The Old Wild West fascinates many people today - world wide!
Events that happened when frontier personalities moved West made for exciting stories for then and now. Many news reporters wrote bits that captured the imagination. Plays were written.
People who didn't dare venture out that way, wondered about the Western frontier, even during those days!
When were those days?
Generally, historians speak of the Old Wild West as the time between 1803 and 1917. In 1803 the Louisiana Purchase gave adventurous people reason to move West.
Some believe it ended in 1917 when young men from small communities in the U.S. entered WWI. That included many rough old, "Wild West" towns. The last cattle drive happened that same year. So that ended the last "large" job for the traditional, legendary cowboy.
Though there are some modern day cattle drives that do happen on occasion. For various reasons.
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What part of the American Wild West are we talking about?
Mainly, it involves areas West of the Mississippi River. Some states are thought of as in the old wild West, more than are others - right?
You might relate Kansas History to the Old West. The Texas Wild West action you've heard about may put you right in the spirit! You might have heard of the wild times in Oklahoma, and the Oklahoma Outlaws that ran rampant!
You know of the Gunfight at the OK Corral that happened in October 1881 in Tombstone AZ History! Nevada, Wyoming, Montana, New Mexico and Colorado are all associated with the Old Wild West. North Dakota and South Dakota also bring some Old Wild West connections.
But when you look at a some Old West Maps, there may be some states you'll find there that you haven't even thought of. For instance:
And because they're somewhat far to the North/Northwest - these may not have crossed your mind...
Canada also was involved in the "Old West" migration. There were some "wild" elements involved. Sam Kelly was a cowboy who came West from Nova Scotia. He had an alias: Red Nelson. He ran a gang called the Nelson Jones Gang, along with Frank Jones. The legend surrounding them says their gang hid out in the caves of the Big Muddy Valley in SW Saskatchewan.
Other areas of Canada considered part of the old Wild West are British Columbia and the Yukon. In 1896 Canada placed ads to attract people into their Western territories.
Canada has a connection to some famous names. Bat Masterson was born in Canada. Buffalo Bill Cody's father was Canadian-born.
A memorable Wild Bunch lieutenant, Harry Longabaugh, hung around Calgary, Alberta for at least three years. Records show he worked at the Bar-U Ranch during that time. The Bar-U is now a National Historic Site.
Ned McGowan was an interesting character who spent some time in Tombstone Arizona. He created quite a disturbance when he went to what's now British Columbia.
Around 1860 publishers saw a need, and began to put out small paper-back stories. They were in books or booklets that people called Dime Novels.
They were short: about 32 to 200 pages. The books were small. About the size of a large mobile or cell phone. The prices ranged from 5 to 15 cents.
When first published, they focused on stories of pioneers in their adventures and dealings in the Old Wild West. Through the next decades they moved into love stories and other types of exploits.
People were becoming more literate. They began getting some leisure time. So they wanted something to read. These novels helped keep the interest in the old Wild West alive! They were the beginnings of the true category of Western Books.
Pioneers migrated West from the original 13 colonies of the United States. They looked for land to farm or ranch. They looked for opportunity away from the crowded and dirty cities on the East coast.
Some also looked for quick or easy riches.
But typically mining was not fast or easy. Mining was a reason many people came to the Old West. They were hoping to strike it rich. An example is Ed Schieffelin, known as the founder of Tombstone AZ. When he was roaming the territory, someone said to him that he wasn't going to find anything but his own tombstone! Yet, he was instrumental in getting our town here a start! He found his mining strikes!
Groups often united together when deciding to travel Westward to unknown areas. Wild West Wagons gathered into a Wagon Train to help maintain safety. Their prime worries were Number "b" above - and attacks from American Native Indians.
Towns were established. At first many had no organized law or government. Many began as a Wild West Town - but eventually grew into a more civilized place. These organized towns were still often surrounded by wild areas.
The edge of town, usually had its Red Light District. Madams had licensed "Houses of Ill-Repute" in which women worked as "soiled doves."
A regular occurrence in these Old West towns were Fire Disasters. Most buildings were made of wood framing. They were often built quickly and haphazardly. Tent structures intermixed with new clapboard, wooden homes. A lot of canvas was used for roofing, and even walls.
With candles used for lighting, and careless actions, fires were a result. The Western environment is dry, especially in the Spring and Autumn. Altogether this encouraged quick blazes! Which spread fast, often destroying a good portion of a town.
The new type of American outlaw roamed areas where the law wasn't yet well-established. In the Old West, Gambling was a regular pursuit mostly for men, in Saloons. Between the two, gunfights could arise. Some are quite famous, having made headlines throughout the United States. Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Arizona became well-publicized whenever these gun battles broke out.
Some of the well-known ones:
Men such as Jesse James, an Outlaw still famous today. Yet, he had a different agenda, as a result of issues from the civil war.
In Tombstone, Arizona, the OK Corral Shootout took place. There were many issues that contributed to that eventual confrontation. The groups know as the Cochise County Cowboys had continual issues with groups of lawmen. In particular they were at odds with Wyatt Earp and his brother, Virgil Earp. They also tangled with Doc Holliday.
Women came West during the Old West era. Women of the American West had specific roles. They didn't have many options.
In a family group, she'd be the wife, daughter or mother. She'd stay together with the family. The female would take on traditional roles. At times she found her responsibility expanded because of need. She'd then take on nontraditional roles, the work that men usually performed. The travels and dangers they faced required exceptional stamina and spunk! Most were up to the task when required.
Other women met with fully disastrous events that forced them into survival situations. It could be the loss of their family through illness or violent death. They turned to methods that kept them alive. For survival.
Methods women of the Wild West used to make it on their own:
Making a trip out West? Museums are available to get an over-all view of the Old Wild West. If you are visiting an area near these sites, we recommend a visit!
As the American frontier was further explored and settled, people began bringing their culture, law-abiding ethics and education into these new towns. The towns built up and became more suitable to raise and provide for families. People often complained of the "wild" reputation of the area they lived in. They wanted peaceful times, they wanted civilization.
Ranchers moved in and obtained land, and farmers did the same. They ringed areas they owned with barbed wire fencing. Native Americans were forced out of their lands, often a losing battle for them. New inventions came onto the scene.
The automobile was a wonder of the day. It began replacing the horse for transportation. Especially when Henry Ford made the Model T, which was relatively affordable for many families. The reputation of the Old Wild West faded away, as modern times began setting in. It was now the "Roaring 20s" after all!
So many people still love to reminisce about the Old West - about the Wild West! Many cities and towns sponsor Old Wild West days. Families take vacations to visit historic old Wild West towns. They love to visit Old West Ghost Towns, too. And what about the Westerns - movies and television programs? People still watch every day!
And while doing all this - everyone loves to take Photos of Their Old West Stylin'
How About You??