Dr. History's Tales of the Old West
Dr. History's audio stories of the Old West. Stories of Cowboys, Indians, Mountain men, pioneers, the Oregon Trail, miners, cattle drives, stagecoach and bank robbers, the cavalry, outlaws and lawmen, some famous and some you have never heard of. From the Custer Battlefield to the Klondike to Indian battles to buried treasure and lost mines to the early explorers. I love telling true stories that shaped the old west.
Episodes
April 23, 2024 • 22 mins
From silent movies to the modern, John Wayne stands out as the most famous star. He started as a prop boy and extra, but with the help of John Ford he made the step from B movies to the big screen. John Wayne and hundreds of other Hollywood cowboys made history and brought the old west alive.
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April 16, 2024 • 16 mins
In its first year, 150,000 passengers rode the Transcontinental Railroad from Omaha to Sacramento, that number rose to a million. Some traveled for a vacation, others to a destination. Comfort varied between first class with beds and exotic food to the emigrants who brought their own food and sat the whole journey.
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April 9, 2024 • 23 mins
Gary Cooper was a top male box-office attraction and could star in westerns or modern movies. Fans expected death -defying deeds as well as a hero with high moral standards. John Ford created the “epic” western high budget movies like “Stagecoach” which rescued an actor named John Wayne
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April 2, 2024 • 23 mins
Early movies needed a hero, Gilbert Anderson became Broncho Billy and made a sequel a week, making $50,000 per show. Bill Hart became a clean-cut hero creating the look of the Old West. Next, Tom Mix was a good athlete and did his own stunts while dressed in all white hat and clothes. By 1925 he was making $17,500 a week and was a star to millions until he died in a car wreck.
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March 26, 2024 • 23 mins
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.
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March 19, 2024 • 29 mins
Mules, Frozen Hands, "Big" Ed, A Magic Cow, A Horse called "Firecracker" another called "The Black Demon" and a true champion bronc rider.
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March 12, 2024 • 19 mins
The First Cattle Drive, A cowboy who nearly drowned, Hank Vaughn, Horse Trading, A lone cowboy and Seven White Horses.
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March 5, 2024 • 23 mins
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.
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February 27, 2024 • 22 mins
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.
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February 20, 2024 • 22 mins
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.
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February 13, 2024 • 22 mins
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.
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February 6, 2024 • 19 mins
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.
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January 30, 2024 • 23 mins
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."
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January 23, 2024 • 23 mins
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.
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January 16, 2024 • 22 mins
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.
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January 9, 2024 • 22 mins
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?
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January 2, 2024 • 22 mins
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.
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December 19, 2023 • 23 mins
The Christmas Truce, personal stories and more.
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December 12, 2023 • 22 mins
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.
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December 5, 2023 • 23 mins
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.
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