Dodge City, KS - Dodge City, Kansas Map & Directions - MapQuest {{::location.tagLine.value.text}} Sponsored Topics Dodge City is a city in, and the county seat of, Ford County, Kansas, United States. Named after nearby Fort Dodge, the city is famous in American culture for its history as a wild frontier town of the Old West. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 27,340. The first settlement of non-indigenous people in the area that became Dodge City was Fort Mann. Built by civilians in 1847, Fort Mann was intended to provide protection for travelers on the Santa Fe Trail. Fort Mann collapsed in 1848 after an Indian attack. In 1850, the U.S. Army arrived to provide protection in the region and constructed Fort Atkinson on the old Fort Mann site. The army abandoned Fort Atkinson in 1853. Military forces on the Santa Fe Trail were reestablished farther north and east at Fort Larned in 1859, but the area around what would become Dodge City remained vacant until after the Civil War.

In 1865, as the Indian Wars in the West began heating up, the army constructed Fort Dodge to assist Fort Larned in providing protection on the Santa Fe Trail. Fort Dodge remained in operation until 1882. The town of Dodge City can trace its origins to 1871 when rancher Henry J. Sitler built a sod house west of Fort Dodge to oversee his cattle operations in the region. Conveniently located near the Santa Fe Trail and Arkansas River, Sitler's house quickly became a stopping point for travelers. With the Santa Fe Railroad rapidly approaching from the east, others saw the commercial potential of the region. In 1872, just five miles (8 km) west of Fort Dodge, settlers platted out and founded the town of Dodge City. George M. Hoover established the first bar in a tent to service thirsty soldiers from Fort Dodge. The railroad arrived in September to find a town ready and waiting for business. The early settlers in Dodge City traded in buffalo bones and hides and provided a civilian community for Fort Dodge. However, with the arrival of the railroad, Dodge City soon became involved in the cattle trade.

Dodge City, KS Dodge City, KS Airport: Dodge City Regional Airport - Dodge City, KS 67801 Runway(s): 4,649 ft. & 6,899 ft. Dodge City is the county seat of Ford County, Kansas, United States, named after nearby Fort Dodge. The city is famous in American culture for its history as a wild frontier town of the Old West. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 27,340. Dodge City lies on the Arkansas River in the High Plains region of the Great Plains. Located at the intersection of U.S. Routes 50, 56, and 283 in Southwestern Kansas, Dodge City is 151 miles west of Wichita, 199 miles northeast of Amarillo, and 301 miles southeast of Denver. Severe weather, including tornadoes, is common in the area, especially in the spring months. Dodge City is often cited as the windiest city in the United States, which results in occasional blizzards in the winter, even when snow fall does not accumulate much.

On average, January is the coldest month, July is the hottest month, and June is the wettest month. The city's Parks and Recreation Department maintains 21 parks in the city. The largest is Wright Park, located immediately south of downtown and home to the Dodge City Zoo. There are two golf courses in the city, one public and one private. Two galleries support an arts community. Located in the original public library building, the Carnegie Center for the Arts provides gallery space to local artists and houses the Dodge City Arts Council. The second gallery, the Second Avenue Art Guild, exhibits the work of regional artists in ceramics, photography, and other media. The Depot Theater Company, based in the former Santa Fe Railroad Depot, puts on theatrical productions throughout the year. Each summer, the Dodge City Chamber of Commerce holds Dodge City Days, the city's annual community festival. Lasting ten days, it includes the Dodge City Roundup Rodeo, a parade, a beauty pageant, music concerts, a golf tournament, arts and craft shows, and other activities. Two other annual events reflect the central role of agriculture in the local economy. The Ford County Fair is held in July.

Also in July, the Western Kansas Manufacturers Association (WKMA) holds a 3i Show, an agri-business expo of agricultural products, technologies, and services. Located in and around the city are a number of historical sites, museums, and landmarks dedicated to Dodge City's Old West heritage. The Boot Hill Museum, located downtown, contains thousands of artifacts and a variety of exhibits portraying the culture of the city's early years. To capitalize on its heritage, the city promotes its downtown business district as historic Old Doge City complete with Western-themed tourist attractions, shops, and restaurants. Visitors can tour the district by trolley or by taking the Dodge City Trail of Fame walking tour. Excerpts taken from: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dodge_City,_Kansas July 2016. Lawmen of Dodge City, Kansas (KS), Cowboy Capital: Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson, Gunfighters, Old West sheriffs The Lawmen of Dodge City and Ford County, Kansas Original photograph of the 'Dodge City Peace Commission' in June 1883. Front, l-r; Chas. E. Bassett, Wyatt S. Earp, Frank McLain, and Neil Brown. Back, l-r; W.

H. Harris, Luke Short, W. B. Bat Masterson, and W. F. Petillon. This is the version with Petillon beside Masterson. All rights reserved. FCHS. Dodge City had the reputation as the toughest town and a hell on the frontier, but actually it was not that bad. From roughly 1875 until 1885, Dodge City was in the midst of a business boom thanks to the wagon road economy and the cattle industry. For a town that was the defacto capital of a wide area of southwest Kansas and the Oklahoma and Texas panhandles, it needed law and order. There were many people walking the streets of Dodge City with money in their pockets. Dodge City could not afford to be as violent and reckless as its reputation It therefore hired some of the most respected and courageous lawmen to ever holster a gun. Second version of the 'Dodge City Peace Commission' photograph. This version doesn't have W. F. Petillon in it -- he has been painted out. Courtesy: Kansas State Historical Society &#160On June 17, 1872, the first business ( George M.

Hoover's and John McDonald's) to locate on the site five-miles west of the Ft. Dodge military reservation opened as a bar in a tent. This was in response to the prohibition of liquor at Fort Dodge. Other businesses soon followed and the Town Company completed its formal organization as 'Buffalo City' on August 15, 1872. The name was changed to Dodge City in October as the US Post Office already had a Buffalo, KS. &#160Ford County was not yet organized and did not have a sheriff until June of 1873. Likewise, Dodge City was not incorporated until November 2, 1875. For the first year, there was no government or law enforcement. It was this period that much happened to help give Dodge it reputation as a very wild and dangerous place. Third version of 'Dodge City Peace Commission' photograph. On back row, far right, lawman William Tilghman's head has been placed on W.F. Petillon's body. All rights reserved, FCHS.

&#160The first recorded killing in Dodge City was in September 1872, when an African-American man named Black Jack was shot for no reason by a gambler known as Denver. Shortly after that, Jack Reynolds was killed by a railroad track layer. In that first year, approximately fifteen men were killed in Dodge City, all being buried up on historical Boot Hill. Eventually, Boot Hill were have some 30 graves, including one female, Alice Chambers. &#160By early 1873, the local merchants were concerned about the violence and hired Billy Brook as a private lawman, but when he proved ineffective, a vigilance committee was formed. They managed to rid the town of some of the worst offenders, but soon they became the main source of violence. For example, on March 13, Tom Sherman, who ran a saloon, chased a man out of his dance hall and shot him. He then walked over to the man, who was writhing in pain, and said, "I'd better shoot him again, hadn't I boys?" He aimed his revolver at the man's head and pulled the trigger point blank. William B.

'Bat' Masterson , Ford County Sheriff and Dodge City citizen. All rights reserved, FCHS. &#160The violence climaxed on June 3, 1873, when two committee members killed William Taylor, the servant of Col. Richard Dodge, commanding officer of Fort Dodge. Col. Dodge was so outraged that wired the Governor of Kansas, and got special permission to arrest the guilty. Troops entered the town the next day and arrested Bill Hicks who was later convicted. On June 5th, troops entered again and arrested five of the worst vigilantes, including Tom Sherman. That very day a sheriff, Charlie Bassett, was appointed. This appointed also resulted in two political factions being formed: those who wanted a wide-open town with gambling, saloons and prostitution, commonly know the The Gang, and those who wanted a town of law and order. Bassett was elected November 11, 1873 and reelected on November 5, 1875. William B. 'Bat' Masterson was elected sheriff on November 9, 1877, since the state constitution would not allow Bassett to run for a third term.

The dispute between lawmen Mysterious Dave Mather and Tom Nixon is an example of just how fine the line was between good and bad in early Dodge City. Both had been assistant marshals. Mather ambushed Nixon and shot him dead, claiming self-defense. Although witnesses said Nixon never drew, Mather was acquitted. Ham Bell, Ford County Sheriff, Dodge City Mayor, longest living Old West U.S. Marshal, 1939. Photograph taken on top of Boot Hill, Dodge City. Other early famous lawmen and the year(s) they were elected or served as Ford County Sheriff: George T. Hinkle, 1879 and 1881; P.F. Pat Sughrue, 1883 and 1885; Frederick Singer, (appointed) 1887 - 1888; Hamilton B. 'Ham' Bell , 1887 and 1889; Chalk M. Beeson, 1891 and 1893; then Ham Bell again in 1895 and 1897; Grant Hale, 1899 and 1900; J.M.

Miller, 1902 and 1904; then Ham Bell yet again, 1906 and 1908. (Dates from Ford County Register of Deeds.) Lawrence Deger, the first marshal of Dodge City, was appointed in December 1875, by P.L. Beatty, the first mayor of Dodge City. Other famous marshals and assistants included Ed Masterson, 1877-1878; Wyatt S. Earp , 1876-1879; James Masterson; and Bill Tilghman, 1884-1886. (© 2002, Ford County Historical Society, Inc. David Kloppenborg, author -- former curator, Boot Hill Museum, Dodge City.) Wild West City - Western Theme Park and Entertainment Center - Netcong, NJ About Wild West City In 1956 the American Foundation for the Preservation of the Old West purchased a sizable tract of land in Byram Township, New Jersey, just north of Netcong, and started construction of a replica western town.

An architect was commissioned to fly out to Dodge City, Kansas to dimension the actual layout of the town so it would be historically accurate. The site opened in the spring of 1957 and continued under the operation of Justus Nienaber until 1962. The town was leased unsuccessfully for a season and then closed until 1963. The Stabile, Rospond and Maitalasso families purchased the theme park in the fall of 1963 planning a short term real estate investment. Michael and Mary Stabile of Nutley, New Jersey were the operators of the park and eventually bought out their partners in 1966. Wild West City continued under the operation of Michael Stabile with his wife, Mary, and six children, Michael, Sharon, Edward, James, Carol and Mary, until his passing in 1993. The park was run by Mary Stabile until her passing in 2002. To date, the park continues to be operated by several members of the Stabile family. Wild West City stands as one of the last examples of post-war tourist culture in the Skylands region of New Jersey.

In the 1960's western towns emerged up and down the east coast. Carson City in Catskill, New York; Cimmaron City in Monticello, New York; Wild West Ranch in Lake George, New York; Cowboy City in Farmingdale, New Jersey; Ghost Town in Maggie Valley, North Carolina; Six Gun City in Jefferson, New Hampshire; Frontier Town in both North Hudson, New York and Ocean City, Maryland along with Wild West City were all popular tourist destinations. Wild West City, Six Gun City and Frontier Town in Ocean City, Maryland are the only operational western theme parks along the east coast today. Wild West City was rated by the American Cowboy Magazine as one of the top five “must see” western theme parks in the United States. Each season the town presents an exciting, action packed program similar to Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show. One can step back into time as the old west unfolds before their eyes! Twenty-two different live action shows are presented each day bringing to life the history, legends and lore of the western frontier upon which America's identity has been built.

The "Old 97" narrow gauge train still makes regular trips through "Arapaho Territory", the stagecoach winds through town approximately every 15 minutes and the younger cowpokes can still ride on a real pony. The legendary Gunfight at the O.K. Corral takes place every day as does Jesse James' famous Northfield, Minnesota bank raid. The Marshall deputizes his posse of buckeroos and heads the stagecoach robbers off at the pass as the wild and wooly west still thrills young and old alike. The buildings which line the street contain various souvenir shops and museums. Food can be purchased at the Golden Nugget Saloon, which also has a full service bar. Grab a bite to eat at the Silver Dollar Saloon or Frontier Frankie's Pizza. Guests are also welcome to bring a picnic lunch and enjoy themselves in our spacious picnic grove. Play a round of pint sized golf at our 18 hole golf course; visit the barnyard zoo or pan for gold. Palaver with the mountain man, school marm and chuckwagon cook to learn about life on the frontier or take a quiet moment to reflect in our Chapel.

Camps, scouts, church, youth and other organizations are welcome to make reservations weekends spring or fall and daily from mid-June to Labor Day. Guests young and old alike can celebrate their birthday at Wild West City. School or educational groups are welcome to make reservations to visit the park weekdays spring and fall. These groups can choose between two programs: America's Western Heritage Program, modeled after our traditional summer program, or the Oregon Trail Program, Wild West City's frontier education program. School classes are treated to narrative programs about the historical cowboy as well as the western lawman, their clothing, gear and horses. Selected topics (i.e. the California Gold Rush, the telegraph, barnyard animals) are offered by special arrangement. Wild West City is available off season for weddings, bar mitzvahs, video/film shoots or corporate events. The Golden Nugget Saloon also features evening activities on select weekends. Wild West City is a town rooted in traditional family values where history and entertainment create an unforgettable moment in time. Wild West City's shows and activities have at their very core the important, ageless theme of the triumph of good over evil, where justice prevails and the good guys still win!

Wild West City stands as a testimony to that unflinching, unwaivering, courageous frontier spirit that shaped America. Wild West City is open to the general public weekends from May 1st to Columbus Day and daily from mid June to Labor Day from 10:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Dodge City Facts for Kids | KidzSearch.com Dodge City is the county seat of Ford County , Kansas , United States . Named after nearby Fort Dodge , the city is famous in American culture for its history as a wild frontier town of the Old West . [1] [2] [3] The 2010 census showed the city population was 27,340. [4] In the 1880s Dodge City became a boomtown, with thousands of cattle passing annually through its stockyards . The peak years of the cattle trade in Dodge City were from 1883 to 1884. During that time the town grew tremendously. Dodge City had more famous (and infamous) gunfighters working at one time or another than any other town in the West, many of whom participated in the Dodge City War of 1883.

It also boasted the usual array of saloons , gambling halls, and brothels : they were set up to separate a cowboy from his hard-earned cash. Famous were the Long Branch Saloon and the China Doll brothel. Economy Meat packing is the main industry in Dodge City. [5] The city also has farm implement manufacturing, and is a supply center for area agriculture. Livestock -raising is a major activity while wheat and sorghum are the area's main crops. [3] In addition, a local tourism industry, including a casino resort, has developed to capitalize on Dodge City's history as an Old West cowtown. [6] The service sector accounts for much of the rest of the local economy with local government, schools, retail stores, and health care providers as the city's other major employers. [5] Transportation Four U.S. Highways meet in Dodge City: U.S. Route 50, U.S. Route 56, U.S. Route 283, and U.S. Route 400. Dodge City was located on the National Old Trails Road , also known as the Ocean-to-Ocean Highway, that was established in 1912.

Dodge City Regional Airport is about 2 miles (3 km) east of the city. Three railroads serve Dodge City. References ↑ Wright, Robert M. Dodge City, The Cowboy Capital, 1913. ↑ Schmidt, Heinie, "Fort Dodge State Soldiers' Home", High Plains Journal, January 15, 1948. American West Photographs | National Archives American West Photographs Cover photograph: A Pioneer Family in Loup Valley, Nebr., ca. 1886. Cropped from Item 134. (69-N-13606C) By 1848 the United States had acquired official title to the contigous land stretching westward to the Pacific, south to the Rio Grande, and north to the 49th parallel. Americans had long since explored and settled in many of these areas, but legitimate possession created an impetus for development that began to crystallize as other timely occurrences brought a greater influx of people to the West. The religious persecution of the Mormons had led them to begin their migration westward by this time. The discovery of gold would soon draw thousands more across the country.

This transition from a "wild" western frontier into organized segments of a federal union is documented in photographs. Private citizens and Government officials took the recently developed camera on their western adventures to record nature's curious sights and the marks that they as men and women made on the landscape. It is indeed a wonder that so many photographs have survived the hardships of the western experience, for early negatives were made of large glass plates. Some of these photographs have found their way into the National Archives as record materials of several Federal bureaus and offices, such as the Bureaus of Land Management, Indian Affairs, Public Roads, Weather, Agricultural Economics, and Reclamation; the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Geological Survey, boundary and claims commissions and arbitrations, the Corps of Engineers, the Forest Service, and the Signal Corps. The photographs listed below were selected from the records of these agencies now on deposit in the National Archives. While the records of Federal agencies continue to document changes on the face of western America and the efforts toward effecting some kind of progress, an arbitrary cutoff date of 1912 has been used. At that time Arizona, the last of the contiguous 48 United States, was admitted to the Union.

Having arrived at its destiny, the "Wild" West was in a sense officially terminated. The captions in quotation marks are those of the photographer or the person who cared for the photographs before they came into the custody of the National Archives. Within quoted captions, bracketed material has been added by the compiler. Information following quoted captions and all captions without quotes has been provided by the compiler. The name of the photographer together with the date of the item is given if available. The listings are arranged by subject--such as transportation, lndian life, military life, and mining--and thereunder chronologically. An index appears at the end of the list. The index is arranged by State, the names of which usually are the same as their former territorial designations. Some entries appear under more than one State; others could not be indexed by State. The back cover of this leaflet explains how to order complete sets of slides of all photographs described in this pamphlet and in the other Select Audiovisual Records leaflets. To order individual prints, negatives, or slides, write to the Still Picture Branch for a current pricelist. Many photographs of the American West are not included in this list.

Separate inquiries about them should be as specific as possible, including names, dates, places, and other details. The research, selection, and arrangement in preparing this select list was done by Charlotte Palmer, who also wrote these introductory remarks. Contents How to Order Interpreters of the Western Experience 1. " Press representatives accompanying excursion party to a point on 100th meridian--275 miles west of Omaha, Nebraska [Terr.]." By John Crbutt for the Union Pacific Railroad, October 24, 1866. 111-SC-85703. 2. Staff of the Daily Reporter in front of their office. Corinne, Boxelder Co., Utah Terr. By William H. Jackson, 1869. 57-HS-718. 3. " Fred W. Loring, in his campaign costume , with his mule `Evil Merodach.' Taken about 48 hours before he was brutally murdered by Apache--Mohaves, while en route from Prescott, A. T. [Ariz. Terr.] to San Bernadino, Cal., by stage.

Loring had been with the [Wheeler] expedition as general assistant and correspondent, and was returning to the East with a mind stored with rare adventure and scenic wonders." By Timothy H. O'Sullivan, 1871. 106-WA-145. 4. " McKay, the San Francisco Bulletin correspondent taking notes on the battlefield near Gen. Gillem's camp. At the left are two Warm Springs scouts, on the lookout for Modocs." Modoc Indian War, in California and Oregon lava beds, 1872--73. 111-SC-82307. 5. " Distant view of Ancient Ruins in lower part of Cañon de Chelle [Ariz. Terr.] ... Showing their position in the walls and elevation above bed of cañon." A member of the Wheeler Expedition is sketching the ruins from the foreground of the photograph. By O'Sullivan, 1873. 77-WE-4l. 6. John K. Hillers at work with his negatives . In camp, Aquarius Plateau, Utah Terr. Hillers was a photographer with the John Wesley Powell Geological Survey. By Hillers, ca.

1872. 57-PS-809. Surveys and Expeditions 7. A member of Clarence King's Geological Exploration of the 40th Parallel is surveying from a rock. Shoshone Canyon and Falls, Idaho Terr., in background. By O'Sullivan, 1868. 77-KS-4412. 8. Timothy O'Sullivan's ambulance wagon and portable darkroom used during the King Survey rolls across the sand dunes of Carson Desert, Nev. By O'Sullivan, 1867. 77-KS-346O. 9. A noon meal in Ferdinand V. Hayden's camp of the U.& Geological Survey . Red Buttes, Wyo. Terr., August 24, 1870. Hayden sits at far end of table in dark jacket; W. H. Jackson stands at far right. By Jackson. 57-HS-282. 10. The U.S.

Geological and Geophysical Survey of the Territories , conducted by Hayden, en route with pack train upon the trail between the Yellowstone and East Fork Rivers "showing the manner in which all parties traverse these wilds." Wyo. Terr. By Jackson, 1871. 57-HS-414. 12. An overland caravan laden with boats. Robert B. Stanton's Denver, Colorado Canyon, and Pacific Railway Survey, 1889-90. 57-RS-97. 13. " Rebuilding Monument 40 ." By D. H. Payne, under the direction of the U.S. section of the International Boundary Commission, along the Mexican border west of the Rio Grande, 1892--94. 77-MB-442D. Paths of Persistence 14. " Frank E. Webner, pony express rider~ ," ca. 1861. 30-N-49426. 15. Directors of the Union Pacific Railroad on the 100th meridian approximately 250 miles west of Omaha, Nebr. Terr.

The train in background awaits the party of Eastern capitalists, newspapermen, and other prominent figures invited by the railroad executives. By John Carbutt, October 1866. 111-SC-85700. 16. " End of the Track . Near Humboldt River Canyon, Nevada." Campsite and train of the Central Pacific Railroad at foot of mountains, 1868. By Alfred A. Hart. 165-XS-28 17. Joining the tracks for the first transcontinental railroad , Promontory, Utah, Terr., 1869. 30-N-36-2994. 18. " The overland stage road between Ogden and Helena crossing the Beaver Head River at Point of Rocks ... by means of a plank bridge." By Jackson, 1871. 79-JAG-9. 19. Column of cavalry, artillery, and wagons , commanded by Gen. George A. Custer, crossing the plains of Dakota Territory. By W. H. Illingworth, 1874 Black Hills expedition. 77-HQ-264-854. 20.

Cinching and loading pack mule with flour during starvation march of Gen. George Crook's expedition into the Black Hills. By S. J. Morrow, 1876. 165-FF-2F-14. 21. Horsedrawn stretcher carrying a wounded man from the Battle of Slim Buttes, Dak. Terr. By Morrow, 1876. 111-SC-85704. 22. " The Rosebud , historic old Missouri River boat that went up the River from Bismark, N.D. to Coalbanks in Montana, head of navigation." ca. 1878. 111-SC-83 751. 23. "Mormon emigrants ." Photograph of covered wagon caravan by C. W. Carter ca. 1879. 165-XS-7 25. " Government pack mules and packers ". Photograph taken near Mexican border 1883. 111-SC-89096. 26. Co. B~ 10th Infantry~ , crossing Gila River in buckboard wagons near San Carlos, Ariz.

Terr., ca. 1885. 111-SC-89105. 27. Typical stage of the Concord type used by express companies on the overland trails. Soldiers guard from atop, ca. 1869. 111-SC-87712. 28. Climbing Pike's Peak , Colorado, in winter, rounding Windy Point, ca. 1890. 111-SC-87350. 29. Steamer Bessie on the Rio Grande River loading up at Fort Ringgold, Tex., en route to Brownsville, ca. 1890. 92-F-95-19A. 30. Laying tracks on the extreme front of Prescott and Eastern Railroad in Arizona Territory, ca. 1898. 92-F-79B-21. 31. Construction workers on the military road, from Fort Washakie to Buffalo Fork near the Continental Divide, drive their wagonload of equipment up the summit of To-Gwo-Tee Pass, Wyo. Terr., 1898. 77-H-3155-3. 32.

" Pieces all saved ." Man with parts of his wagon and equipment on muddy floor of Canyon de Chelly, Navajo Reservation, Ariz. Terr. By D. Griffiths, September 13--19, 1903. 83-FB-2033. 33. " Two common methods of hauling water in Old Mexico and southwestern United States ... Encinal, Tex., 1905." 30-N-36791. 34. A rider fills his keg from a desert well 30 miles north of Palomas, Ariz. Terr. His horse refreshes himself nearby. By Stanton G. Smith, April 5, 1907. 95-FP-3-11. 35. " Steamer Expansion ; makes weekly trips on the Yellowstone River between Mondak and Glendive, Montana." The riverboat also carried freight for the lower Yellowstone reclamation project. August 9, 1907. 115-JM-264. 36. Discovery party and horses on hot, slick rocks west of Navajo Mountain on their way to Rainbow Bridge, Utah. By Neil M.

Judd, August 13, 1909. 200-NJ-302. 37. Automobile helped through sandy wash onto mesa , 7 miles northwest of Yuma, Calif. by A. L. Westgard, November 20, 1911. 30-N-7O89. 38. Buckboard and coaches zigzagging down the "W" Pike's Peak carriage road, Colorado, 1911. 30-N-618O. 39. An AAA Good Roads Official on his transcontinental auto trip passes the only road sign in evidence along the dusty, desolate road near Glendive, Mont. By A. L. Westgard, July 1912. 30-N-8940. 40. Noon camp of a surveying outfit , southwest part of Jornada Range Reserve, New Mexico, October 17, 1912. 83-FB-8341. 41. Members of the Denver Motor Club and Chamber of Commerce test-driving the Denver to Salt Lake Exposition route near De Beque, Colo. By A. L.

Westgard, October 1912. 30-N-9O14. 42. Covered wagon with jackrabbit mules encounters an automobile on the trail near Big Springs, Nebr. By A. L. Westgard, 1912. 30-N-9OO6. Soldiering in the West 43. An afternoon of croquet . Ladies, gentlemen, and children on the lawn at Fort Bridger, Wyo. Terr., ca. 1873. Officers' quarters at left, hospital and men's barracks to the right in background. 111-SC-88170. 44. " Brig. Gen. Frank Wheaton , U.S. Army [standing center with white plume in hat], with officers and members of their families, Fort Walla Walla, Wash. Terr., 1874~." 111-SC-83652. 47. Hunting and camping party of Custer (standing in center) and invited guests . Fort A. Lincoln on the Little Heart River, Dak. Terr., 1875. 111-SC-83991.

48. Valentine T. McGillycuddy , surgeon and topographer on hunger march with General Crook's expedition to the Black Hills, Dak. Terr., 1876. 165-FF-2F-2. 49. " Gen. Crook's headquarters in the field at Whitewood [Dak. Terr.]. On starvation march 1876." Closeup of a camp scene shows tents improvised from wagon frames during the Black Hills expedition. 165-FF-2F-12. 50. " Scene of Gen. Custer's last stand , looking in the direction of the ford and the Indian village." A pile of bones on the Little Big Horn battlefield is all that remains, ca. 1877. 111-SC-82966. 51. General view of the corral and surrounding area at Camp Apache, Ariz. Terr., 1877. 111-SC-83709. 52. " Officers quarters at Ft. Rawlins, Wyoming , May 7, 1877." Two men and a woman holding a baby sit in front of the crude structure.

111-SC-98367. 54. " Heliographic station #3 Bowie District system [Ariz. Terr.] ... Used exclusively in the Apache Indian War." ca. 1885. 111-SC-85746. 55. Sixth Cavalry training horses at Ft. Bayard, N. M., ca. 1885. 111-SC-83340. 56. " Junction of the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers near Ft. Snelling, Minnesota. Headquarters of the 25th Infantry, ca. 1886." Romantic view showing young woman looking wistfully at the fort across the river. 111-SC-83746. 57. Troop`C,' 5th Cavalry , which arrested boomers and squatters prior to opening of Oklahoma, ca. 1888. 111-SC-87369. 60. Officers in tent by fire during the Pine Ridge campaign , 1890--91. 111-SC-104138 61.

" Return of Casey's scouts from the fight at Wounded Knee, 1890--91." Soldiers on horseback plod through the snow. 111-SC-97980. 62. " Brig. Gen. Nelson A. Miles and Buffalo Bill viewing hostile Indian camp near Pine Ridge Agency, South Dakota." By Grabill, January 16, 1891. 111-SC-85680. 64. " German Singing Society, 22nd Infantry, Ft. Keogh , May 13, 1894." An open-air songfest. 111-SC-9 7983. The Disinherited 65. " Gen. William T. Sherman and commissioners in council with Indian chiefs at Ft. Laramie, Wyo.." ca. 1867-68. 111-SC-95986. 66. " Drawing rations at the agency on issue day ." Indians form a line while officers' wives and issuing agent stand in center with sacks of flour at Camp Supply, Indian Terr. [now Oklahoma], ca. 1871.

165-AI-2. 68. Indian reception of President Chester A. Arthur at Fort Washakie, Wyo. Terr.,1883. 165-FF-9G-3. 69. Band of Apache Indian prisoners at rest stop beside Southern Pacific Railway, near Nueces River, Tex., September 10, 1886. Among those on their way to exile in Florida are Natchez (center front) and, to the right, Geronimo and his son in matching shirts. By A. J. McDonald. 106-BAE-251 7A. 70. " Makah tribe of Indians from Nee-oh Bay resting on the beach at Port Townsend [Wash.] while en route for the hop fields up Pudget-Sound. Photo by J. M. McMurry." ca. 1890. 22-MPF-1. 71. " Big Foot, leader of the Sioux , captured at the battle of Wounded Knee, S.D." Here he lies frozen on the snow-covered battlefield where he died, 1890. 111-SC-82412.

72. " Villa of Brule . The great hostile Indian camp on River Brule near Pine Ridge, S. D." By Grabill, 1891. 111-SC-85685 73. " Shoshone Indians at Ft. Washakie, Wyoming Indian reservation .. . Chief Washakie (at left) extends his right arm." Some of the Shoshones are dancing as the soldiers look on, 1892. 111-SC-8 7800 74. " Saber Exercises, Troop 'List Cavalry , Ft. Custer Mont., 1892." An Indian troop of U.S. soldiers. 111-SC-104128 75. " Apache Indians delivering hay , Fort Apache, Ariz., 1893." 111-SC-104113 76. " Indian Day parade , Omaha, Neb., Aug. 4, 1898." 111-SC-82401 77.

" A Council with the Agent in 1900 ." Cheyenne and Arapaho lndians at Seger Colony, Okla. Terr. 75-SE-5 78. " Indian teams hauling 60 miles to market the 1100 bushels of wheat raised by the school. It brought four cents more than wheat raised by white farmers near by and was sold for seed." Seger Colony, Okla. Terr., ca. 1900. 75-SE-39A 79. The William B. Douglas party , including Navaho and Paiute Indians, celebrate their discovery of Rainbow Bridge, Utah, as they eat watermelon in Paiute Canyon, 1909. By Judd, 200-NJ-301. The Law of the West 80. " Clifton, Arizona, jail . Built about 1881 by Lezinsky Bros., original owners of the copper mines at Clifton.

Contract for blasting cells in face of cliff secured by a Mexican, Margarito Barela, who was its first prisoner imprisoned for a`shooting up' celebration." 111-SC-89496 81. " The lynching of John Heith at Tombstone, Arizona, Feb. 22, 1884. He was implicated in the robbery of the Goldwater-Castan[e]da store in Dec. 1883, wherein there were three men and one woman killed. The other five men were apprehended and legally hanged at Tombstone, March 6, 1884." 111-SC-93377 82. " Dodge City [Kans.] Peace Commissioners . L to R: Chas. Bassett, W. H. Harris, Wyatt Earp, Luke Short, L. McLean, Bat Masterson, Neal Brown." By Camillus S. Fly, ca. 1890. 111-SC-94129 83. Wooden jailhouse in Wyoming Territory . By C. Hart Merriam, 1893.

22-WB-886 84. " Judge Roy Bean , the `Law West of the Pecos,' holding court at the old town of Langtry, Texas in 1900, trying a horse thief. This building was courthouse and saloon. No other peace officers in the locality at that time." 111-SC-93343 86. " John Sontag of the firm of `Evans & Sontag' of Calif. fame . Sontag was shot to death about Sept. 14, 1904. He was not yet dead when this picture was taken." 111-SC-93363. Life from the Land 87. " This picture, taken by [Eadweard] Muybridge, of San Francisco, at Buena Vista Vineyard, Sonoma, California, in the early 1870's, was captioned `Champagne Corking .' It shows a shed where various processes of disgorging, perfecting the fill and recorking were carried on. The man inspecting the labeled bottle is B. E.

Auger for many years an officer and trustee of the Buena Vista Vinicultural Society. Wicker baskets shown were woven by Chinese employees of the vineyard society; the finished champagne was packed in them for the market. The box near the disgorging apparatus bears the words, `National Grape' the name of one of Buena Vista's champagnes. The building at the rear of the shed is the brandy distillery operated in conjunction with the winery." 208-CN-8644 88. " Interior of Sawtell's Ranch ." Men gathered around fireplace, Henry's Lake, Fremont County, Idaho Terr., 1872. By Jackson. 57-HS-950 89. " A Montana ranch , comfortable if not elegant, and the home of many well-to-do persons engaged in mining or stock-raising." By Jackson, 1872. 57-HS-15. 93. " Mormons at Mormon Dairy ." Two women and their small children pose before a building at what is now known as Mormon Lake, Ariz. Terr. By E. A. Ames, 1887--89.

108-FAA-40B 94. " Some of [Aztec's] Punchers ." Aztec Land & Cattle Company, Holbrook, Ariz. Terr. By Ames, 1877--89. 106-FAA-92B 95. " Lamon's log cabin , the first built in Yosemite Valley, Calif." Their work completed, two men sit on stumps in front of the finished product, ca. 1895. 200-M-15 96. A family group poses with dog, Indian domestic, and young children outside a log cabin in New Mexico Territory, ca. 1895. 111-SC-89608 97. " Cattle Ranch , Graham Co. Ariz." Dude with his lassoed steer ca. 1896--97. 48-RST-3B-1 98. " Oklahoma Cotton Field ." Overseer and Negro cottonpickers, ca. 1897--98. 48-RST-7B-43 99.

" Cattle Round Up ." Close view of a steer downed for branding, ca. 1896--99, Arizona Territory. 48-RST-3B-6 100. " Residence of G. L. Rule Feb. 18, 1898. Have lived here since Sept. 1893." Family stands in foreground; sod building and cabin in background, Arizona Territory. 48-RST-7B-4 101. " Picking cherries on an Oklahoma Fruit Ranch. " A baby in a stroller watches the busy family at work, ca. 1900. Copy of halftone. 48-RST-7B-23 102. " Gathering the Fruits of an Oklahoma Farm --Apples, Peaches, Plums, Pears, Grapes, and Melons." Children at their chores, ca. 1900. 48-RST-7B-28 103. Roundup on the Sherman Ranch , Genesee, Kans. Cowboy with lasso readied looks beyond the herd on the open range to his fellow cowpunchers waiting on the horizon, ca.

1902. 165-XS-27 104. Panoramic view of California wheatfield, windmill, and ranch buildings at foot of mountains. By C. Hart Merriam, 1903. 22-WB-6681 105. " Inside view of Cold Springs reservoir ." A panoramic view of men at work on the Umatilla reclamation project in Oregon. Horsedrawn carts, a train, and a crane are diverse technological applications in this irrigation project. By William J. Lubkin, September 17, 1907. 115-JAE-239 106. " Trappers and hunters in the Four Peaks country on Brown's Basin [Ariz. Terr.]. Two Crab Tree boys, their father and the dogs and burrows [sic] which they hunt with. Their cabin is located on Long Creek, at the entrance of Hell's Hip Pocket in Brown's Basin, between Four Peaks and Salt River." By Lubkin, January 1908. 115-JAA-2667 108. " Turning over first sod on homestead ." Sun River Mont.

By Lubkin, November 5, 1908. 115-JA~D-176 109. " Hancock homestead . Settler from Benson, Minn." Little girl feeding chickens against background of house, buckboard wagon, and ridge of plateau, Sun River, Mont. By Lubkin, June 23, 1910. 115-JAD-224. Life by the Sea 110. " N. P. Railway , Tacoma [Wash. Terr.] Shipping first cargo of halibut caught in Puget Sounds by crew of schooner Oscar and Hattie. September 20, 1888." By N. B. Miller. 22-FA-197 112. " Chinese drying shrimps and mending nets , ca. 1889." San Francisco Bay By Townsend. 22-FA-148 113. View of Chinese fishing camp against a hillside . Drying grounds, nets cast out to sea, and shanties hugging the shoreline. Point San Pedro, San Francisco Bay, ca. 1889. By Townsend.

22-FA-145 114. " [Reeling] up a gill net . To dry." Near San Francisco, ca. 1891. 22-CA-223 115. Italian fishermen mending nets on wharf at foot of Union Street in San Francisco. Boats are lined up on the wharf for painting and repairs, ca. 1891. By Townsend. 22-MDF-3 116. Fishermen's Wharf at foot of Union Street, San Francisco . Circular crab nets and large fish nets are spread out to dry. A three--masted ship is on distant horizon and small feluccas thrust protruding masts and graffs above the wharf's railing, ca. 1891. By Townsend. 22-MDF-2 117. " On the wharves, San Francisco , 1900." Moored schooners' masts form a wall around the dock. By Henry G. Peabody. 79-HPA-3-22 118. " Sardine Industry: Wharf and sun dry process ." Monterey, Calif., ca.

1908. 22-FFC-756. 119. " Baird, Calif. Hauling seine." ca. 1908. 22-FFB-892. Bonanzas from the Earth 120. Goldhill, Nev. General view of the town and mines. By O'Sullivan, 1867--68. 77-KN-127 121. Orena, Nev. , Montezuma silver smelting works. Ox teams and men at rest. By O'Sullivan, 1867. 77-KN-83 122. Miner working inside the Comstock Mine , Virginia City, Nev. Taken by O'Sullivan using the glare of burning magnesium for a flash of light, 1867--68. 77-KS-1-15 123. Cars coming out of shaft , Comstock Mine, Virginia City, Nev. By O'Sullivan, 1867-68. 77-KS-1-13 124. Hydraulic gold mining near Virginia City , Mont. Terr.

A flume is laid upon bedrock in the bottom of Alder Gulch and the waters of the creek brought through it, carrying the auriferous sand. The sides of the gulch are washed away into sluiceboxes where the gold is collected. By Jackson, 1871. 57-HS-62 126. Man with a rocker cradling for gold near Virginia City, Mont. Terr . By Jackson, 1871. 57-HS-910 127. Quarrying granite for the Mormon Temple , Utah Territory. The ground is strewn with boulders and detached masses of granite, which have fallen from the walls of Cottonwood Canyon. The quarrying consists of splitting up the blocks. 1872. 57-HS-932 141. " In Line At The land Office, Perry , Sept. 23, 1893. 9 o'clock A.M. waiting to file." 49-AR-32 142. " Hells Half--Acre , Perry, 0.(kla).

T(err)., 93." 49-AR-28 144. W. H. McCoy's claim , Perry, Okla. Terr., October 1, 1893. 49-AR-36 145. " Clerical force & U.S. Deputy Marshalls , U.S. Land Office, Perry, Okla. Ter. Oct. 12, 1893." 49-AR-35 146. " Anadarko Townsite [Okla. Terr.] Aug. 6, [1901]--a cornfield." 48-RST-7B-81 147. Anadarko Townsite , Okla. Terr., August 8, 1901. Tent city in the cornfield. 48-RST-7B-86 148. Anadarko Townsite , August 8, 1901. Auction in progress in lumber company booth. Temporary bank buildings and the beginnings of a lodging house nearby. 48-RST-7B-80 149.

" Bankers' and Railroad Men's Party on Blue Grass Lawn at Calexico." The California Development Co. was in hopes that after this campout the men would invest in Imperial Valley schemes, ca. 1904. 48-RST-7-17 150. " First Auction Sale of Lots at Imperial April 12, 1904." Inside the tent with the California Development Co. and hopeful landowners. 48-RST-7-25. Towns out of Dust and Rock 153. " Street view in Corinne, Boxelder Co., Utah ." Close-up view of several shops. By Jackson, 1869. 57-HS-716 154. " Cheyenne, Wyo. , 1876." General view of this town on the Oregon Trail. 111-SC-100867 155. " Deadwood in 1876 ." General view of the Dakota Territory gold rush town from a hillside above. By S. J. Morrow. 165-FF-2F-15 156.

" Gayville in Deadwood Gulch, Black Hills [Dak. Terr.] , 1876." Log cabins under construction at the foot of a hillside. 111-SC-100863 157. " Gardiner Park Co., Montana , Looking North East, 1887." A onesided street backed up to rocky foothills. 49-RST-8D-1 158. Oklahoma City, lnd. Terr. , in 1889 showing U.S. Government dwellings, water tank, railroad station, hotel, post office and store, stage stables, tents of 13th Infantry detachment guarding lumber and an uncompleted cemetery. 111-SC-87337 159. " Birds Eye View of Winslow , looking East." Atlantic and Pacific Railway cars on converging tracks in the foreground of the arid Arizona terrain, ca. 1890. 48-RST-3A-12 160. " Harrison Ave Guthrie [Okla.

Terr.] looking east from 1st St., May, (18)'93." 48-RST-7B-41 161. " General view of North West Round Pond from Court House Square ." Panoramic view of Oklahoma Territory flatlands. By Mr. and Mrs. Robert Kennett, January 1894. 233-TRP-64 162. " Sand storm that passed over Midland, Texas , February 20, 1894 at 6:00 p.m." Windmills and houses visible just below the whirling sand. 27-S-2 163. " Nogales, Santa Cruz Co. Showing boundary line between Arizona and Mexico." General view of center of town from hillside, looking west along International Street, ca. 1898-1899. By W I Neumann. 48-RST-3A-18 164. Flagstaff, Ariz. Terr. Street view of post office, other buildings, and people, with mountains in background, ca. 1899. By G.

Ben Wittick, 48-RST-4B-1 7 165. " City of Imperial , from ice plant water tank, July 9, 1904." Panoramic view. 48-RST-7-97A 166. " Cleveland. The City of Oil Derricks ." Panoramic view of an Oklahoma Territory town a year after the discovery of oil there. By Dick Man, 1905. 48-RST-7B-69 167. Tent town in a mountain valley in Idaho . By Burt L. Wheeler November 1909. 95-G-77538. Old Institutions in New Surroundings 182. " Territorial University at Norman. " Oklahoma Terr., ca. 1897-98. 48RST-7B-95 183. " A Mesa Creek Valley rancher's daughter en route to school. " The little girl on her burro takes leave of her mother for the day. Battlement Mesa Reserve, Colo. By George B. Sudworth, ca. 1898.

95-FRC-366 184. " Sunday school, Indians and white[s] ." Indian Territory [Oklahoma], ca. 1900. 48-RST-5B-10 185. " Orient Saloon at Bisbee, Arizona... Faro game in full blast. Recognized: Left to right-Tony Downs (standing with derby) part owner; Doyle, a concert hall singer at corner of table, sitting, with derby; back of him standing is Dutch Kid; Sleepy Dick, the porter, to right with light felt; Charlie Bassett, with soft felt hat in rear next to wall; dealer is Johnny Murphy, and Smiley Lewis in silk hat." By C. 5. Fly, ca. 1900. 111-SC-93344 186. " Cliff House and Seal Rocks ." An outing at the beach in San Francisco. By Peabody, 1902. 79-HPA-1-47 187. " Saloons and disreputable places of Hazen [Nev.] June 24, 1905." By Lubkin.

115-JQ-390 188. " Her daily duty ." Cow with seven small boys on her back poses in front of schoolhouse in Okanogan, Wash. By Frank Matsura, 1907. 115-JT-385 189. Children in their Sunday clothes pose in front of adobe church , Alamo National Forest, N. Mex. Terr. [now Lincoln National Forest]. By A. M. Neal, May 13, 1908. 95-G-75383 190. Townspeople of Ehrenburg, Ariz. Terr. , greet a stranger in an automobile on his pioneer cross country tour. Saloon in background. By A. L. Westgard, ca. 1911. 30-N-2803. Celebration of the American Spirit 191. Civil War Veterans , Fourth of July or Decoration Day, Ortonville, Minnesota. On review in center of town, ca. 1880. 200-M-112. 192. " Parade of U.S.

Infantry through Kearney, Nebraska, 1888." 165-FF-6G-6 193. " In Wind Cave, S.D. 350 feet below the surface at Odd Fellows' Hall." William Jennings Bryan and Governor Lee in center front of group. By W. R. Cross, ca. 1897. 48-RST-5D-1 194. " Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel, Yellowstone National Park. " American flags flap in the breeze as holiday passengers arrive. The stage coaches are met by other vacationers on the hotel veranda. By F. Jay Haynes, ca. 1899. 48-RST-8B-1 195. " Col. Roosevelt, Reno, Nev. " Campaigning from an open touring car decorated with American flags, ca. 1910. Theodore Roosevelt is No. 3; his chauffeur is at the crank. 200-M-104 196. " Dedication ceremonies of Roosevelt dam [Ariz. Terr.], Col. Roosevelt speaking, March 18, 1911." By Lubkin.

115-JAA-2267.

Index Arizona, 3, 5, 24, 26, 30, 32, 34, 51, 53, 54, 75, 80, 81, 92-94, 97, 99,100,106, 130,131, 159, 163,164, 168-171, 185,190, 196 California, 3, 4, 37, 86, 87, 95, 104, 111-119,149, 150, 165, 186 Colorado, 28, 38, 41, 128, 183 Idaho, 7,18, 88,167 Kansas, 82, 91, 103, 138 Minnesota, 56,109, 133, 191 Montana, 

18, 22, 35, 39, 50, 58, 59, 63, 64, 74, 89, 108, 109, 124-126,157 Nebraska, 1, 15, 42, 76, 134,192 Nevada, 8, 16, 120-123,152, 187, 195 New Mexico, 40, 55, 85, 96, 151,189 North Dakota, 22, 47 Oklahoma, 57, 66, 77, 78, 98,101, 102, 107,132,135-137, 139-148,158,160, 161,166,172-182, 184 Oregon, 4, 67, 10

5 South Dakota, 19, 21,49, 62, 71, 72,129, 155,156, 193,194 Texas, 29, 33, 69, 84, 162 Utah, 2, 6, 17, 18, 36, 41, 79,127,153 Washington, 44, 70,110, 188 Wyoming, 9-11, 31, 43, 52, 65, 68, 73, 83, 154 How to Order Individual Photographs For information on ordering individual images from this select list or other individual prints, negatives, or slides from our holdings, see Ordering Still Picture Reproductions or contact: Still Picture Reference Team Special Media Archives Services Division (NWCS-Stills) National Archives and Records Administration, Room 5360 8601 Adelphi Road Telephone 301-837-0561 Fax: 3

01-837-3621 E-mail: stillpix@nara.gov .

Complete Slide Sets You may order this and other slide sets from the National Technical Information Service (NTIS) , 5285 Port Royal Road, Springfield, VA 22161. Telephone: 703-605-6000. Facsimile: 703-605-6900. Order Information Unless otherwise noted, the slide set consists only of black and white images Pictures of the American West, 1848-1912 Order #AVA-18635SS00 10 Things You Didn’t Know About the Old West - History Lists History Lists September 17, 2013 By Elizabeth Hanes Share this: 10 Things You Didn’t Know About the Old West Author 10 Things You Didn’t Know About the Old West URL Since even before the first cowboy rode onto the silver screen, the world's love affair with the American West has burned bright. Check out this roundup of true Wild West stories—some of them stranger than fiction. Failed bandit Elmer McCurdy’s corpse had a more interesting life than the man did.

In 1911, Elmer McCurdy mistakenly robbed a passenger train he thought contained thousands of dollars. The disappointed outlaw made off with just $46 and was shot by lawmen shortly thereafter. McCurdy’s unclaimed corpse was then embalmed with an arsenic preparation, sold by the undertaker to a traveling carnival and exhibited as a sideshow curiosity. For about 60 years, McCurdy’s body was bought and sold by various haunted houses and wax museums for use as a prop or attraction. His corpse finally wound up in a Long Beach, California, amusement park funhouse. During filming there in 1976 for the television show “The Six Million Dollar Man,” the prop’s finger (or arm, depending on the account) broke off, revealing human tissue. Subsequent testing by the Los Angeles coroner’s office revealed the prop was actually McCurdy. He was buried at the famous Boot Hill cemetery in Dodge City, Kansas, 66 years after his death. Feral camels once roamed the plains of Texas. One of the wackier ideas in American history, the U.S. Camel Corps was established in 1856 at Camp Verde, Texas.

Reasoning that the arid southwest was a lot like the deserts of Egypt, the Army imported 66 camels from the Middle East. Despite the animals’ more objectionable qualities—they spat, regurgitated and defied orders—the experiment was generally deemed a success. As the Civil War broke out, exploration of the frontier was curtailed and Confederates captured Camp Verde. After the war, most of the camels were sold (some to Ringling Brothers’ circus) and others escaped into the wild. The last reported sighting of a feral camel came out of Texas in 1941. Presumably, no lingering descendants of the Camel Corps’ members remain alive today. Thanks to a Winchester rifle, we know Billy the Kid wasn’t left-handed. A famous tintype photograph of Billy the Kid shows him with a gun belt on his left side. For years, the portrait fueled assumptions that the outlaw, born William Bonney, was left-handed. However, most tintype cameras produced a negative image that appeared positive once it was developed, meaning the end result was the reverse of reality.

There’s another reason we know the picture was a mirror image and that Billy the Kid was thus a righty: he poses with his Winchester Model 1873 lever-action rifle. The weapon appears to feature a loading gate on the left side, but Winchester only made 1873s that load on the right. The California Gold Rush of 1849 wasn’t America’s first gold rush. It wasn’t even the second. When young Conrad Reed found a large yellow rock in his father’s field in Cabarrus County, North Carolina, in 1799, he had no idea what it was. Neither did his father, John Reed. The family reportedly used it as a doorstop for several years, until a visiting jeweler recognized it as a 17-pound gold nugget. The rush was on. Eventually, Congress built the Charlotte Mint to cope with the sheer volume of gold dug up in North Carolina. In 1828 gold was discovered in Georgia, leading to the nation’s second gold rush. Finally, in 1848, James Marshall struck it rich at Sutter’s Mill in California, and thousands of Forty-Niners moved west to seek their fortunes.

The famed gunfight at the O.K. Corral wasn’t much of a shootout and didn’t take place at the O.K. Corral. One of the most famous gunfights in history—the shootout between the three Earp brothers (Morgan, Virgil and Wyatt), Doc Holliday, Billy Claireborne, the two Clanton brothers (Billy and Ike) and the two McLaury brothers (Frank and Tom)—didn’t amount to much. Despite the involvement of eight people, the gunfight only lasted about 30 seconds. Furthermore, the shootout didn’t take place within the O.K. Corral at all. Instead, all the shooting occurred near the current intersection of Third Street and Fremont Street in Tombstone, Arizona, which is behind the corral itself. Bloodshed made up for the brevity, though: three of the lawmen were injured and three of the cowboys killed. The Long Branch Saloon of “Gunsmoke” fame really did exist in Dodge City—and still does. Sort of. Anyone who watched the television show “Gunsmoke” growing up is well acquainted with Miss Kitty’s Long Branch Saloon of Dodge City, Kansas.

What viewers may not have realized is that the Long Branch really did exist. No one knows exactly what year it was established, but the original saloon burned down in the great Front Street fire of 1885. The saloon was later resurrected and now serves as a tourist attraction featuring a reproduction bar with live entertainment. According to the Boot Hill Museum, the original Long Branch Saloon served milk, tea, lemonade, sarsaparilla, alcohol and beer. Marshal Matt Dillon and Festus sporting milk mustaches? Now there’s a storyline. One pivotal Civil War battle was fought in an unlikely place: New Mexico. In a bold move designed to fill rebel coffers with Cripple Creek gold, Confederate General Henry Hopkins Sibley invaded New Mexico Territory from the south in early 1862, believing he could march right up the Rio Grande and take Colorado. Unbeknownst to Sibley, however, the First Regiment of Volunteers in Colorado caught wind of the scheme and marched 400 miles south in just 13 days to join the Yankees at Fort Union, near Santa Fe.

Instead of a cakewalk, Sibley’s forces wound up fighting what many historians call the “Gettysburg of the West.” After just two days of skirmishing, Union troops—probably relying on local ranchers as guides—outflanked the Confederates and burned their supply train. After that, it was a long, slow march back to Texas for the rebels, who never returned. Forget Jamestown. The oldest settlement in the United States is Acoma Pueblo. It’s no revelation that Native American settlements predate European ones, but it may surprise some people that Acoma Pueblo, west of Albuquerque, New Mexico, has been continuously occupied since the 12th century. The Acoma still inhabit their “Sky City,” a settlement of about 4,800 people that sits atop a 365-foot high mesa. Traditionally hunters and traders, the Acoma people now make their income from a cultural center and casino complex. Coincidentally, the oldest state capital in the United States is Santa Fe, which recently celebrated its 400th anniversary. The first film cowboy wasn’t a cowboy at all.

Widely credited with inventing the Western film genre, Broncho Billy Anderson, star of 1903’s “The Great Train Robbery,” was born Maxwell Henry Aronson in 1880, the son of a traveling Arkansas salesman. As soon as Aronson was old enough, he hightailed it to New York City, where he produced or acted in literally hundreds of films. Cast somewhat by chance in “The Great Train Robbery,” Aronson decided to capitalize on its success by creating the Broncho Billy persona. Aronson ended up writing and starring in dozens of short Western films, becoming the first cowboy matinee idol. Jesse James was larger than life—so much that his body required two graves. Few outlaws were as notorious during their own lifetimes as Jesse James. Though he lived a quiet existence in Kearney, Missouri, after his bank robbing days were over, old friends—and enemies—never forgot him. After Jesse was murdered, he was buried in the front yard of his farm to thwart grave robbers. As the years passed and his enemies died off, he was reinterred in a Kearney cemetery by his family.

So who’s that lying in the Jesse James grave in Granbury, Texas? A man named J. Frank Dalton who came forward around 1948, at age 101, claiming he was the “real” Jesse James. A court even allowed him to legally adopt the bandit’s name. No one knows why Dalton made this claim or if he ever had any link to Jesse James, although there is a very small chance he was the youngest member of the Dalton gang James rode with in the bank raid of Northfield, Minnesota. Regardless, mitochondrial DNA showed decades later that James is indeed buried in Mount Olivet Cemetery in Kearney—but his legend also lives on in Granbury. Tags

Question: In which US state is Dodge City, the famous frontier town of the wild west?
Answer: Kansas