Dr. History's Tales of the Old West

Don't trifle with a woman's affections, steal her cattle, horses or oxen. Don't "steal" her daughter, her husband's rifle or shoot her ranch hand. Indians found a "defenseless" ranch wife was pretty good with a rifle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Conestoga, Studebaker, Espenshied, Murphy or a converted farm wagon, and, are you going to use horses, mules or oxen? Decisions that determine if you will make to Oregon or California. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Was Simpson a horse thief? A peculiar man with a reputation for being honest, yet evidence indicates he was a horse thief. A hasty trial with a rope around his neck, was this the end? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nat Love and Bill Picket were among the most famous African American cowboys. They made their name by being the best when it came to riding, roping, branding and herding cattle. Pickett was inducted into the National Cowboy Hall of Fame in 1971. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On a cattle drive, a stampede was feared the most. Usually at night, lightning, thunder, a horse falling, and sometimes for no reason, a herd could be thrown into a wild panic. Most herds stampeded at least once. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Cattle drives depended on a good foreman and cook. Coffee, sourdough biscuits, bacon, steak, beans, pot roast, short ribs and son-of-a-(gun) stew, cowboys were well fed. They also obeyed strict chuck wagon rules. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A cattle drive began with receiving cattle, in this case from Mexico. From receiving, swimming across the Rio Grande, counting the herd, picking your horses, all part of a six month trail ride. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

1868, General George A. Custer led the 7th Cavalry in a surprise winter attack against Cheyenne Chief Black Kettle and his village. Custer reported a victory, yet there were only a dozen warriors killed and 23 soldiers killed. 1876, another attack along the Little Bighorn river, with much different results. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

George Miller didn't like his neighbors cows eating his corn. He shot some cows and his neighbor, but partnering with Red Buck was his worst mistake. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Blonde, blue eyed, fair skinned Indians? Tall, powerful and courageous with their "skull crushers", they were feared by the Sioux. The 1362 Kensington Stone and Viking graves may hold the answer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dinah, the three-wheeled steam tractor, set out to replace the 20 mule teams hauling borax across the Mojave desert. When the dust cleared there was just one winner. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The winter of 1864 found the mining town of Alder Gulch with a serious lack of flour as supply trains were unable to make it through the deep snow. Flour, also called, “Dumpling Dust”, sold for as much as $110 a sack. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

George W. Skinner discovered a huge treasure but disappeared. His skeletal remains were found, but not the treasure, even with written directions discovered by his brother. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Doc Middleton stole mules and horses from friends, neighbors and emigrants, but would turn around and give horses to poor stranded emigrants. A Robin Hood of sorts, but still ended up in jail. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Famous for a knife, he fought against General Santa Anna at the Alamo, with Davy Crockett and Colonel William Travis. These brave defenders died fighting for Texas independence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A treasure hunters paradise, Mustang and Padre Islands. Miles of buried treasure, sunken ships, coins, artifacts, military relics waiting to be found, but watch out for snakes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

He carried 50 pounds of gear, marched 10 to 20 miles a day in all kinds of weather, often without enough food or clean water. At the end of a campaign, clothes were rags, boots worn out, hair and beards long and shaggy, yet they played an important role in protecting early pioneers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After three months driving cattle, the cowboys were ready for fun. A haircut, new clothes, a photo and money to spend. Wild Bill Hickok patrolled Abilene with a sawed-off shotgun. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Buffalo herds were being slaughtered for their hides. Indian tribes attacked the trading post at Adobe Walls, but the hunters held them off with sharpshooting and Billy Dixon's mile long shot. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

He explored most of the West, fought in the Mexican and Civil wars, discovered gold, ran for President and died poor. One of the West's greatest explorers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A pioneer Christmas was a combination of traditions and songs from around the world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Even in times of war, there can be moments of peace. During WW II Elisabeth Vinckens, a German, opened her home to some unusual guests and for a short time, there was peace. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Christmas morning, in a blinding snowstorm, 19 year old Charles Walgamott rode the horse drawn sled carrying passengers, mail and freight. They met the stage coming from the Oakley (Idaho) stage station, then returned to the City of Rocks stage station for a great Christmas feast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Armed with a .44 Colt pistol, Pearl Hart robbed a stagecoach and was immediately arrested. The last stage robbery resulted in 18 months in jail for the beautiful bandit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A young miner was having a great time drinking with his friends until he challenged fellow drinkers to a contest. The results were not what he wanted as he went home bloodied and battered. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices