INTO THE WILD

Traveling in the Old West was a very long and tiring journey. Not because there were no fast means of transportation, but also because the road maps were still scarce and incomplete. Their travels were either due to migration, business, or expedition. There were also instances that traveling became dangerous because there were several territorial Native American tribes. One case was the Oatman family’s murder, credited to the Yavapai tribe. This photo may recount a family of three generations migrating to who knows where. It seemed that all twelve of them were able to fit in one carriage.

THE NOTORIOUS BILLY

Billy the Kid was an outlaw in the Old West. He became famous for killing eight men and was known to have committed three other murders as well. Billy the Kid started to commit crimes when he was young. Based on records, he was arrested several times for stealing food and robbing a business at the young age of 16. His notoriety became widespread when he killed two of the sheriff’s deputies in order to escape prison. The governor put a bounty for his capture. Sheriff Garrett was credited as the man who killed him, and Billy the Kid was only 21 years old when he died.

NATIVE AMERICANS’ PARADE

The Native American chief led the way as his group rode their horses to present themselves before the Wild West show began. Maybe a parade was credited as a tradition in the Old West, or just like how any other show starts, all prominent people or stars are to present themselves before the audience. It is for the reason of introducing themselves and welcoming the people that will be watching the show. This picture was captured in Boston, and the reason why we suppose that this was a Western show is that the ground beneath the chief’s horse is a wooden platform.

DEADWOOD COACH

This image shows the Deadwood Coach, credited to photographer John C.H. Grabill. This coach is probably the most popular one since it was used centuries ago. It displays the frontier life and represents the traveling men of the Wild West. It carried Buffalo Bill, among other passengers, who is a famous showman known for putting up Wild West shows with cowboy themes. Buffalo Bill traveled all over the United States, Great Britain, and Europe, taking his large company on tours to perform shows. The coach is still preserved to this day and is displayed in the Buffalo Bill Historical Center in Cody, Wyoming.

GUNSLINGING WOMEN

People from the Wild West had gained a reputation for being dangerous, holding guns at all times, and participating in gunfights. But it is not only men who engage in shootouts. Women also learned how to use guns, and some even excel at it. It is because the Old West was at an alarming state when newly-settled Americans were threatened by the attack of Indians. So women learned to defend themselves, especially when left alone at home. Popular lady gun-slingers include Calamity Jane who rescued people from Indian attacks, and Annie Oakley, credited as the sharpshooter, who joined Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show.

GOLDIE GRIFFITH

Goldie Griffith is a renowned cowgirl and credited as one of the first professional female athletes in the US. She was part of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show and was a famous boxer and wrestler, known to challenge others and put on bets. She also became an actress and stunt rider for new Western films. It was known that Goldie got married at Madison Square Garden with 8,000 people in attendance. She also owned several restaurants in Colorado, applied to be the first policewoman in San Francisco, and trained dogs for the war. Is there anything else this brave woman cannot do?

GENERAL CUSTER

This photo shows General Custer and his troops, probably preparing for a battle. General Custer was a United States Army officer and commander, credited for his leadership in the American Civil War and the American Indian War. He is most famous for his command at the Battle of Little Bighorn in 1876. Unfortunately, he lost both the battle and his life. He suffered two bullet wounds, one near his heart and another in his head. His body was found in the Custer Hill, alongside the dead bodies of his troops and their horses. The dramatic event was known as “Custer’s Last Stand”.

THE GYPSY

Fortune-telling was a popular pastime and became a high demand in the Wild West. This photo shows a woman who is a fortune teller, probably belonging to the ethnic Romani tribe, or what we call as Gypsies. The Gypsies drew attention by wearing colorful, floor-length dresses, heavy makeup, and long hair; a way for them to attract customers for their psychic readings. They used different methods such as tarot card readings, palm reading, and crystal balls. People would go to Gypsies when they are searching for fortune. Even the wealthy would use their investments to consult the Gypsies about their future luck in business.

DODGE CITY PEACE COMMISSION

Outlaws in the Wild West grew in numbers, and one of the places in the Wild West where crime rates grew high was Dodge City, Kansas. A cowboy and gambler named Luke Short purchased a saloon in the lawless Dodge City, but his business investments were deeply affected during the Dodge City War. His friend, Wyatt Earp, was led to gather a group of gunfighters and create a commission to support him against the notoriety, and to bring law and order in the city. They were called the Dodge City Peace Commission in 1883. Its members can be seen in the photo.

LOUISA EARP

Louisa Houston Earp was the wife of gunfighter Morgan Seth Earp, the brother of Wyatt Earp. Louisa, or Lou, was the second eldest of twelve children. She was described by her sister-in-law as “a fine person, a clever young lady, who was well-educated.” Lou was credited as one of the Harvey Girls or waitresses from Fred Harvey’s restaurant. She met Morgan in Dodge City and a year later, they got married and shared a home in Miles City, Montana. The tragedy happened when Morgan was murdered in Tombstone, Arizona, and his widow, Lou, later died of rheumatoid arthritis at 39 years old.