Trouble
In 1863, a bill passed the U.S. Senate officially organizing the Arizona Territory, and on February 24, President Abraham Lincoln signed it into...
Whatever Happened to Big Nose Kate?
After Mary Katherine Horony got drunk and falsely implicated Doc the Benson stage robbery on March 15th, 1881 things were pretty much over between...
Tucson, Tubac, Tumacacori, to Hell
In 1861, the U. S. Army was withdrawn from Arizona to fight in the Civil War that raged in the East. The military forts and supplies were burned...
An Inflated Reputation
Sul Ross is renowned in Texas history for his work as a Ranger, Confederate general, Indian fighter, president of what became Texas A&M, and...
The Mysterious Etta Place
The enigmatic Etta, (Ethel) Place is one of the Old West’s most enthralling mysteries. We know from her photo she was a beautiful, intelligent...
A Mixed Legacy
Peter Burnett was an important figure in the early history of Oregon and California. A lawyer, businessman, farmer and speculator, Burnett gained...
After the Long Drive is Done
Trail-driving movies always show the cowboys drawing their pay after reaching Abilene, Dodge City or Wichita and heading for the nearest barber shop...
Kin to the James Boys
Allen Parmer is best known as the brother-in-law of Jesse and Frank James—with some accusations that he also rode the outlaw trail with them. But...