Dr. History's Tales of the Old West
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509 episodes
The film industry began in the early 1900’s. Cowboys found less work on ranches, but could make more money being extras and stunt doubles in early Western movies. It could be dangerous work, but some went on to become movies stars. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Mules, Frozen Hands, "Big" Ed, A Magic Cow, A Horse called "Firecracker" another called "The Black Demon" and a true champion bronc rider. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The First Cattle Drive, A cowboy who nearly drowned, Hank Vaughn, Horse Trading, A lone cowboy and Seven White Horses. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
He worked for several of the big stage companies. He saw the need for short lines to small towns and mines. From Salt Lake he served nearly every community along the Wasatch Mountains and grew into one of the largest and wealthiest companies in the country. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The Saluda had been sunk, raised, patched and put into service on the Missouri River. Captain Belt said he was going to make it up the river or blow it up, and that’s what happened. The Sultana was taking released Union prisoners of war North. A greedy captain was paid by how many passengers he could crowd onto the Sultana. 1195 passengers died as a result of a boiler explosion. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
John Napton took a chance on the Imperial to get home from Fort Benton. A miserable voyage, constantly getting stuck on sand bars, no pilot, food with worms and passengers having to get out into the river to pull the boat off sand bars. He joined other passengers to finish the voyage in a salvaged Mackinaw. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Sir Richard Burton thought the military would appreciate the help of genuine British soldier. He wrote of his experiences which helped entice his fellow countrymen to immigrate and invest in the cattle industry. Wealthy Englishwomen soon adapted to the western way of life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Visitors from Europe wrote of their adventures in the west, which prompted many to immigrate. The Earl of Dunraven wrote a book, others kept journals of the weather, the food and clothing to impress friends back home. Sir Richard Burton offered instructions on the art of gunslinging. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Publishers and their equipment met with some danger. Presses dumped in rivers. Publishers dodging cannon balls, kidnapped, thrown into jail, tarred and feathered and nearly hung by disgruntled readers. Desperate for news, some made up outrageous stories, such as the famed, "Wampus Cat." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Easterners needed someone they could trust to tell them what they could expect in the West. New York Times journalist Horace Greeley was the expert. His famous words, “Go West, young man, go West” inspired many to leave their homes for the vast unknown. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
A steamboat could make $80,000 for the cargo and passengers going to Fort Benton in the Montana gold fields. Life was hard for the deck hands and crew. There was danger at every turn, of 700 steamboats, 300 were destroyed by snags, explosions and sand bars. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Chief Little Mountain was chosen to lead the Kiowas. The military held peace talks which lasted a decade until the gold rushes brought thousands across their lands. Another treaty further reduced their land. Was there to be peace or war? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Islandman was the chief of the KIowas. He failed to protect his tribe after a brutal battle with the Osage. The tribe had a unique method for choosing a new leader. Little Mountain became the chief for the next 33 years. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The Christmas Truce, personal stories and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The cowboy’s identity was his horse. The lariat, gun, a fancy hat and good boots were standard equipment. A cowboy’s speech was roughly one third profanity, with son-of-a-(yes, that word) being the most common. They were a hardworking, never complaining, tough and dedicated men. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Artists like Remington and Russell dramatized the cowboy life, but was it reality? They often went long hours in bad weather, with little food or sleep. Cowboys came from all walks of life and countries, some to get away from the law. From his prized Stetson, spurs, boots and chaps, his life centered on that unlovable creature called a cow. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Bullboats, dugout canoes and even rafts were handmade and could hold tons of furs and gear. Also handmade were lightweight pad saddles, buckskin gun cases, calf knee gun protectors, tomahawk and knife sheaths, leggings and leather pouches for carrying food and supplies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Ornery, cantankerous, unwashed and a master trapper. Captured by Apaches, they took all his belongings and turned him loose to walk over two hundred miles barefoot. Usually very cautious, he made the mistake of agreeing to be a guide for John C. Fremont. The expedition was a disaster that ended with the death of Old Bill. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Mountain man, trapper and author of “Journal of a Trapper.” Camped near Yellowstone Lake, he and his companion were attacked by Blackfoot Indians. Both wounded by arrows, they managed to escape by hiding in the thick brush and were able to walk back to Fort Hall. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The grizzly was the animal the trappers feared worst. They say if confronted, stand your ground and stare the bear in the eyes and he will leave. But trapper Marie and others who encountered bears carried scars the rest of their lives. Men were in the land where the grizzly was king. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
He was a cold, calculating and ruthless businessman, but was successful at the fur trading business. He followed Lewis and Clark for several years with bands of trappers that included some who were with Lewis and Clark. He underpaid his trappers and overcharged them for supplies, but died a rich man. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Trappers built cabins or lived in tipis near friendly Indians. Clothing was made by the Indian wives. Entire outfits, moccasins, leggings, shirts, and robes. The tipi was kept clean and organized with a pot of food always cooking to feed visitors. They moved if forage or food became scarce. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
A successful trapper had to know the business. Where and how to set his traps, how to care for the pelts and how to survive the winter. He could read signs of possible danger from Indians, and which were friendly. His occupational disease was rheumatism from the hours standing in icy cold rivers and streams. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Nearly everyone could pan $10 to $15 dollars a day. There were the big ones who took $26,000, another $20,000 in a few weeks. Some made $800 to $1500 a day, but it wasn't easy. Standing in knee deep cold water all day caused colds, fevers and pneumonia. Supplies cost many times they're worth. Out of ten million dollars in gold, only about 5% made their fortunes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Early pamphlets and settlers bragged of the virtues of this land of milk and honey. Salmon, good timber, abundant crops and productive gardens. Getting there was another story. Totally unprepared immigrants got lost, ran out of food, oxen that gave out, facing extremes of weather and diseases. But, many persevered and made it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The Paiute believed the white people would someday come to "heal all the old trouble." Sarah Winnemucca and her people were disappointed how the immigrants treated them. Sarah was considered the first Native American to write her autobiography. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Columbus, Cortes and other explorers brought sheep to the Americas. The California gold rush miners needed food; sheep was the answer. "Uncle Dick" Wootton bought 9,000 sheep, after a fight with a Ute Chief and crossing the Sierra Nevadas he made a $50,000 profit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
He was leader of the Rocky Mountain Fur Company. He stared down a grizzly bear, recovered stolen horses from Shoshone Indians, escaped from some Gros Ventre warriors, escaped from Blackfeet warriors. Later he guided wagon trains and was an agent for the several Indian tribes and died at the age of fifty-five. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
He made a lot of money with his Wild West Shows, but always seemed to be short on money. He thought mines would be easy money, it wasn't. He poured a lot of money into several mines, none of which ever produced a profit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
In 1852 the first attempts to transport goods up the Colorado River to Fort Yuma failed. Capt. George Johnson succeeded with the General Jesup, then added a second stern-wheeler. He discovered the Colorado River could be navigated 400 miles upriver from Fort Yuma. He retired a wealthy man. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
