Episodes
Nov. 1, 2023
Bass Reeves | Lawman (Part 1)
Make no mistake about it, the exploits of escaped slave-turned-lawman Bass Reeves are legendary. Described in the papers of his day as a holy terror and one of the greatest manhunters to ever grace Indian Territory, Bass Re…
Oct. 21, 2023
This is NOT Doc Holliday
There are many purported photos of the legendary Doc Holliday but only two are authenticated. This is a VISUALY DEPENDENT episode. Check the video out here: Check out the website for more true tales from the Old West E…
Oct. 16, 2023
Uncontacted
There’s just something about uncontacted tribes that’s always piqued my curiosity. Perhaps you’ve heard of Ishi, who, as the last of his people, emerged from California’s Sierra foothills in the summer of 1911. It’s estimate…
Oct. 11, 2023
Wild Bill Hickok
James Butler “Wild Bill” Hickok was the epitome of the Wild West. Soldier, spy, scout, gambler, lawman, and yes – gunfighter. Friends with other Old West legends like Buffalo Bill Cody, Kit Carson, Calamity Jane, and George …
Oct. 4, 2023
Johnny Ringo's Mysterious Fate
The mysterious, oftentimes sullen gunfighter Johnny Ringo celebrated July 4th, 1882, by going on a bender. And judging by the liquor bottles stashed in his saddlebags he wasn’t planning on the festivities ending any time soo…
Sept. 27, 2023
Texas Rangers vs Comanche | The Battle of Antelope Hills
In early 1858, John “RIP” Ford led a detachment of Texas Rangers, along with their Native American allies, on a punitive expedition deep in the heart of Comancheria. Their mission was to catch the Comanche unaware and prove …
Sept. 20, 2023
John Selman Sr | Killer with a Badge
In the summer of 1895 John Selman Sr gunned down John Wesley Hardin. Considered one of the deadliest shootists of the Old west, Hardin killed his first man at the tender age of fifteen. In the decade that followed dozens of …
Sept. 13, 2023
Devil Canyon Shootout
In the spring of 1905, a couple of down-and-out cowboys robbed a dice game in Winslow, Arizona. What followed was a literal pursuit to hell, a bloody gunfight, and an Old West Lazurus rising from the grave for one final sip …
Sept. 6, 2023
Ed Scarborough | The Skunk Fighting Arizona Ranger
Ed Scarborough cut his teeth chasing outlaws like Black Jack Ketchum when he was still a teenager. He’d go on to become a deputy sheriff, constable, Arizona Ranger, and according to those who knew him, Ed was born to a saddl…
Aug. 30, 2023
Wyatt Earp vs Comanche Jack
Comanche Jack Stilwell worked as a teamster on the Santa Fe Trail, hunted buffalo on the southern plains, and participated in the famous Battle of Beecher Island – all before the age of 19 years of age. Jack continued scouti…
Aug. 29, 2023
On The Warpath | My Sixty Years on the Plains
War is hell. I know that sounds cliché but there’s a simple, irrefutable truth in that short yet powerful statement, one that is unchanging through time. Although our modern weapons may not be the same now as they were in th…
Aug. 28, 2023
Harriet Tubman | Her Half of History
This bonus episode comes to us from Lori Davis and her excellent podcast Her Half of History. Brand new episode of The Wild West Extravaganza still scheduled for Wednesday but I thought I'd go ahead and share this as well. E…
Aug. 22, 2023
Was Billy the Kid's Death a Hoax?
How can we be so certain that Pat Garrett really killed Billy the Kid? Today we take a look at all of the evidence – the eyewitness accounts, official documentation, coroner’s jury report, etc. – all proving that Billy did i…
Aug. 16, 2023
Pat Garrett | Murder (Part 5)
From investigating the Fountain disappearance to working as Sheriff of Dona Ana County, and appointed as the Collector of Customs by Teddy Roosevelt himself, Pat Garrett seemed to be living up to the notoriety gained from ki…
Aug. 9, 2023
Pat Garrett | The Vanishing of Albert Jennings Fountain (Part 4)
In February of 1896, Albert Jennings Fountain and his 8-year-old son Henry vanished off the face of the earth, never to be seen again. The pair had been travelling near the present day white sands missile range in New Mexico…
Aug. 2, 2023
Pat Garrett | The End of the Kid (Part 3)
Pat Garrett, along with deputies John W. Poe and Kip McKinney, make one final push into Fort Sumner in search of Billy the Kid. In doing so, they immortalize themselves. Also discussed in this episode is whether or not Pat G…
July 26, 2023
Pat Garrett | Pat vs Billy the Kid (Part 2)
Pat Garrett is now the Sheriff of Lincoln County and he’s got one job – to put an end to his old friend, Billy the Kid. And you better believe he wastes no time in starting on the hunt. Aiding him in these efforts are Secret…
July 19, 2023
Pat Garrett | Origin Story (Part 1)
On the night of July 14th, 1881, Sheriff Pat Garrett killed Billy the Kid. In doing so he not only helped create a legend, but he also ensured that his legacy would forever be intertwined with that of the notorious outlaw. A…
July 12, 2023
Scalping & Trading | My Sixty Years On The Plains
Who invented scalping? The Native Americans? Or did the Europeans introduce the atrocious behavior to the New World? The answer – like much of history – is complicated. In this latest installment of My Sixty Years, we join t…
July 2, 2023
Old Solitaire | My Sixty Years On The Plains
Before he became known as Old Bill Williams, the gaunt and scarred Mountain Man was a Methodist preacher who attempted to bring the gospel to the Osage people. Bill lived among the Osage, married into the tribe, helped them …
June 28, 2023
The Plainsman W.T. Hamilton | My Sixty Years On The Plains
In the year 1842, a sickly 19-year-old named William T. Hamilton embarked on a journey to the Rocky Mountains accompanied by famed frontiersman Old Bill Williams. Over the course of the next several decades, Hamilton worked …
June 20, 2023
The Execution of Cherokee Bill
This is part 2 in a two-part series. Please check out the link below for the first installment. And please check out the book Cherokee Bill: Black Cowboy Indian Outlaw by Art Burton! Cherokee Bill, notorious outlaw of the In…
June 14, 2023
The Outlaw Cherokee Bill
Despite his young age, Cherokee Bill’s boldness and audacity surpassed that of many outlaws on the Western frontier, making him a truly exceptional badman. What set Bill apart, first and foremost, was his status as an Africa…
June 6, 2023
Liver Eating Johnson
John “Liver Eating” Johnson was the inspiration behind 1972’s Jeremiah Johnson but the real man’s life was even more extraordinary than portrayed on film. Johnson/Johnstone was a sailor, soldier, fur trapper, prospector, sco…