Lewis & Clark | Sacagawea & Daniel Boone (Part 2)
The Wild West Extravaganza
One aspect of the Lewis and Clark expedition that’s often overlooked is that much of their success hinged largely on the good graces of the various Indigenous people on whose land they were crossing. Today, as we follow the expedition up Missouri, we’ll take a look at several such encounters, first with the Oto and Missouri tribes, then Arikara, the Yankton, and finally a near-disastrous confrontation with the Lakota – one that had the potential to significantly alter history as we know it. We’ll also examine the Corp of Discovery’s time among the Mandan, a possible meeting with the...
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Lewis & Clark | The Corps of Discovery (Part 1)
The Wild West Extravaganza
In the Spring of 1803, the United States acquired the Territory of Louisiana, a largely uncharted tract of wilderness stretching from Canada all the way down to New Orleans, over 800,000 square miles that, as the maps were concerned, remained a mystery. President Thomas Jefferson ordered an expedition to explore Louisiana west to the Pacific Ocean to understand this new purchase better. Tasked with leading this endeavor – officially known as the Corp of Discovery – were Captains Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. The Corp of Discovery was to travel some 8,000 miles, navigating their way...
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Introducing American Criminal
The Wild West Extravaganza
From Airship, the studio behind American Scandal, American History Tellers, and History Daily, comes a new true crime history podcast that takes you inside the minds of some of our most notorious felons and outlaws, exploring the dark side to the American dream. The debut season tackles one of the country’s most sensational cases: The Menendez Murders. In 1989, Lyle and Erik Menendez brutally shot their parents. Prosecutors said it was a million dollar inheritance that led two greedy kids to murder. But the picture-perfect facade this family built hid troubling abuse; could these teenagers...
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Claude Dallas | Killer Cowboy
The Wild West Extravaganza
They say Claude Dallas was the last of the Mountain Men; A modern-day cowboy and fur trapper just living life on his terms. A throwback to the Mountain Men like Jim Bridger, Jed Smith, and Kit Carson. The only thing was the authorities just wouldn’t let Dallas be. First, it was the FBI, then the Bureau of Land Management, and finally, a pair of Game Wardens out of Idaho. Dallas had sworn he’d never be arrested again, and sure enough when the smoke cleared, both Game Wardens lay dead on the ground. For over the next year, Claude Dallas was the subject of a nationwide manhunt. He would be...
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Black Cowboys
The Wild West Extravaganza
In this collection of true stories from the Old West, we’ll discuss Bass Reeves, one of the first black deputy Marshal west of the Mississippi. We’ll also take a look at the opposite end of the spectrum with Cherokee Bill – the son of a buffalo hunter who became one of the deadliest outlaws of Indian Territory. Finally we’ll celebrate the life and death of Brit Johnson, a former slave who’s quest to retrieve his wife and children from the clutches of captivity would inspire John Wayne’s The Searchers. Check out the website for more true tales from the Old West ...
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Legends and Outlaws | An Old West Marathon
The Wild West Extravaganza
In this collection of true stories from the Old West, we’ll discuss George Parrot, aka Big Nose George – a lesser-known outlaw who had a noose around his neck more times than you'd believe. And that’s just half the story! You’ll never guess how this one ends! Afterward, we’ll hop over to El Paso for a legendary showdown between madams Big Alice Abbot and Etta “The Grasshopper” Clark before discussing the legendary gunfight in Newton, Kansas. And don’t forget about legendary Joaquin Murrieta – the supposed inspiration for the likes of Zorro and Batman. Was Murrieta a...
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John Wesley Hardin's Final Stand (Part 4)
The Wild West Extravaganza
John Wesley Hardin killed his first man at the age of 15, and for the next decade, he would continue to kill. The exact number of victims is unknown, but it’s estimated that anywhere from twenty to forty men fell before Hardin’s guns, making him one of the deadliest shootists of the Old West. Then, at the age of 25, Hardin went to prison. After numerous attempts at escape and several lashings, Wes finally settled down and became a model inmate. And, upon his eventual release, Hardin truly seemed to be a changed man. Believe it or not, he would even receive a license to practice law and...
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The Sutton-Taylor Feud | John Wesley Hardin (Part 3)
The Wild West Extravaganza
The Sutton-Taylor feud was one of the deadliest of the Old West. On one side you had the Taylor clan – descendants of Virginian Josiah Taylor, who settled near Cuero in DeWitt County. Tough-as-nails patriarchs Pitkin and Creed, along with their many sons and nephews, formed the backbone of their faction. Their adversaries, initially tied to the nefarious Texas State Police, rally under the name of William E. Sutton and Sheriff Jack Helm. Ambushes, assassinations, and betrayals became the norm, with each party vying for dominance. But who’s side would gunman John Wesley Hardin fight on?...
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John Wesley Hardin vs Wild Bill Hickok (Part 2)
The Wild West Extravaganza
John Wesley Hardin – the Old West gunfighter who not only faced down Wild Bill Hickok but also gained infamy for (allegedly) shooting a man merely for snoring! Join me as we examine both of these incidents, as well as Hardin’s encounter with the Bloody Bender family of Kansas, the time a belt buckle saved his life, and the lead up to the infamous Sutton-Taylor feud. Check out the website for more true tales from the Old West Email me! John Wesley Hardin Part 1 - Wild Bill Hickok - Shootout at Hide Park aka Newton Massacre...
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The Tall Tales of Jim Bridger | Interview with Rib Hillis & Paul Epstein
The Wild West Extravaganza
Join me in a discussion with actor Rib Hillis and producer Paul Epstein as we discuss the upcoming premiere of INSP’s The Tall Tales of Jim Bridger! As a fur trapper, legendary mountain man Jim Bridger explored the entire distant West and survived countless hair-raising adventures. Now, he's a respected trail guide and army scout who knows every river, mountain, and trail of the frontier. As a new generation of settlers, soldiers, and speculators crowd the Bozeman Trail, Bridger's hard-won wisdom is more valuable than ever, even if his famous tall tales sound more like fiction than fact....
info_outlineOn June 25th, 1876, George Armstrong Custer rode into battle for the last time. He and his troops faced an overwhelming force of Lakota and Cheyenne along the banks of the Little Bighorn, and before the sun sank into the horizon, every man in his command was dead. When General Terry arrived two days later, the victorious warriors were already gone. The soldiers on Reno Hill had watched in awe as the large progression, stretching for more than two miles, passed them by. And when Terry and his men approached, their first question was “Where’s Custer?” They’d been so busy just trying to stay alive that they had no idea their commander was dead. This news not only shook the surviving troopers to the core, but also the entire Nation. A Republic getting ready to observe its centennial now had to contend with its most celebrated hero slaughtered at the hands of so-called “savages.” As you can imagine, the reaction was swift. And in less than a year the Great Sioux War would be over, and those who defeated Custer would be relegated to life on the reservation. But what transpired immediately after the battle of Little Bighorn? What events would cause the Northern Cheyenne to finally lay down their arms? And what would Wooden Leg get up to in the years following? I think the answer might surprise you. Also discussed are the Battle of Wolf Mountain, the Dull Knife Fight, the Cheyenne Exodus, and the Massacre at Wounded Knee.
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Wooden Leg: A Warrior Who Fought Custer - https://www.amazon.com/dp/1539063747?linkCode=ssc&tag=onamzjoshta02-20&creativeASIN=1539063747&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.YEHGNY7KFAU7&ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ofs_mixed_d_asin
The Earth Is All That Lasts by Mark L. Gardner - https://www.amazon.com/dp/0062669907?linkCode=ssc&tag=onamzjoshta02-20&creativeASIN=0062669907&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.YEHGNY7KFAU7&ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ofs_mixed_d_asin
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